Just minutes into Tim Frazier's first-ever appearance on the Bryce Jordan Center floor on Friday, the freshman guard found himself with the ball in his hands on a fast break.
But because of his quickness -- one of the biggest reasons head coach Ed DeChellis brought him to Penn State -- Frazier ran past his teammates and into a one-on-four situation, where he had a running shot in the lane swatted by a Slippery Rock defender.
DeChellis said the quickness the Houston native displayed on the play -- part of an 82-51 exhibition victory -- is something he will have to learn to control.
"Sure he's quick, but he cant score one over four," DeChellis said. "He was able to do that in high school, but here you're not going over four guys. That's part of figuring it out. He has to experience that himself."
Frazier, who was unavailable for comment after the game, played 19 minutes in the exhibition and scored four points while dishing out five assists.
DeChellis said he was impressed with the way Frazier passed -- specifically in transition -- but said the freshman will be at his best if he can use his speed properly on the fast break.
"His speed will benefit him if he slows down some and then goes fast," said DeChellis, who compared him to a pitcher throwing only fastballs. "He hasn't figured out that he can gear down, and then, when everybody is in his mode, then he can go to the next level."
Friday marked the first time Frazier was on the court with junior guard Talor Battle in an offense with multiple point guards.
Battle said he was impressed with Frazier's ability to run the floor and said the rest of the team will have to adjust to his quickness.
"For the first time out there, I think he did well," Battle said. "He missed some shots, but everybody missed shots today. He found some guys, and sometimes guys weren't ready."
Battle said that DeChellis' offensive scheme with both on the floor didn't make him specifically the No. 2 guard, but that it did spread the floor so that he isn't constantly playing the point guard role.
Playing off the ball, Battle said, is something he still has to get accustomed to after playing most of his first two seasons as the team's lone point guard.
"We run it like a spread offense, so I'm really not even playing the two," Battle said. But on the ball up the court I don't have it, so it's different playing without the ball."
The biggest difference, Battle said, will be in transition.
With the two point guards on the floor, Battle expects the Lions to get down the floor quicker than they have in the past.
The Lions outscored Slippery Rock in fast-break points, 18-10, but Battle said it could have been more.
"We just gotta get the other three to run with us even if they're tired because there is no point to try and run the break by ourselves," Battle said. "He's gonna help us get some easy baskets one on one in transition, and find guys spotting up or trailing."
Junior center Andrew Jones said the exhibition was really about getting newcomers like Frazier a chance to get involved in the offense and for the veterans to get adjusted to a new squad.
"We had to put in a lot of things, and we have a lot of young guys," Jones said. "To see them go out and execute a lot some of the things we're doing in practice -- I think that's what this game is for."
