After finishing his senior season as the nation's third-leading scorer, UCF guard Jermaine Taylor has spent the postseason proving that performance wasn't a fluke. Get inside for the first installment of Taylor's diary of his quest to be drafted into the NBA.[details]
HEADER TYRESE RICE Point Guard Boston College Golden Eagles #4 6:00.0-192 Chesterfield, Virginia L.C. Bird High School
OVERVIEW Only the seventh player in school history to score more than 2,000 points in a career (2,099), Rice has been a mainstay in the lineup since arriving on campus as a freshman. He went on to compete in 132 games during his career, ranking second on the BC all-time record chart, and his 4,202 minutes of court action ranks fourth in Eagles history.
A capable ball handler and a disruptive force in the passing lanes, his 594 assists rank third in school annals and his 161 steals placed him ninth among all-time BC players. The long-range shooter hoisted the ball up 699 times from the perimeter, the third-highest total in school annals, ranking second all-time by making 247 of those three-point attempts. He also showed the ability to draw contact, as he ranks fourth in school annals with 556 free throws made, connecting on 82.5 percent of those chances (fourth in BC history).
Earning his place in school history is nothing new for Rice. As the featured performer at L.C. Bird High School, he finished his career with 2,328 points, including a state-record 314 three-point field goals. He set the school career scoring, assists and steals records, earning Virginia Co-Player of the Year honors from the Associated Press as a senior. That season, he averaged 27.0 points, 6.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game and was named the Richmond Times-Dispatch Player of the Year.
Rice captured Class AAA All-State honors from the Virginia High School Coaches Association in both his junior and senior seasons. He was also a two-time All-Metro first-team selection. He led the 2004-05 Skyhawks to a school-record 29 wins and their first Central Region title. He also led the team in scoring each of his four seasons, averaging 22.3 points per game as a junior.
As a freshman, Rice earned Atlantic Coast Conference All-Rookie Team honors and was selected to the Las Vegas Invitational All-Tournament Team. He played in all 36 games, as he averaged 9.3 points, 1.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, including averages of 8.1 points, 1.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game in ACC contests.
In 2006-07, Rice was a second-team All-ACC pick. He also gained Division I All-District I second-team honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches. He started all 33 games, averaging 17.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. He played in 1,208 minutes, the fourth-highest minute total among all ACC players (ranking second in average minutes per game).
The All-ACC first-team selection added All-District honors from the NABC and USBWA. He started all 30 games, averaging 21.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He was ordered by the NCAA to sit out the New Hampshire clash after it was discovered that he played in an unsanctioned basketball competition.
Rice ranked among the conference leaders (league games only) in seven categories: scoring (second), assists (second), field-goal percentage (10th, .444), free-throw percentage (fifth, .846), three-point field goals made (ninth. 2.25), assist-turnover ratio (eighth, 1.53), and minutes played (first, 39.00).
As a senior, Rice was a second-team All-ACC pick, sitting out the Central Connecticut contest after violating team rules. In 33 games, he scored 557 points (16.9 ppg), and his 85.6 percent rate from the foul line ranked fifth on the school single-season record chart. He added a career-high 127 rebounds (3.8 rpg), as his 176 assists (5.3 apg), placed 10th on BC's annual record list.
2008-09 SEASON Second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection...Started all 33 games he played in, sitting out the Central Connecticut clash due to a team rules violation...Became the seventh player in school history to score more than 2,000 career points, as his total of 2,099 ranked second among the ACC's active players (topped by North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough - 2,872 points)...Led the team with 557 points (16.9 ppg), as he shot 41.3 percent from the field (162 of 392), 34.7 percent from three-point range (61 of 176) and 85.6 percent (fifth-best season average by an Eagle) from the free-throw line (172 made, as his 201 attempts rank eighth on the BC single-season record chart)...Handed out 176 assists (5.3 apg), the 10th-highest season total by an Eagle...Had a career-high 127 rebounds (3.8 rpg) to go with 47 steals (1.4 spg) and seven blocked shots...Led the team with a career-high 125 turnovers (3.8 tpg), as he added 93 personal fouls and two game disqualifications...Scored in double figures 31 times, including 13 20-plus point efforts and one double-double performance.
