In regard to Playing The Post 101, Jaret Nelson gets it.
The Nixa senior combines his athleticism with an analytical approach and is using his smarts to execute at a higher level than ever before.
Most importantly, in regard to getting the ball, Nelson has been getting it at a much more frequent rate over the past two weeks.
Nelson upped his streak of scoring in double figures to five games Tuesday, as he scored 13 points in the Eagles’ 57-28 drubbing of Republic.
Over the past two weeks, Nelson is averaging 18 points a night. He had a double-double at Webb City.
He is flourishing as Nixa’s lone ‘big’ on the floor, with coach Jay Osborne going with a lineup of four guards more often than not since the start of the new year.
“With two posts, we have to play off of each other,” Nelson said. “With one post, whether it’s me or (Colten) Berry, you have more freedom because you can go block to block or corner to corner (in the paint) or even to the high post. With another one of us in there, there’s also another defender in there.”
“Against some opponents, it’s hard to play the two ‘bigs’ at the same time,” Osborne said. “If you put four shooters on the floor who can penetrate and get to the rim, that puts a lot of pressure on the defense and it opens things up for Jaret, too.”
Nelson’s upsurge also has much to do with his teammates responding to Osborne’s plea to feed their big man more. Nelson is getting the ball early and often, setting the Eagles’ offense up for success.
“I love it,” he said. “It’s one thing for (guards) to go off and have 20 points and it’s another for me to have 20 because that’s partly due to them giving me the ball.”
Nelson also factored in Nixa’s defensive effort Tuesday. Republic (14-10 overall and 4-3 in the COC) did not score more than nine points in any quarter and shot 20 percent (9-for-45) from the floor.
The last time Republic failed to at least score in the 30s also came against Nixa. In the 2008-09 season, the Eagles beat the Tigers 46-28. That same week, Republic lost 39-26 to Central.
Nelson swatted three shots. He has yet to foul out this season.
“He’s playing smarter,” Osborne said. “He’s doing a better job with his patience and picking and choosing his battles. When he’s the second one off the floor and goes for the ball, he’s a good shot blocker. When you’re the first one off the floor, you get called for fouls.”
“If you take my game from last year and my game this year, you can see a change defensively,” Nelson said. “Last year, I fouled a lot. This year, I feel I’ve done a lot better saving my fouls. I’ve learned how to block shots more efficiently by letting the ball be in the air and then block it, instead of trying to block the shot when they still have the ball.”
Nixa turned the game into a rout with a 17-3 third-quarter run. Kael Combs scored 15 points and Colin Ruffin a dozen.
Osborne occasionally gives opponents a look with both Nelson and Berry on the floor. In fact, a Nelson pass to Berry for a layup out of a high-low set was Nelson’s favorite play Tuesday.
“This year, that hasn’t been much of a focus,” Nelson said. “But Berry and I have been doing that since the seventh grade. For me to come across, screen him, flush up and for him to be posted up by the time I have the ball and posted up well enough so I can throw the ball over (his defender) and then for him to finish, we have to be in unison. It feels good to make that play. It’s something I don’t even think we have to practice. It’s natural at this point.”
Nixa (21-3 and 7-0) can clinch a share of the COC championship with a win at home Friday versus Neosho (16-7 and 3-3). The Eagles have won 22 straight conference games.
REPUBLIC (28) — Rexroat 2 0-0 4, Askew 3 4-7 12, McMillin 3 2-6 8, Nabors 0 2-2 2, Beckner 1 0-0 2.
NIXA (57) — Ruffin 5 0-0 12, Turner 1 2-4 5, Combs 7 0-1 15, Nelson 6 1-3 13, Bell 1 0-0 2, Peters 2 0-0 5, Berry 1 1-2 5.
Republic 9 6 6 7 - 28
Nixa 9 14 25 9 - 57
3-point goals - Ruffin 2, Askew 2, Turner, Combs, Peters.
