Today our Summer shoot around series focuses on Chad Donley.
In his first season at Liberty, after transferring from the Junior College Northwest Florida State, Donley was primarily a 3-point specialist. In fact, an astounding 83% of his field goal attempts were 3-pointers. The problem is he only shot 30% from 3 which ranked behind Davon Marshall, Tavares Speaks, Casey Roberts, and JC Sanders. If the strength of your game is 5th best on the team, it will be hard to find playing time. Thus explains why Donley only saw 9 minutes of playing time, and down the stretch was virtually pushed out of the regular rotation. In fact, during Liberty’s impressive 4 game run at the Big South Tournament, Donley played just 2 minutes in the opener against Coastal Carolina where he only he attempted one shot and recorded one personal foul.
The coaching staff certainly expected more out of him entering the season as in the opener against Richmond Donley played a season high 21 minutes. In the first 16 games of the season, Donley played double figure minutes in 13 games; however, in the final 19 games of the season, Donley had just one game of double figure minutes and 5 DNPs. During those first 16 games, Donley averaged 13.75 minutes and 4.25 points per game while shooting 17/58 from 3 which is just 29%. At which point the coaching staff decided others deserved his minutes.
This season, Donley will be fighting with Roberts and incoming freshman Ryan Kemrite for playing time. If Chad is unable to improve on his 30% shooting from 3-point range, he will once again be regulated to the bench.