2007-08 SEASON All-Atlantic Coast Conference, National Association of Basketball Coaches and United States Basketball Writers Association All-District first-team choice...Started 30 games, sitting out the New Hampshire contest (along with teammate Shamari Spears) on orders from the NCAA as punishment for playing in an unsanctioned basketball competition...Ranked among ACC leaders (conference games only) in seven categories: scoring (second), assists (second), field-goal percentage (10th, .444), free-throw percentage (fifth, .846), three-point field goals made (ninth. 2.25), assist-turnover ratio (eighth, 1.53), and minutes played (first, 39.00)...Scored in double figures 29 times, including 16 games with 20 or more points, three games with more than 30 points and one game with more than 40 points...Led or tied for the team lead in scoring 24 times, in assists 22 times and in steals 16 times...Made three or more three-point field goals in each of nine games...Handed out six or more assists in each of 15 games...Made 10 or more field goals in each of five games...Finished with a career-high 629 points (21.0 ppg), as he delivered on 200 of 462 field goals (43.3 percent), shot 35.8 percent from three-point range (his 64 three-pointers made ranked ninth on the school single-season record list, attempting 179 shots)...Connected on 84.6 percent of his free throws (165 of 195), the ninth-best season percentage by an Eagle...Handed out 149 assists (5.0 apg), as he totaled six blocked shots, 103 turnovers, 48 steals (1.6 spg) and 98 rebounds (3.3 rpg).
2006-07 SEASON All-ACC second-team selection, adding NABC All-District second-team honors, in addition to being named to the ACC All-Tournament Team (averaged 18.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in the Eagles' two contests)...Started all 33 games, as his total of 1,208 minutes played (36.6 mpg) ranks fourth on the school single-season record list...Scored 580 points (17.6 ppg), as he posted 185 of 404 field goals (45.8 percent), 59 of 183 three-pointers (32.2 percent) and 151 of 190 free throws (79.5 percent)...Pulled down 113 rebounds (3.4 rpg), ranking ninth on the school annual record chart with 178 assists (5.4 apg)...Added 40 steals (1.2 spg) and a career-high 10 blocked shots, but also had 110 turnovers...Ranked among ACC leaders (conference games only) in five categories: assists (third, 5.19), scoring (sixth, 17.9), assist-turnover ratio (eighth, 1.60), free-throw percentage (ninth, .796) and minutes played (second, 38.12)...Scored in double figures 30 times, including 13 games with 20 or more points and one game with more than 30 points...Recorded three point-assist double-doubles...Led or tied for the team lead in scoring 11 times, in assists 27 times and in steals 13 times...Made three or more three-point field goals in each of 10 games...Handed out six or more assists in each of 14 games.
OFF-FIELD ISSUES 2007-08 Season: Suspended by the NCAA for the New Hampshire game (11/10) after it was discovered that Rice played in an unsanctioned basketball competition.
2008-09 Season: Suspended for the Central Connecticut game (11/14) by the coaching staff for a team rules violation.
2005-06 SEASON Earned Atlantic Coast Conference All-Rookie Team honors and was selected to the Las Vegas Invitational All-Tournament Team...Played in all 36 games, as he totaled 333 points (9.2 ppg) on 43.2 percent shooting from the field (101 of 234), 39.1 percent from three-point range (tied for 10th on the school single-season record list), as he hit on 63 of those 161 three-point attempts, and 77.3 percent from the foul line (68 of 88)...Had 49 rebounds (1.4 rpg), 77 turnovers and five blocked shots...Added 26 steals (0.7 spg) with 91 assists (2.5 apg)...Led or tied for the team lead in scoring once, in assists five times and in steals five times...Scored in double figures in 16 games, including three games with 20 or more points...Made three or more three-point field goals in each of seven games; handed out four or more assists in each of 10 games.
CAREER NOTES Rice ranks second in school history by playing in 132 games, topped by Sean Marshall (133 games, 2003-07)...Seventh player in BC annals to score more than 2,000 points in a career, ranking fifth on the all-time chart with 2,099 points...Logged 4,202 minutes of action, the fourth-highest total by an Eagle...His 1,208 minutes of court time in 2006-07 is good for fourth on the BC single-season record list...Connected on 648 of 1,492 field goals (attempts rank sixth in school annals), making 43.4 percent of those shots...Connected on 35.3 percent of his three-pointers (247 made rank third and 699 attempts rank second in school history)...Made 64 three-pointers as a junior and 63 as a freshman, ranking ninth and 10th respectively on the school annual record books...His three-point percentage of 39.1 in 2005-06 placed him 10th on the school single-season record list...Connected on 82.5 percent from the foul line, the fourth-highest percentage by an Eagle...His 556 free throws made rank fourth and 674 attempts rank sixth on the BC career record chart...Made 85.6 percent of his free throws as a senior (fifth-best season total by a BC player), as his 84.6 field-goal percentage in 2007-08 placed ninth on the school annual record chart...Pulled down 387 rebounds (2.9 rpg) to go with 28 blocked shots (0.2 bpg)...Had 161 steals, the ninth-best career total by an Eagle...Ranks third in BC history with 594 steals, as his 178 in 2006-07 and 176 as a senior placed ninth and 10th respectively on the school annual record chart...Charged with 415 turnovers... Scored in double figures 104 times during his career.
