Coaches always say, “next man up” when a key player goes down. With Nate Ament sidelined for tonight’s matchup against South Carolina, the Vols now have to figure out who that next man will be. Ja'Kobi Gillespie has been the 1A/1B with Ament all season long, so the Vols need to see which player will be alongside Gillespie tonight.
To me, the clear candidate to step up is sophomore guard Bishop Boswell. I love his game, and he's been a glue guy all year for Rick Barnes on defense and consistently handles the small but vital roles of rebounding, passing, and serving as a secondary ball handler. Boswell looks like the ideal guy to fill Ament’s shoes tonight, and Tennessee could start leaning on him as a focal point in the offense alongside Gillespie. I really appreciate, a nd Vosl fans do too, how much of an edge he plays with, and that edge will be something Barnes needs to step up tonight.
Bishop Boswell needs to be the second option for Tennessee tonight
I think the biggest reason he makes the most sense as the second option tonight is that he can create his own shot. Boswell is a good shooter at 42.6% from three this year, and the 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio proves he is capable of being trusted with the ball in his hands to make plays. I'm not saying he's Kemba Walker, but he does have the ability to make plays with the ball.
South Carolina struggles inside the paint, so there will be opportunities for him to create drive and kicks or be on the receiving end of a Gillespie kick-out. Gamecock guards Meechie Johnson and Mike Sharavjamts are both solid defenders, but with Tennessee's post presence, I think it will open up opportunities for Boswell.
All I'm saying is don't be shocked if Gillespie has a big night.