Butler seeks leaders, return to NCAAs
Seniors, Graves have to step up, help Bulldogs win again
by David Woods
Avery Sheets and A.J. Graves say there is no friction.
Still, as the Butler Bulldogs strive to return to their once-customary place in the postseason, the question lingers: Whose team is it anyway?
Is it the seniors'? With Sheets, Bruce Horan and Brandon Polk, the Bulldogs have three senior starters, a winning formula for past teams.
Or Graves'? Sheets is a point guard, but so is Graves. And not only did Graves become the best freshman in the Horizon League last season, he did so despite chronic foot pain that was largely kept secret.
On a team without seniors, Sheets, Horan and Polk were sometimes reluctant leaders a year ago. Sheets and Horan are holdovers from the 2003 team that reached the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. After five NCAA appearances in seven seasons, Butler declined to 16-14 and 13-15 records over the past two.
"It's the seniors' team," Horan said. "There are all kinds of factors that go into that. It's a huge responsibility for us, and we're ready for it."
Sheets added that anyone should be ready to accept a leadership role. Graves echoed that, saying it is everyone's team.
"Everyone has their own part. And everyone's part is equal and is just as important as the next guy's," Graves said. "Everyone understands that. And it's not even an issue."
The biggest issue for Graves last season was a right foot injury suffered Jan. 13 at Loyola. He went through treatment, insoles, footplates and painkillers before the injury was diagnosed as a neuroma, or enlarged nerve.
Offseason surgery has left him without feeling in his third and fourth toes. He is still experimenting with orthotics but said the pain is gone.
"Last year, literally, I couldn't even walk," Graves said.
He still averaged 11.1 points, second on the team to Polk's 13.6. Polk, a junior college transfer, was also in his first Butler season.
Butler improved last season after coach Todd Lickliter employed a three-guard lineup of Sheets, Horan and Graves. Lickliter said Sheets and Graves are interchangeable at point guard, comparing them to the Butler duo of Thomas Jackson and Brandon Miller.
"Both of those guys could have been termed point guards. What they were, were guards," Lickliter said. "They wanted to win. I think that's the same with Avery and A.J."
Graves had a scare in a Nov. 5 scrimmage when he jammed his big toe. The Bulldogs can't endure an outbreak of injuries because they have only nine healthy players. Drew Streicher is sidelined with a bone bruise.
"We're just using the guys that we've got," Graves said. "Over the summer, we bonded. We've really created a good relationship with one another, and we all understand everybody's role on this team."
The Bulldogs qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2003 as an at-large team. This year, they're aiming toward the postseason tournament that determines the league's automatic NCAA representative.
"It seems like yesterday I was in Albany, N.Y., in the Sweet Sixteen," Horan said. "There is a little bit more of sense of urgency. This is our last chance."
Up next
Who: Butler (2-1) at Ohio State (0-0), 8 p.m. Tuesday.
