GBI Magazine

taller players. But Davis' scoring acumen helped Purdue on offense and his tenacity offset his size in the rebounding column. His future, as would seem to be the case with his classmates, would appear bright. But it remains to be seen how Davis might be used. He could stay at that 4 position in a smaller lineup configuration or move out to the wing, the way D.J. Byrd did as a senior this season. No matter where he plays, he showed as a Tom Campbell Coach Matt Painter is looking forward to an influx of new talent for 2013-14, and is hoping his freshman he'll be proteam can find a way to return to the culture that was so prevalent from 2007-12. ductive and serve as a tone-setter of sorts for his potential. a team that could use a But it's perfectly reasonable to expect Hammons to be shot of energy and passion. an All-Big Ten level of player next season. It's those intangibles all across the board that will The same might be said for point guard Ronnie John- probably matter most for Purdue in 2013-14 son, thrown into a sink-or-swim situation right away as Painter lamented this season a sudden erosion of his Purdue had few other options. team's culture. It must now be re-captured. He swam far more than he sank while playing "I feel that with a couple of them. I don't feel it with through his own struggles and was playing particularly all of them, but it is also an action so how they make me well by the end of the season, as he learned to better feel coming out of a meeting, who really cares?" Painter pick his spots. said. "I want to see it in action. I want to see a guy im"That's what I had to distinguish at the beginning prove his free throw percentage from 55 percent to 75 of the year," Ronnie Johnson said in the final weeks of percent. I want to see a guy look better because of what the season. "I took some bad shots at the beginning, he does in the weight room and what he does from a and now I think I know the difference between what's a conditioning standpoint. In a couple of them, I just want good shot and what's a bad shot and what Coach Painter them to register on the give-a-damn meter and show us wants. that basketball is a big part of what they do. "It's just about becoming a better leader. I think that's "Sure, academics are the most important, but Purdue what I need to work on most. I get my head down at is a blue-collar place and we have to outwork some peotimes and it can affect the whole team. I need to keep ple and that is how we have had success in one of the my composure." best, if not the best, conferences in America. We had Then there's Rapheal Davis, who finished the season some guys who cared and outworked people. I am not as a starter after "beating out" — Painter's words — saying I'm right, but that is my opinion. That is how I others with his effort, resulting in the 6-5 guard-type feel and we have to get back to that." j player manning the 4 position normally reserved for Gold & Black IllustrateD • volume 23, issue 5com

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