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WSU's Pacher showing improvement inside

Wright State forward A.J. Pacher calls a time out when boxed in by Ohio's Ivo Baltic and T.J. Hall in the first half at the Nutter Center Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011.

E.L. Hubbard Wright State forward A.J. Pacher calls a time out when boxed in by Ohio's Ivo Baltic and T.J. Hall in the first half at the Nutter Center Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011.

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By Kelly Martin and Kyle Nagel
Staff Writer Updated 12:32 AM Saturday, January 21, 2012

FAIRBORN — Early in last Thursday’s game, Wright State sophomore forward A.J. Pacher accepted the ball near the top of the key and surveyed the defense.

Always a good shooter for a big man (now 6 feet 10), Pacher instead pulled the ball down, dribbled in, spun in the lane and connected on a layup.

It was the kind of move Pacher and WSU coach Billy Donlon say the Vandalia native would not have made in previous seasons, and he continues developing into an inside presence as an important scoring piece for the Raiders.

“I’m trying to finish plays by going through people,” Pacher said, “instead of short-arming it.”

As the Raiders enter today’s game at Detroit, Pacher has worked on his inside game to play more minutes and score more for WSU, like his combined 19 points in two games last week, his best two-game pair since early December. But, that experience has come during a season stronger than most for taller players in the Horizon League.

Pacher also leads the team in fouls (65) with 15 more than the next player, junior forward Armond Battle. He has averaged 3.3 fouls per game, and those have limited him to just 15.4 minutes per game.

In that time, however, Pacher ranks fourth on the team in scoring (6.3 points) and second in rebounds (3.7). Donlon wants Pacher on the floor more, and he has focused on that in practice.

“We have to do things where we have to get stops (defensively), including some individual,” Pacher said. “If you put your hands on them at all, whether they would call it in a game or not, (Donlon) is calling it.”

Pacher is among a rotation of three WSU post players who each have struggled with foul trouble. Of the three, along with 6-8 senior Johann Mpondo and 6-9 freshman Tavares Sledge, Pacher is seen as the best scorer, which makes his time in the game valuable.

Meanwhile, 11 players at 6-7 or taller in the league average double figures in points. Five of the HL’s top 10 scorers come from that group, and Pacher would like to join them with more minutes.

“He’s definitely done everything I’ve asked him to ,” Donlon said. “He isn’t there yet, but he’s made a major effort in trying to become a complete offensive player.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or knagel@Dayton DailyNews.com.

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