April 23, 2015, will go down as a disappointing day in Arizona men’s basketball history. The Wildcats lost out on graduate transfer Damion Lee to Louisville, and Stanley Johnson declared for the NBA draft.
But Wildcat fans should have no fear at the two guard spot; five-star guard Allonzo Trier will have that covered next season.
Trier has been known as an unstoppable scorer in high school and will look to continue that aspect of his game. It’s one of the reasons why he was recruited by 18 total schools.
In recent years, Miller’s offense has seemed flat against certain defenses, specifically zone, and the offense has struggled to find a true scorer who takes over games.
Trier changes that. He was named the co-MVP of the Jordan Brand Classic game after his 26-point performance on 8 of 10 shooting. He also averaged nearly 30 points per game on the Nike EYBL circuit.
Johnson was supposed to be that sure fire offense for the Wildcats. Unfortunately, that was not the case, since he just averaged under 14 points per game. Trier will be the guy the Wildcats have been searching for.
The 6-foot-4 guard from Seattle has been all over the map in high school and has played for three different high schools in three years. Trier is currently finishing up his high school career at Findlay Prep (Nevada), one of the best prep schools in the nation.
Trier can drive past defenders and hit both fadeaway 3-point shots and step back jumpers. Plus, he will electrify the ZonaZoo with his dunks. Just check out the one he pulled off in the Jordan game.
“My role will be come in and compete right away, be effective on the offensive end and lock in on defense,” Trier said after the Jordan Brand Classic.
Notice Trier finished with commenting on his defense. That ought to make Sean Miller smile and is one of the biggest reasons why he was recruited by Arizona.
For his part, one of the major reasons Trier picked Arizona over the competition was due to the motto “A Player’s Program.”
“My relationship with Coach Miller and the way they recruited me was the difference,” Trier said to ESPN back in August. “It’s a family program, a player’s program. I just fell in love with everything.”
Trier has been a social media fiend on Twitter and Instagram and isn’t afraid to tell it like it is against fans that don’t support his new family. In fact, he called multiple fans out on Twitter who said the Wildcats will have a disappointing 2015-16 season.
“Really appreciate the faith you have in us,” Trier posted on Twitter. “Don’t worry about cheering for us next year if you’re gonna act like that.”
Trier’s screen name and Twitter bio will also tell you a lot about the player @ISOzo_LOE, focusing on the fact that he started the isolation.
“I just go out there and do what I do,” Trier said after the game. “I go out there and make plays off the bounce, knock down shots. You see the versatility.”
The Wildcats will need that next season, a shooter who stays calm under pressure and can hit the big buckets.
Although they might be crowded at the shooting guard spot with Gabe York, Kadeem Allen and Elliot Pitts, the Wildcats will count on Trier to perform in immediate minutes.
If Trier can come in and play as well as he has throughout his high school career, teams will be scared to match up against him.
_______________
Follow Matt Wall on Twitter.
