GONZAGA
UPDATED: MARCH 23, 2023 AT ten:26 AM
Drew Timme of Gonzaga drives to the basket against Jaime Jaquez Jr. of UCLA on Nov. 23, 2021. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Pictures)
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Drew Timme of Gonzaga and Jaime Jaquez Jr. of UCLA grew up in diverse states, however generally came across every other at AAU tournaments, often as roommates.
The two fancy-footworking forwards with wonderful facial hair will be reunited Thursday evening in the desert, when the Zags meet the Bruins in the NCAA Tournament’s West Area semifinals.
“We’ve just type of grown up at the finish of our careers collectively and just to type of see him from afar, it is amazing to see,” Timme stated Wednesday.
Considering that these early higher college days, Timme and Jaquez have develop into the focal points for the West’s two powerhouse applications.
The six-foot-11 Timme has been 1 of the nation’s finest massive males through his time in Spokane, top the Zags to 4 of their eight straight Sweet 16 appearances, such as the 2021 national title game.
Timme’s impeccable footwork, multitude of up-fakes, soft touch and basketball smarts have created him a close to-not possible matchup for opposing defenses. He’s Gonzaga’s all-time top scorer and was named to the Connected Press All-America second group for the third straight season just after averaging 21.1 points and 7.three rebounds per game.
Timme also has a knack for taking more than in massive games, like he did final week by scoring 28 points in Gonzaga’s second-round win more than TCU.
“It’s terrific to see him and all the achievement he’s had there,” Jaquez stated. “I credit that to all the difficult function that he’s place in. And it was quite cool to have complete-circle moments like that in life.”
Jaquez has had a comparable influence — and game — at UCLA.
The six-7 swingman has balanced and nimble footwork comparable to Timme’s, loves to throw many up-fakes in the post and often appears to make the sensible play. He’s been a component of UCLA’s 3 straight Sweet 16 trips, such as the 2021 Final 4, and was Pac-12 Player of the Year and a second-group AP All-American just after averaging 17.five points and eight.1 rebounds this season.
“He’s super talented,” Timme stated. “He can score at all 3 levels. He does every little thing for them, but he’s just a difficult, sensible guy. He’s often playing his tail off and operating.”
Timme and the Zags won the final two meetings, in Las Vegas in 2021 and on Jalen Suggs’ buzzer-beating three-pointer in the Final 4 the year just before.
As for the facial hair, that appears to be a draw.
Jaquez has stuck with the pirate-hunting goatee all through his profession, though Timme has brought back the bristly mustache his mom as soon as hated.
BACK AT Dwelling
For Gonzaga junior guard Julian Strawther, the trip to Las Vegas is a homecoming. He played at Liberty Higher College in the suburb of Henderson and became a major-one hundred prospect.
“It’s type of like a complete-circle moment,” stated Strawther, who averages 15.three points and six.1 rebounds. “It’s often a dream playing in March Madness, and not as well several persons get the luxury of playing in their hometown, in particular in a regional final. It is massive for me, it is massive for my loved ones and it is massive for everyone that I know.”