During his 1999-2000 high school season at St. Catherine’s in Racine, Sharif Chambliss led his overachieving squad to a surprising 23-1 record and a berth in the Wisconsin State Championship title game.
As he returns to his home state this weekend, the stakes aren’t quite as high for Chambliss and his Penn State team. At the Kohl Center this Saturday, Chambliss will be looking to right a Penn State ship that is quickly sinking in the Big Ten standings.
The Nittany Lions (5-12,1-5 Big Ten) have struggled mightily so far this season. They have suffered three separate four-game losing streaks and have faltered early in Big Ten play, losing relatively close games to Michigan, Indiana, Ohio State and Michigan State before getting blown out by Indiana 85-51 Wednesday.
The departure of four of Penn State’s top five scorers from last season has forced Chambliss to be more and more assertive and aggressive on both sides of the ball.
Chambliss, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound two-guard, averaged only 1.3 points in 4.3 minutes per game last season. This season, the Wisconsin native has been the Lions’ premier player, leading the team with 14.5 points per game, and has posted a very impressive 2.1/1 assist-to-turnover ratio. He has also displayed his considerable long-range shooting ability, as he leads the Big Ten in three-pointers made, with 3.8 per contest on 49 percent shooting.
“Sharif is an extremely hard worker,” said Penn State head coach Jerry Dunn. “He’s a guy who on the defensive end will be able to pressure the ball, and on the offensive end he’s going to be able to do a lot of things with the ball.
Chambliss, who was recruited by UW-Green Bay and Marquette coming out of high school, was not pursued by former Wisconsin coach Dick Bennett. His decision to choose Penn State was a difficult one, but the sweet-shooting sophomore feels that he made the right choice.
“I felt that it was the best opportunity and fit for me overall,” said Chambliss. “I thought it would give me the best opportunity to succeed after my basketball-playing days are over.”
Chambliss, who is planning on studying Recreational and Park Management at PSU, is not likely to join the overwhelming numbers of college players who leave school early for the NBA. His lack of height and smallish build make him better suited for the college game, but his three-point shooting ability alone may be enough to get him into “the league.” Chambliss may turn out to be that rare elite player who stays in school for four years before getting drafted.
“If I do have the opportunity to play pro basketball, I’d love to do it,” Chambliss said.
Chambliss will have to forget about his pro prospects for the weekend and focus on a dangerous yet inconsistent Wisconsin team. The Badgers will be looking to avenge their heartbreaking, last-second 51-49 loss at Penn State earlier in the season, the Lions’ only Big Ten win of the season.
The Badgers, who had won three straight games after their Penn State loss before getting demolished by Illinois 80-48 Wednesday night, are looking to stay afloat in the tight race for the Big Ten title. Wisconsin’s loss to Illinois pushed the Badgers to fourth place in the league and moved Illinois up to third, while Minnesota and Michigan, both 3-3 in the league, are on the Badgers’ heels.
The Badgers (11-9, 4-3 Big Ten) are in a must-win situation if they hope to keep their Big Ten title hopes alive. Wisconsin needs point guard Travon Davis, along with guards Devin Harris and Freddie Owens, to play tough defense against Chambliss and point guard Brandon Watkins (13.3 ppg), the team’s two leading scorers. Davis had a career-high nine rebounds in the last Penn State game.
The Lions’ other main threat is forward Tyler Smith, who is third on the team in scoring with 12.2 points per game. The 6-foot-8 Smith, who is second on the team with 5.1 boards per game, should match up well against Badger forwards Charlie Wills and Mike Wilkinson.
Last time the two teams played, both Smith and Wills had big games. Smith scored 13 points, hitting two of three shots from behind the arc, and also had two steals in 34 minutes. Wills gave the Badgers 13 points, hitting four of four free throws, and also had seven rebounds.
Another Badger who had a strong game last time against the Lions was center Dave Mader. The 6-foot-11 Mader, who has started every game this season but is averaging only 13 minutes per contest, had a career-high three blocks against Lions last time, and added four points on two-of-three shooting. Look for Mader to be effective again against The Lions, who do not have a player of Mader’s size to match up against the big man.
There is no doubt that the key player for PSU on Saturday will be Chambliss. The guard, who poured in 20 points on five-for-15 shooting last time the two teams met, has been focusing less on shooting and more on ball distribution, and is excited about the return to his home state.
“I’m just trying to keep everyone involved,” Chambliss said. “If I do that, then I think that will help keep everyone on the team on the same page. We’re going to work real hard in practice, go out there with focus, and go into Madison and try and get that win.”
