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While the official start date of the 2020-2021 college basketball season is still up for discussion, we here at Bucky’s 5th Quarter are champing at the bit for hoops to start and have decided to get our returning player profile series going again. Over the next two weeks we will profile all of the returning players and then the week after that we will profile all of the incoming freshmen on the team.
The next freshman up on our player profile series is blossoming young point guard Lorne Bowman.
Position: point guard
Height: 6-foot-2
Year: freshman
Hometown: Detroit, Mich. (St. Mary’s)
Recruiting info: Class of 2020, three-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals, four-star No. 94 nationally according to ESPN. Other offers from Buffalo, Iowa, Nebraska and Toledo.
Player overview: An early commit for Greg Gard, Lorne Bowman was a great get in the 2020 class to help shore up the backcourt. As a senior he averaged over 25 points per game, six rebounds, and six assists on a per game basis, and was a back-to-back all-state section in Michigan during his junior and senior years.
An excellent shooter at the high school level from deep, as well as the mid-range, he could provide some nice firepower in the future as a scorer. Bowman has the skills to not only help the Badgers out at the point guard position, but also at the two given his ability to shoot the basketball. He has steadily improved at his ability to get to the rim as well, and Bowman seems to consistently be under control with the ball in his hands.
In addition to his shot, he is physically advanced in terms of strength for his age, something that should help him out right away. Bowman will need to adjust to the speed and physicality of the college game, but he has the makings of a quality B1G guard.
Role on 2020-21 team: With so many seniors laying the foundation for a strong team this season, there isn’t necessarily a need for Bowman to play major minutes. D’Mitrik Trice, Trevor Anderson — and in a pinch Brad Davison — can play the point, however all three are entering their final season in Madison.
It would make a lot of sense for Bowman to see the floor in some capacity as a reserve to get accustomed to the level up in competition, as he is likely to be a primary contributor in 2021-2022. If Bowman can prove to be ready on the defensive end, fans should see him play some minutes in the rotation, especially early on in the year for head coach Greg Gard to gauge his abilities, and to give Bowman experience for the future.