Indispensable Chips: Bitzer and Harman are CMU's MVPs

- Just a nice story posted on www.bankhoops.com about USA's Jordan Bitzer playing at CMU- Written by Stephen Bell

Wednesday, 25 November 2009 06:29

A near constant in the tenure of fourth-year Central Michigan coach Ernie Zeigler has been the contribution of senior guards Jordan Bitzer and Robbie Harman. And even that, as recent teams saw their rosters in flux through a mix of transience and malfeasance, ended last year, when Bitzer was ineligible to play the first semester. Back on the court for good, the Chippewas get their most out of Bitzer now. In a 69-53 loss Tuesday at Wright State, he played 38 minutes. Hard not to keep him out there, as in that game he was their best rebounder, post-up scorer, perimeter defender, overall transition player and three-point shooter. Against a talented Wright State backcourt, Bitzer was 6-for-9 from the floor, including 3-of-3 from downtown Dayton, for a team-high 16 points. He had a game-high 10 rebounds. If you go 10-deep from all the colleges in Michigan, Bitzer has a chance to make the mythical team, he's that good. Bitzer was a three-sport star at Unionville-Sebewaing, a Class C school in the Thumb. CMU was his only D1 offer and he took it early, earning it not by AAU but after leading USA to the state final That was one of former Central coach Jay Smith's two recruiting gifts to the incoming staff. The next was Robbie Harman, originally a walk-on out of Traverse City Central who may have looked to the outside world like an undersized shooting guard from the sticks. What Harman was, a three-sport Class A all-stater who was the clear-cut best basketball player in the Big North Conference two years running. Not even Ben Simons can say that. TC Central had a talent lull when Harman was a senior, when too often he was reduced to a pale impersonation of Allen Iverson. As a high schooler, Harman was known for his big-time ups. I once invited he and TC St. Francis scoring machine to a high school open gyn run at Muskegon Heights. Between games I'd call him out to impress the downstaters with his little-man dunking, and he obliged. Despite bruised ribs from a football game against Detroit Catholic Central less than 24 hours prior. That beating was probably nothing compared to what Harman now endures on the basketball court. He's 6-0, 180 pounds, and gets knocked around like a tailback. Tough as he is, size is what did in the sometimes CMU centerfielder on the defensive end against Wright State. For the Raiders, 6-3 junior Vaughn Duggins powered past Harman for 21 points, and 6-5 senior Todd Brown was 4-of-6 from three-point range en route to 20 points. On the other end, Wright State's perimeter was active, aggressive and deep with its defense. Harman had to work so hard for his shot, and ended up 3-of-11 for nine points. While playing 39 minutes. When 2-3 Central Michigan has won, or had a chance to win, Harman has shot well from deep, and he already has two 20-point games. He has a quick shot and the ability to get it off, but Wright State made it too hard to find that first spark. The Raiders certainly remember what happened last year, when Harman's overtime three-pointer completed a comeback win in Mount Pleasant. In the rematch, his best scoring play was in the second half, when he was patient on a high ball-screen and ended up in the lane for a three-point play. More shots may have opened up for Harman had CMU been able to get anything going inside. They really tried early, but the plan imploded because 6-9 junior Marko Spica was a turnover in waiting (as in, his first three touches). He has happy feet, and plays small and soft. Even realizing he didn't play all of last year, it was bad news. Any of Central's fall big men signees -- Jevon Harden, Nate VanArendonk or Colin Voss -- might have been a safer starting center option for the Chips, right now. Finally Spica got out of the way for Bitzer, who was able to score inside with just natural ballplaying ability, as well as jump over Wright's bigs for offensive rebounds. While he had more turnovers than assists, Bitzer is probably CMU's best passer in terms of vision and delivery. He'd have more assists if Central's frontcourt could convert his right-on entry passes, or catch cleanly dimes in traffic. The former all-state QB had a sweet delivery to a back-cutting Harman for a first-half layup. Bitzer isn't going to be a consistent one-on-one scorer, but he does a good job of finding his shot and mixing it up inside and outside. CMU ran a nice BLOB for him that was money. He only forced one shot, of the three misses, when he found himself stuck in the lane, and his team down 17 in the first half, and threw it up there. CMU's other starters, 6-7 junior newcomer William McClure and 6-4 junior Jalen Thomas, another JC transfer, couldn't get in a rhythm because of fouls. But McClure showed glimpses of potential with his width and jumping on the glass. In-state coaches from the GLIAC, MIAA and WHAC have proposed, yeah, Bitzer and Harman are good. They'd be all-conference players -- in our leagues. If that's a short-sell, it won't work. Both these guys are All-MAC candidates, and have had the kind of college careers many young players can look up to. These are the kind of post-season banquet awards are named after. MVPs by any other name.