Editor’s Note: The statistics used in this story were accurate before LSU’s game against Georgia.
Tim Quarterman hasn’t been a starter lately for the LSU men’s basketball team, but he isn’t exactly a reserve, either.
The Tiger junior guard went from being an almost regular starter since Feb. 7, 2015 to reverting back to the bench for the last four Southeastern Conference games this year. Even as a non-starter in recent contests, he’s played as few as 10 minutes against Arkansas and as many as 32 minutes against Alabama.
“At Alabama, he brought a presence to the floor with some leadership,” said LSU coach Johnny Jones. “He played with a sense of urgency and toughness on the defensive end of the floor. He gave our offense a lot of spark as well when he came in making plays. He was able to do more of the same when he started the second half.”
It’s unclear why Quarterman went to the bench, but Jones credits fellow point guard and senior Josh Gray’s effort in practice as the reason for the switch. But it would be hard to believe that a possible 2016 first round pick, as some believed Quarterman was destined for before the season, would be coming off the bench at a critical juncture in the Tigers’ season.
Despite erratic minutes, Quarterman is just rolling with the punches and putting his trust in his coach during a 3-1 stretch for the team. Fortunately, for Quarterman it’s not something he’s unfamiliar with, he said.
“I was used to coming off the bench last year,” Quarterman said. “Coach just made an adjustment. [With] me maturing and growing up, I didn’t refuse that adjustment. I didn’t go against his word. I just believed in what he was doing, and I just try to come off the bench and make a big impact for the team when I get in the game.”
Even with some unpredictability in playing time, the Savannah, Georgia native’s switch back to the bench has showed his value to the offense in any situation. Actually, the first time Quarterman played a reserve role this year, he delivered a 27-point performance in a loss at Houston, which is his highest
scoring total of the season.
But, after a woeful outing against Florida on Jan. 9 — where he sat the majority of the first half with two fouls — Quarterman’s 12 second-half points were a big part of a comeback win against Ole Miss.
Like Quarterman, freshman guard Antonio Blakeney rose to the occasion after filling an usual role against the Rebels. He came off the bench for the first time in his collegiate career and exploded for 13 points in the second half, including a 2-of-3 clip from three-point territory. Since that game, the Sarasota, Florida native hasn’t started, but he’s established some consistency, shooting 53.8 percent from the field.
Quarterman, however, hasn’t had that consistency in the last three games. He recorded zero points in 10 minutes off the bench against the Razorbacks. He notched 10 points in the first half against Texas A&M but went quiet in the second half of a 14-point defeat. He followed that up by playing the entire second half against the Crimson Tide, scoring nine of his 11 points in the half, including the game-winning putback with 33 seconds left.
Needless to say, Quarterman’s recent showings have been all over the place, but senior guard Keith Hornsby said none of that has to do with when he appears in the game.
“He’s going to get in fairly quickly anyway,” Hornsby said. “One thing about starting is you may get a little chance to warm-up a little bit to get you used to it. [If you] come off the bench, you’re thrown right into action. But, with me, it’s never been an issue. With him, it’s never been an issue. Last year, he came off the bench most of the time. He may have not started, but he was a starter. He’d finish games most of the time. It’s just how it has been these past few games.”
Sophomore forward Craig Victor II, believes Quarterman is as important to the team as anyone, forcing him to act as a leader every time he steps on the court.
“When he’s up and going, this team is unstoppable,” he said. “[I] just try to tell him that and let him understand that he runs this team just like anybody else, be it [freshman forward] Ben [Simmons], myself or Keith.”