Before Texas basketball's game-winner, 'junkyard dog' Chendall Weaver saved the day
Tyrese Hunter's game-winning shot that saved Texas men's basketball's season would've never happened without Chendall Weaver.
Let's rewind the clock to 25 seconds left, Baylor down 71-70. Texas post Dylan Disu's shot clanks off the rim. If Baylor grabs the rebound, they have a chance to take the final shot.
That's not what happened though. After the miss, Weaver dives for the ball, tipping it back out to Max Abmas, who is eventually fouled and sent to the line. It wasn't a sexy play, and was overshadowed almost immediately in favor of Hunter's buzzer beater. Regardless, Texas might've lost without that rebound.
"Coach challenged him to to be a junkyard dog for us and and it may not be the most fun all the time, but he's so unselfish and is willing to do that for us," Disu said. "And that's what it takes to make a team successful, is guys like him."
Weaver is the kind of player who's contributions do not equal gaudy box score numbers, as he finished with two points and three rebounds. The UTA transfer is averaging 3.6 points and 2.7 rebounds per game and last game against UCF, only played four minutes.
More: Buzzer-beating layup by Tyrese Hunter lifts Texas basketball to needed win over Baylor
When it came down to the final minutes against Baylor though, coach Rodney Terry had Weaver on the floor. The confidence he had in a 6-foot-3 guard who doesn't score to play during crunch time speaks to the value Weaver brings to the court.
"He's been a star in his role from the start of the season," Terry said.
"He makes winning plays, effort plays. He goes about his business, never complains about playing time, you know, and he's just a winner."
Baylor is a team that often recruits highly-rated talent, and their current lineup is no exception. Freshman guard Ja'Kobe Walter is a potential NBA draft lottery pick and he started the game hot, with 14 points on four of eight shooting in the first half.
In the second half, however, Walter took six shots and made only one while going six of six from the free throw line. That was largely thanks to the hustle of Weaver, who not only guarded him well on the ball but consistently made it tough for the freshman to even get the ball. Unfortunately for Weaver, there's no measurement for hustle.
"Just pressure him, stay solid, try not to foul," Weaver said about his defense on Walter. "He (Terry) tells me to be me, do my thing, so that's what I do."
Some players need the ball to impact the game. They score, assist, swallow up boards, block shots and put pressure on opposing defenses.
None of that is in Weaver's job description. That's fine for him, because only one thing matters to him.
"Not getting the ball getting the ball, I'm okay as long as we win," Weaver said.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Before Texas basketball's game-winner, Chendall Weaver saved the day
