New York Knicks: 2018 NBA Draft targets who stepped up on Mar. 18

I understand why one might be hesitant to agree that a player who shot 4-of-15 from the field should make this list. That case is even stronger when one considers how ugly a game it was between the Syracuse Orange and Michigan State Spartans.

If we’re valuing the players who step up in the clutch, however, then Syracuse shooting guard Tyus Battle deserves placement on this list.

Battle may have shot horrendously from the floor, but he was an absolute killer in the clutch. That included a pull up jump shot that created the necessary distance for Jim Boeheim‘s final-minute strategy to take form and secure the victory.

It also included a 9-of-10 performance at the free throw line, including two crucial shots made during the final minute of play.

Furthermore, Battle scored 16 of his 17 points during the second half of a 55-53 win. It was a gutsy display from a player who had struggled to shoot all game, but continued to push through because of the importance of his role and contributions.

The New York Knicks will need to see more from Battle than this, but the fact that he was so fearless in the clutch is a feather in his cap.