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Don’t take Michigan’s point guard spot from Spike Albrecht just yet

Michigan Wolverines' Albrecht reacts after a three point basket against the Louisville Cardinals during the first half of their NCAA men's Final Four championship basketball game in Atlanta

Michigan Wolverines guard Spike Albrecht reacts after a three point basket against the Louisville Cardinals during the first half of their NCAA men’s Final Four championship basketball game in Atlanta, Georgia April 8, 2013. REUTERS/Chris Keane (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL)

REUTERS

Spike Albrecht spent the majority of the college basketball season as the answer to a trivia question: Who is the little white kid that backs up Trey Burke, the best player in the country?

The way the 2012-2013 campaign ended, however, was much, much different.

If you’ve forgotten, the kid who was signed late by Michigan as a point guard insurance policy put on one of the most memorable title game performances, scoring 17 first half points and keeping Michigan in the lead while Burke battled foul trouble.

He became famous enough, despite the Wolverine loss, that he took a shot at getting a date with Michigan fan Kate Upton.

And here’s the thing: that may not have been a fluke performance. You see, most expect that Derrick Walton, a top 40 recruit nationally and a Michigan native, will have the inside track at replacing Burke next season. But the way that John Beilein tells it,
that spot is anything but guaranteed to Walton:

“Don’t count Spike out,” Michigan coach John Beilein said Tuesday during an interview with “The Huge Show.” “We love Derrick as well. It’s going to be a great, friendly, intense competition to see who runs our team.

“Whoever doesn’t will come off our bench.”

[...]

“He’s going to walk into probably a leadership position with us because everybody listens to him,” Beilein said of Albrecht. “I think we’ll, like we always have, take a look at everybody. Derrick Walton’s got tremendous potential and we’ve seen what Spike can do.”


Even if Albrecht comes off the bench, he’s going to be a valuable weapon for John Beilein.

The kid went for 17 off the bench in the biggest game of the year. He asked Kate Upton out on a date on twitter. There clearly isn’t much that intimidates him.

Not bad for a sub, right?

You can find Rob on twitter @RobDauster.