Wisconsin junior forward Brian Butch was a ""Terror"" in high school, and not just because it said so on the front of his jersey.
Butch starred at Appleton West, where the team's nickname, the Terrors, effectively characterized his play on the court. The 6'11' monster combined an inside presence and a sweet jump shot, making him one of the most sought after recruits in the history of Wisconsin high school basketball.
Butch was twice named the Associated Press Player of the Year in Wisconsin, averaging 22.3 points and 10.9 rebounds per game in those two seasons. In his senior year, he set a state tournament record by scorching Milwaukee Custer for 45 points at the Kohl Center and, as one of the top centers in the nation, he was selected to the McDonald's All-American team.
But perhaps it was those incredible accomplishments in high school that has made Butch one of the most scrutinized players, not just at Wisconsin, but throughout the Big Ten. Butch's success in high school seems to have left some fans with extraordinary, and perhaps unfair, expectations for him.
""You've got a kid coming in with a lot of accolades, and he's playing for his state school,"" Wisconsin assistant coach Howard Moore said. ""That stuff happens. But Brian is not the type of kid who is going to run from that type of criticism. He's not going to fall into a shell.""
Butch certainly hasn't run from his critics, and instead, he finds himself in the midst of what is quietly shaping up to be a solid career at Wisconsin. Yet it seems some people have been slow to take notice.
Butch currently is one of just nine players in the Big Ten averaging at least 9.5 points and six rebounds per game. He ranks in the top 18 percent of the conference in scoring, yet it seems some fans only notice the baskets he misses. Butch also ranks in the top nine percent of the conference in rebounding, but again, some people only seem to notice the rebounds where he is out-muscled by a burlier opponent.
If Butch continues his current scoring and rebounding pace for the rest of his career, he would easily surpass the 1,000 point mark. He also would surpass 600 rebounds, giving him a legitimate chance to land among the top 10 rebounders in Wisconsin history.
""He shows up, and he wants to get better every day,"" Moore said of Butch. ""He's not doing it to prove critics wrong or anything like that. He's doing it for himself and his team. I think when Brian's career is done here, he'll be very satisfied with his rAcsumAc.""
In addition to the points and rebounds, Butch provides invaluable experience to the Badgers this season. Though only a junior, Butch has been in the program for four years, having used a redshirt to develop as a freshman.
Moore said Butch benefited greatly from redshirting, and has become a ""more confident, developed player.""
""From what I hear, he's light-years ahead of where he was when he got here,"" Moore said. ""There was a reason he needed to redshirt, and obviously strength was one of the key things.""
Butch worked hard to improve his strength, and it paid off. Though nobody will mistake him for Shaq, Butch has added nearly 30 pounds to the 217-pound frame that showed up on campus in 2003. The added muscle has allowed Butch to progress offensively, though the forward has still seen inconsistent minutes this season, primarily due to defensive matchup issues against smaller teams.
""You can't guarantee what games he's going to get how many minutes, but you just want him to get us off to a good start each and every game,"" Moore said. ""That's what his role is.""
Though Butch's minutes have varied from night to night, it seems he should stand to see more significant playing time as the Badgers begin to face some bigger opponents like Pittsburgh and many of the Big Ten teams. The Badgers will likely need Butch's size in the post to slow down some of the conference's big men.
""We talk more about defense with Brian than anything else, because we want him to be a force that way,"" Moore said. ""As a staff, we have a lot of expectations, but we have a lot of respect for what Brian does.""
