Completed Event: Men's Basketball at UNLV on February 7, 2026 , Loss , 78, to, 80
M Basketball
at UNLV
L 78-80
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Photo by: Garrett Ohrenberg
Insider: Guards make their point
11/4/2021 11:45:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro, Lopes Insider Blog
Blacksher gets playmaking help from Woods, McMillian
For the past two seasons, Jovan Blacksher Jr. has run the Grand Canyon offense for 33 1/2 minutes per game and Lopes coaches and fans have held their breath for the other 6 1/2 minutes of a game.
This season's GCU backcourt offers a capable carousel of playmakers who can run the offense as point guards, allowing Blacksher to play off the ball more and enabling the Lopes to play faster with Blacksher, graduate student Holland Woods II and sophomore Chance McMillian each able to initiate fastbreaks or sets.
In Saturday's exhibition victory, Woods and McMillian each brought the ball upcourt nearly as much as Blacksher. On a night when ball care was an issue with 24 GCU turnovers, the guard trio was only responsible for four of them.
Woods' experience as the primary playmaker at Portland State, where he was named to All-Big Sky first team, and at Arizona State last season only began to show his passing ability. Portland State relied on his scoring and ASU played him mostly off the ball.
But teaming in the starting backcourt with Blacksher, a longtime friend from the same Phoenix club basketball scene, is bringing out more in each of their games for a GCU offense that thrives off ball movement.
"Playing with Holland is amazing," Blacksher said. "He finds me. I find him. We both can set up the offense so it makes it easier. Most of my shots, I created for myself last year or off the dribble. As you see this year, I probably had five catch-and-shoots so it's different. I've been working on it, as you can tell."
Blacksher made 3 of 6 from 3-point range on Saturday, when he was able to spot up for each of his made 3s. The starting guards combined for nine assists, with Woods staying on the court for all but one minute of the first half.
"I was surprised," Woods said. "It's been a minute since I've done that. I was out there a couple times and looking over like, 'OK, this is what it's like again.' It was good and a lot of fun to be out there again."
The shared responsibilities were clear from the start, when Woods brought the ball upcourt off an outlet or his own rebound and hit Blacksher ahead or trailing the play. In half-court sets, one of the team's best passers winds up on the wing for improved post entry passes or crosscourt passes from driving to the baseline.
"When you look at my numbers from Portland State, you would think I shoot the ball a ton but I think I'm a really gifted playmaker," Woods said. "I wouldn't say I'm a pass-first guy, but no matter what I'm going to try to make the best basketball play available and I really find joy in getting my teammates good shots."
McMillian developed into a rotation player during his freshman year, when he earned time with his defense, perimeter shooting and an ability to give Blacksher breathers.
"Last year, I wasn't as confident handling the ball and bringing it up at the start, but I worked hard on it and gained the coaches' trust to have a bigger role by the end of the year," McMillian said. "I feel a lot more confident out there this year."
The 6-foot-3 Vallejo, California, native strengthened his body and his game during the offseason and the coaches showed their trust in his improvement by having him come off the bench and run offense when playing with Blacksher or Woods, or both in the Lopes' three-guard look.
"One of the strengths of this team is going to be the depth," said GCU head coach Bryce Drew, who also had fifth-year swingman Sean Miller-Moore leading fastbreaks and passing well in half-court offense and freshman Jalen Blackmon delivering one of the night's best passes for an Aidan Igiehon dunk.
This season's GCU backcourt offers a capable carousel of playmakers who can run the offense as point guards, allowing Blacksher to play off the ball more and enabling the Lopes to play faster with Blacksher, graduate student Holland Woods II and sophomore Chance McMillian each able to initiate fastbreaks or sets.
In Saturday's exhibition victory, Woods and McMillian each brought the ball upcourt nearly as much as Blacksher. On a night when ball care was an issue with 24 GCU turnovers, the guard trio was only responsible for four of them.Woods' experience as the primary playmaker at Portland State, where he was named to All-Big Sky first team, and at Arizona State last season only began to show his passing ability. Portland State relied on his scoring and ASU played him mostly off the ball.
But teaming in the starting backcourt with Blacksher, a longtime friend from the same Phoenix club basketball scene, is bringing out more in each of their games for a GCU offense that thrives off ball movement.
"Playing with Holland is amazing," Blacksher said. "He finds me. I find him. We both can set up the offense so it makes it easier. Most of my shots, I created for myself last year or off the dribble. As you see this year, I probably had five catch-and-shoots so it's different. I've been working on it, as you can tell."
Blacksher made 3 of 6 from 3-point range on Saturday, when he was able to spot up for each of his made 3s. The starting guards combined for nine assists, with Woods staying on the court for all but one minute of the first half.
"I was surprised," Woods said. "It's been a minute since I've done that. I was out there a couple times and looking over like, 'OK, this is what it's like again.' It was good and a lot of fun to be out there again."
The shared responsibilities were clear from the start, when Woods brought the ball upcourt off an outlet or his own rebound and hit Blacksher ahead or trailing the play. In half-court sets, one of the team's best passers winds up on the wing for improved post entry passes or crosscourt passes from driving to the baseline.
"When you look at my numbers from Portland State, you would think I shoot the ball a ton but I think I'm a really gifted playmaker," Woods said. "I wouldn't say I'm a pass-first guy, but no matter what I'm going to try to make the best basketball play available and I really find joy in getting my teammates good shots."
McMillian developed into a rotation player during his freshman year, when he earned time with his defense, perimeter shooting and an ability to give Blacksher breathers."Last year, I wasn't as confident handling the ball and bringing it up at the start, but I worked hard on it and gained the coaches' trust to have a bigger role by the end of the year," McMillian said. "I feel a lot more confident out there this year."
The 6-foot-3 Vallejo, California, native strengthened his body and his game during the offseason and the coaches showed their trust in his improvement by having him come off the bench and run offense when playing with Blacksher or Woods, or both in the Lopes' three-guard look.
"One of the strengths of this team is going to be the depth," said GCU head coach Bryce Drew, who also had fifth-year swingman Sean Miller-Moore leading fastbreaks and passing well in half-court offense and freshman Jalen Blackmon delivering one of the night's best passes for an Aidan Igiehon dunk.
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