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Xavier 2018-2019 Player Preview: Quentin Goodin

Q has bounce, incredible strength, and an increasingly nuanced game at the point. The basketball world is about to know the name.

NCAA Basketball: Xavier at DePaul
He works out.
Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports

I remember distinctly the first time I saw Lionel Chalmers dunk. Tu was all angles and geometry in the lane. Dee Davis got by on guile and never quitting. Xavier has had great lead guards, but - until recently - they haven't been dominant athletes.

Then Semaj begat Ed and Ed begat Quentin Goodin.

When Ed Sumner went down to injury in Goodin's freshman year, Q's apprenticeship became a baptism by fire. Now with a season and a half at the helm of two very good teams behind him and coming off of a mostly healthy offseason, Q is ready to come forth as gold.

Best case scenario:

Goodin has never hit threes at a high level for a whole season, but he shot 39.5% from deep in conference play last year. With a jumper that has to be respected, he uses his otherworldly strength and athleticism to break down defenses to set up open shots for his teammates and punch the occasional hammer dunk for himself. There are times when he is simply unplayable for opponents. With the ball in his hands and a lack of veteran perimeter players needing touches, Q has a monster year on his way to landing first team All Big East.

Worst case scenario:

The shoulder problem that popped up in the offseason continues to bother him throughout the year. Without Tre and JP to space the floor and Kerem and Big Sean to occupy the post, opponents key on Q. He shot well from deep in conference play, but his 14-50 mark on two-point jumpers reveals his mid-range game as a work in progress. He has the skills to make it work, but every night is a battle for him and his stat line doesn't make meaningful progress from last year's production.

Most likely scenario:

I think Goodin breaks out this year. He, Naji, and Scruggs are all sitting on gold mines of potential, and they will have games where they look like the best three-man back court in the league. If Q can consistently hit jumpers and reel in the TO% a bit, there's no reason to think averages on the order of 12/3/5 with a good shooting line is out of reach for him by the time the season wraps up.