Bassett ready to become point guard full-time

The expectations have been set high for sophomore guard Armon Bassett.\nWith the graduation of last year’s starting point guard, Earl Calloway, the responsibility as the floor general will rest on Bassett’s shoulders – a responsibility the Terre Haute native said he is ready to embrace.\n“I had a pretty good freshman year, but I am looking to have an even bigger sophomore year,” Bassett said. “I am a point guard on the team this year, so I have to be a leader on the team, because everyone is going to look up at you no matter what. I am going to embrace that role.”\nThankfully for Bassett, he will be leading a team with two prime-time scorers in senior forward D.J. White and freshman guard Eric Gordon. The Hoosiers also have plenty of complementary players who can put up points.\nThe presence of several scorers on this team may reduce the offensive opportunities for Bassett compared to last season, but Bassett said he wants to do whatever he can to make his team successful.\n“I don’t know if I can have the ball in my hand that long on this team,” he said. “What I am going to try to do is be one of the best defensive guards in the country and knock down my open shots, because I am a pretty good jump-shooter.”\nBassett’s play will be crucial for IU coach Kelvin Sampson this season, as Sampson said he wants his team to run the floor more this year.\n“When we play teams that want to run, we’ll run with them,” Sampson said. “I think that this team can play that way and win.”\nLast season, Bassett served as a backup point guard to Calloway and played some shooting guard for the Hoosiers. He had several noteworthy performances last season to build upon heading into his sophomore campaign. \nFacing No. 10 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium during the Big 10/ACC Challenge, Bassett had possibly his best game of the season. In one of the most hostile road environments in the country, Bassett led the Hoosiers with 16 points, going 4-5 from behind the 3-point line in a 54-51 defeat.\nWhile Bassett was one of the few Hoosiers last season to drive to the basket on a consistent basis, he said this season, the team is full of players who aim to get to the hole.\n“Last year, I thought teams would key on me when I was going to the hole, because nobody else was going to the hole,” Bassett said. “This year, we have Jamarcus (Ellis) who can go to the hole, Jordan (Crawford), Eric (Gordon) and A.J. (Ratliff) when he gets back. They are not going to be able to sit back on me; they are going to have to pick their poison.”\nThis season, he will shift to the point guard position full-time, something Bassett said he is comfortable with.\n“I’ve been playing point guard all my life, so it won’t be that hard for me,” he said.\nBassett has the support of his teammates, who also feel comfortable with Bassett assuming the full-time point guard role.\n“His role has changed this year,” White said. “Last year at the start of the year, he was behind Earl (Calloway). This year, he is our vocal leader on the court. He is our point guard, and he’s ready to accept that role. He’s a year in, a year better.”\nWhite and Bassett worked out together frequently this summer to prepare for this season. \nWhen asked if he tried to persuade Bassett to feed him the ball more during the one-on-one workouts, \nWhite laughed.\n“Not necessarily,” White said, smiling. “It’s his job to spread the joy around to everybody.”