Jeff Halbert stepped into The Convo last year and became comfortable right away as a true freshman playing in all 30 games. This year most people expected the same kind of play from him.
Averaging 28 minutes per game, he notched the team's second highest shooting percentage, 48.3, and shot .400 from 3-point range last season. He even had a perfect shooting night against Northern Illinois in which he tallied 13 points, going 3-for-3 in field goals, 2-for-2 behind the arc and 5-for-5 at the line.
This year though some are wondering where the hot-shooting forward from Minnesota is. Although he still averages about the same minutes and points per game, Halbert's playing time had dwindled in recent games - until he returned to the starting lineup last night against Miami - and on the surface he does not seem to have the same presence he did last year.
However, teammate Delvar Barrett said that is a common misconception.
Some people think that if your numbers go down then you are having an off-year
but that's not true Barrett said. The way our system is going we just have a lot of people who get the green light to shoot the ball as where last year it was (Steve) Esterkamp
(Brandon) Hunter
and we all had to get shots where we could when teams were trying to lock them up.
Because of the way Halbert stepped in so quickly last year, people placed unfair expectations on him for the future, Barrett said. However, Halbert does not let it get to him.
If you do something great one game or one year
people are going to expect you to do even more the next - that's just how it is
Halbert said. I wish I was playing better
playing more
but I can't control some of that stuff. Everybody wants to go out there and score 15 points and get 10 rebounds
but I've just got to play hard when I'm in there
no matter how long I'm in there.
Halbert showed a glimpse of what he can do in last night's game, finishing with 13 points, including three 3-pointers, in 34 minutes. He also came up with some big rebounds and a steal at the end of overtime to seal the win for the Bobcats.
The Miami game was a revival for Halbert. The last time he scored 13 or more points was against Brown Dec. 6 when he scored 14 points. Since then he reached double figures only two times.
Ohio coach Tim O'Shea said part of the reason Halbert seemingly has not met expectations this year is because he was unable to work out over the summer due to a back injury he was nursing. Halbert worked his way back for this season, and O'Shea still looks to him to help with the future of the program.
He is a real cornerstone in what we are trying to do over the next few years