HIGH SCHOOL Attended L.C. Bird (Richmond, Va.) High School, playing basketball for head coach Randy Cave...Finished his career with 2,328 points, including a state-record 314 three-point field goals...Set the school career scoring, assists and steals records, earning Virginia Co-Player of the Year honors from the Associated Press as a senior...That season, he averaged 27.0 points, 6.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game and was named the Richmond Times-Dispatch Player of the Year...Captured Class AAA All-State honors from the Virginia High School Coaches Association in both his junior and senior seasons... Two-time All-Metro first-team selection...Led the 2004-05 Skyhawks to a school-record 29 wins and their first Central Region title...Also led the team in scoring each of his four seasons, averaging 22.3 points per game as a junior.
INJURY REPORT No injuries reported.
PERSONAL Enrolled in the College of Arts & Sciences...Son of Allison Rice...Born 5/15/87...Resides in Richmond, Virginia.
SCOUTING REPORT Positives: Rare blend, as he is an efficient passer with solid scoring ability for a point guard...Has an explosive initial step and slower guards are left in his wake when he slashes to the rim, as he is too strong and cat-quick to contain when he penetrates the lane...Shows good elevation and a high release point shooting from the perimeter and has that effortless mid-range shot that goes high and over a defender, making it difficult to contest those shots...Also shows good aggression attacking the basket and drawing contact, as he is an almost automatic to score from the free-throw line (82.5 percent free throw shooter)...Crafty ball handler who will get into trouble when he keeps the ball on the floor too long or tries to force the issue vs. double teams (415 turnovers), but knows how to control the tempo of the game and force the action when he gets in the paint, where he can easily flip in a floater above the taller frontcourt defenders...Has a quick release firing off his field-goal attempts and is most effective executing dish-and-drive action...Loves to be the man in pressure situations and takes well to challenges from bigger foes...Has a good wingspan and very effective hands, doing a great job of taking his man off the dribble or disrupting the action in the passing lanes (ninth in school history with 161 steals)...Has very good vision and while his point total looks as if he is a shoot-first type, he is equally effective creating shots for others (third in BC annals with 594 assists) as he is creating his own shot...Has the leg drive to split double teams and is much stronger than his frame looks, as he relishes drawing contact on the way to the rim...Plays within the team concept, but is a defender gives him space, he will take them off balance with his explosive court speed, fool them to over-commit with his savvy pump fakes and hesitation moves and then leave them dumbfounded with a burst of speed when executing a crossover dribble...Some scouts question his leadership ability, but he is the type that won't hesitate to take a teammate to task or get in the face of a physical opponent...Loves to attack, showing excellent body control slashing to the rim...Has the balance and ball adjustment skills with either hand to make the difficult shot with a defender in his face...High energy type whose great stamina has resulted in him earning long stretches of playing time without needing a breather (ranks fifth in school history with 4,202 minutes of court action)...Relentless attacking the rim and shows enough agility and savvy to be in position on the offensive glass for successful put-backs...Scrappy defender who might lack the size to contest shots, but is a top-notch thief going for the big steal.
Negatives: Has good college strength, but won't have as much success driving to the basket vs. NBA types until he improves his lower body power...More suited to play the two-guard spot, as he has a very high turnover rate when he puts the ball on the floor (415 turnovers in 132 games), but is too small to handle bigger shooting guards defensively at the next level...His passing ability is good, but his assists totals are deceiving, as most come on drive-and-kick plays...Better shooting from mid-range, as he does not have a tight handle and will lose the ball quite a bit when he forces the issue shooting off the dribble...Sets his feet well, but lacks great elevation executing his jumper (needs space to be effective, but did have better success as he demonstrated a much quicker release as a senior, which prevented the defender from getting in position in time to contest those shots)...Tries to deliver the perfect pass and that leads to him over-dribbling, which of course ends up with him losing the ball in the lane...Can defend on the perimeter, but gets bounced out a lot and struggles coming off screens due to his lack of size and bulk...Has to become more patient with his shot selection, as he will often just shoot the ball away rather than look for better scoring opportunities for himself and teammates (bit of Stephon Marbury in him).
Compares To: BOBBY JACKSON, Sacramento -- With his explosive speed, he combines it with his body control and lateral quickness to make highlight reel-type shots on a regular basis and is also a crafty passer (5.3 apg). His problem is that he is a shooting guard trapped in a point guard's body. He often over-dribbles looking for that perfect shot and that has resulted in a high turnover rate (415). He might never buy into the concept of being a pure point guard and while he is an established scorer, few two-guards in the NBA have had success at his size (6-feet).
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