Sophomore guard Kammron Taylor and freshman center Brian Butch still have a lot to learn, but Wednesday night against Northwestern, they showed a bright future for Wisconsin basketball.
To be sure, the Badgers are still a veteran team. Seniors like forward Mike Wilkinson and guards Clayton Hanson and Sharif Chambliss still carry the brunt of the load, which they did again Wednesday combining for 32 points.
But with each game the youngsters seem more and more willing to take on added responsibility and make an impact on the floor. Older players like Wilkinson welcome the development.
\The young guys have been doing a good job all year of getting more confidence and getting more comfortable with their roles,"" Wilkinson said. ""[Taylor and Butch] especially have been doing a great job as of late, just going out on the floor and contributing.""
Taylor further proved his value to the Badgers Wednesday night, with 18 points, five assists and four rebounds. His performance left Northwestern head coach Bill Carmody with nothing but good things to say.
""The kid Taylor played a real good game,"" Carmody said. ""When he knocks down shots, he's really hard to guard ... If you get up on him, he's really fast and strong, so we weren't able to contain him.""
For the second straight game, Taylor led the Badgers in scoring. Over the weekend, Taylor scored 20 points in Wisconsin's win over Penn State. Taylor's emergence comes at a perfect time, with starting sophomore forward Alando Tucker injured.
While Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan is pleased with his young point guard's star turn, he still thinks there is room for improvement.
""I like the way Kam's been playing,"" Ryan said. ""I think he's learning some things. He has the ability to attack some places, draw some help, to knock down open shots. He's getting there.""
Ryan also liked what he saw from his other burgeoning star, Butch, but was quick to point out that the 7-footer has yet to reach his full potential.
""He's young yet,"" he said. ""He's got a lot to learn, so we won't get carried away. In the post he needs to be a little stronger with it, which he's working on. But you've got to like a guy who gets his arm smacked inside and then steps outside and says 'Here, come smack this,' basically, and he goes out and hits two threes.""
Despite playing well, Butch maintained a level head and echoed his coach's sentiments.
""I've been saying it from the beginning of the year to now,"" Butch said. ""It's a growing process and every game I try to get better. It's just one of those things where I feel like I'm getting better every game. My confidence is coming and I just keep on playing hard.""
The consensus after Wednesday's game was that the performances turned out by Butch and Taylor were just a glimpse of what the young players are capable. If that proves to be the case, then the sky is the limit for this Wisconsin basketball program.
