While the number 1 option on this team may be Andrew White, and the leader might be Tyler Lydon, teams need more than two scorers to be successful. And that is where Tyus Battle steps in. Battle can be that third option. That guy to take over the second half after White has his successful first half. The player to take the ball strong to the basket when the Orange desperately needs a score.
Saturday he scored 21 points. In the second half he seemed to take over, along with Tyler Lydon. But it was Battle who drove to the basket, scoring 4 times on dunks or layups, as compared to just 10 such buckets in the first 17 games of the season combined. He was aggressive and more than just the three point shooter we have seen for much of the year.
On the Burdick Toyota Countdown To Tipoff, Danny Schayes and I talked about the importance of Tyus Battle as a third option. Partly because teams need to have multiple options, and partly because Battle is the most obvious candidate to step into that role. John Gillon and Frank Howard have been too inconsistent. Taurean Thompson doesn’t play defense well enough to stay on the floor in every game. Tyler Roberson has no true offensive game. Battle is the best option to score behind White and Lydon.
This development is important and Battle has really been a consistent player for the Orange since ACC play began, and even more so in the last three games scoring in the double figures each game.
And it isn’t just the offense. Battle has been more active and has created more turnovers the past four games as the team has started to turn things around defensively. Battle’s play at the top of the zone is welcomed because of the relative instability next to him in the back court.
It also looks like the Orange is putting the ball in Battle’s hands a bit more. At times, it looked like Battle would initiate the offense and run the offense with either Frank Howard or John Gillon playing off the ball.
Right now, it seems like Battle has settled into the third option on this team for now, and maybe he can be a guy who the Orange goes to more often down the stretch of games. Saturday he seemed unafraid to take the ball to the rim, or just shoot the ball in general.
Battle can be a weapon, maybe in games this season, maybe next year when he could become the number 1 option on the team. But he showed what he could do Saturday in the Dome with a 21 point outburst.