Terps Hoping Talent Subs for Experience
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While playing for the Venezuelan national team, Greivis Vasquez received an endorsement from Kobe Bryant, who told the Maryland sophomore in Spanish that he had a good chance to play in the NBA someday. While playing for the Pan American Games team, senior James Gist said he learned that athletic ability does not matter as much as knowledge of the game.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]Vasquez and Gist gained valuable experience this summer playing overseas and will be two of the leaders on one of the youngest teams Coach Gary Williams has had at Maryland. Aside from two other experienced players -- sophomore Eric Hayes and senior Bambale Osby -- Williams has a host of inexperienced players and newcomers.
"Who is going to be the fifth guy?" Williams said. "That is one of the things we have to work on."
Among those with a chance to contribute are six freshmen -- including redshirt freshman Jerome Burney -- and sophomore Landon Milbourne, who averaged five minutes per game last season. When asked who will emerge, Vasquez said: "I'll tell you a secret: Landon Milbourne is going to have a breakout season.
The veterans already have taken the newcomers under their wing and instilled a work ethic they hope will take them back to the NCAA tournament. Last season's second-round tournament loss to Butler still troubles Vasquez, who said: "When you are a freshman, you never forget. This jersey means so much to me. Losing that game was like losing a family member."
Vasquez said last season's expectation was to return to the NCAA tournament and this season, even after losing six seniors, the goal is to win the national championship.
-- Eric Prisbell
