Person avoiding sophomore slump for Trojans
Published 3:00 am Thursday, December 24, 2015
Wesley Person, last year’s Sun Belt Conference freshman of the year, continues to live up to his reputation as a sophomore.
After averaging 14.2 points per game as a freshman, Person has averaged 18 points per game against staunch competition like Ole Miss and Seton Hall during the first half of his sophomore season.
“It has been going pretty well,” Person said. “I think I could be doing better. I wish the wins would show it, but so far I think I am playing pretty good. I want to be able to get my team some W’s when we can.”
The Brantley native faced teams like Ole Miss and Georgia last year, so this year as the competition bumps up with South Florida and UAB, among others, he is ready.
“Our non-conference schedule, we scheduled a lot tougher teams this year than we did last year,” Person said. “The competition level night in and night out has been a whole lot different. Teams have been guarding me a lot more and scouting me more. It has been tough.”
To compensate, Person is working to get his shots off more quickly and getting his teammates the best opportunity possible to shoot and score.
So far this season Person has surpassed the 20 point mark four times including a 28-point night against Reinhardt and Paine College. Person also put up 27 points against Idaho.
“My passing has gotten a lot better,” Person said. “I have had a positive assist to turnover ratio this year so that has been really good for me.”
Person also has transitioned from student to teacher, leading a roster that includes six players in their first year of Division I play.
“Lately we have learned how to play together,” Person said. “When we get into conference play, we are going to play tough teams night in and night out and we just need to add that togetherness and gel together. We are going to need that come conference time.”
Person knows first-hand how much tougher that conference play can be. But he’s ready.
“It’s going to be a lot tougher, they are going to scout more,” Person said. “We are going to have take it up a notch if we want to be where we want come conference tournament time.”