The Skeen effect: How losing Jamie Skeen impacted VCU’s spacing, shooters

Adam Stern
Executive editor
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ANALYSIS/OPINION

When former VCU forward Jamie Skeen would peel out of the paint in games and plop himself on the edge of the 3-point line in his time at the school, he did so to get himself shots but, simultaneously and indirectly, he was opening up better shots for his teammates at the same time.

Having one of the opposing team’s big man have to chase Skeen outside every game opened up craters of space for VCU’s other players around the court by elongating the Rams’ spacing to the point that defenses were left stretched and ineffective.

Thus, it was a big adjustment for VCU’s lone senior this season, Bradford Burgess , when Skeen left, because Burgess was a big-time benefactor of Skeen’s by way of finding himself more open on a lot of his opportunities outside and having less traffic to deal with in the paint.

Burgess had a stellar season for VCU this year by virtue of his unparalleled leadership. But the Midlothian native did go through a prolonged shooting slump through the middle portion of the schedule before snapping out of it and capping it off by virtue of a career-high 31-points in the final home game of his collegiate career. Sophomore shooting guard Rob Brandenberg also went through a notable shooting slump during the season, as well, before he too kicked it back into high level as the campaign approached its tail-end.

Asked if the loss of Skeen– and, more specifically, the spacing that came as a result of having him on the floor– was one of the many factors that had an impact on the tough times VCU’s shooters went through earlier this season, third-year head coach Shaka Smart seemed to think so.

“Yes, that’s one part of it,” Smart said after VCU’s open practice at the Richmond Coliseum Thursday. “Skeen: he commanded multiple defenders, so he got guys higher quality shots, then Joey, he got our guys a lot of high quality shots, so then you take those two guys off the team, that’s going to affect you.

“Plus as a younger team, your execution and your spacing in general just isn’t just as good as when you have seniors. But I think we’re getting better, and hopefully over the next several days we’ll see the ball go in the hoop a lot.”