Turns out, it’s the latter.
“Other guys got it going. Loudon (Love) got it going. I’m not going to take shots away from him. Or if other guys get it going, I’m not going to be that guy who has to get mine. I feel like it just wasn’t my game,” he said.
Being selective has helped the sophomore shoot 57% from the field — he made two of those three shots against CSU — while upping his scoring average from 11.8 to 17.1, sixth in the Horizon League.
He still had 11 points in the defeat, making all six of his free throws and tossing in a 3, but he became the focal point of the offense again in Saturday’s rematch.
The Raiders (9-4, 7-3) went right to him on the baseline on the opening possession, and he swished a turnaround jumper.
He made another bucket 86 seconds into the game. And one possession later, he posted up and drew a reaching foul.
He scored a game-high 23 points in the 85-49 thrashing, making 6 of 8 shots and 11 of 16 free throws. He also had nine rebounds.
Asked if he intentionally targeted Holden after seeing how little his star was utilized, coach Scott Nagy said: “I didn’t even look at the stats. I didn’t even know that. I was so frustrated with myself, I had a hard time moving past that.”
Nagy verbally flogged himself for the defeat afterward. Though it’s unlikely anyone shared the sentiment, he took the blame for not calling a late timeout to set up his defense, allowing the Vikings to go the length of the floor for the game-winning basket.
As for Holden, Nagy said: “We’re going to go to Tanner a lot. He shoots an unbelievable percentage. He doesn’t turn it over. He’s playing really well. He’s going to see the ball quite a bit.”
Holden certainly has blossomed to an all-conference-caliber player, contributing in all facets. He’s second on the team and seventh in the league in rebounding with a 7.9 average.
That’s a source of pride for the 6-foot-6, 185-pound Wheelersburg, Ohio, product. It was instilled in him at an early age by his father, who was a Hall of Fame player at Marshall.
“It’s just effort and heart,” he said. “Rebounding — not a lot of people want to do it. It’s definitely a physical aspect of the game, and I like that.”
That shouldn’t come as a surprise. As a wide receiver in football in high school, he was named the Ohio Division V co-player of the year and was recruited by Ohio State.
“I miss football — hitting people and taking some hits,” he said with a smile. “It’s a game-changer if you get an O-board (offensive rebound). It switches the momentum.”
Holden, who has averaged 18.6 points in the last 11 games, has seemed to ooze confidence this season. Part of that may be because he’s a much better free-throw shooter and doesn’t have to worry about being fouled.
He’s hiked his percentage from 60.9 to 75.7.
“I’m definitely more comfortable. The game is starting to slow down for me. I feel more confident coming off ball screens and shooting the ball. I’ve been working on that for a long time,” he said.
“It’s definitely a hard thing, though, just being confident in your game because you always feel like there’s something you need to work on. But when I step out there, I kind of play my game, keep level-headed and keep the guys in the game.”
Another factor in his evolution was reading the late Kobe Bryant’s book, “The Mamba Mentality.”
“It was good to read and good to see how he thinks,” Holden said. “It definitely helped me expand my basketball IQ and think about things differently on the court and off the court and with my teammates, being a leader.
“Ever since last year, (assistant Clint) Sargent has been on me about being a leader, no matter what. Last year, as a freshman, I had a pretty good role. But he really got on me to stay positive and stay in people’s ear, just talking to get my voice out there — maybe not for that year, but for years to come.
“I’m a lot more vocal, and I think guys are starting to count on me more.”
Bryant certainly was successful in pushing his teammates to greater heights. His five NBA titles were proof of that.
But there’s one facet where Holden is different than the all-time great.
Bryant was a high-volume shooter and never bashful about letting it fly.
Being content to take just three shots in a game while deferring to others doesn’t quite fit with the Mamba Mentality.
FRIDAY’S GAME
Wright State at IUPUI, Noon, ESPN3, 106.5
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