BOULDER — Colorado freshman guards Spencer Dinwiddie and Askia Booker were not considered blue-chip signees, although Dinwiddie did begin showing up on some national top-150 lists late in his senior year.
While surveying Los Angeles for talent, Colorado coach Tad Boyle and his staff spotted something in the pair that others apparently missed. Dinwiddie and Booker carry a five-star swagger.
“I really don’t feel any pressure. I just go out there and compete,” Dinwiddie said. “I practice every day, and I play hard and I prepare. The seniors and coaching staff instill confidence in me every single day, so I don’t feel any pressure.”
That fearless approach helped CU to four victories in four days en route to winning the Pac-12 Tournament championship last week and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
A full-time starter, Dinwiddie scored a team-best 14 points and made all four of his 3-point attempts as the Buffaloes upset Arizona to win the championship game. On Thursday night, No. 11 seed Colorado (23-11) will play sixth-seeded UNLV (26-8) in Albuquerque, CU’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in nine years.
Booker came off the bench against Arizona and, unlike Dinwiddie, he couldn’t find his shooting stroke, failing to score in his 20 minutes. But he grabbed a couple of rebounds, did not commit a turnover and injected his usual electric energy into the lineup.
The impact fearless players make in a game can’t always be measured statistically. Booker consistently drove the baseline, slashed through to the paint and drove Arizona defenders crazy. His ability to penetrate the Wildcats’ defense allowed other CU shooters to get open.
Of the eight Colorado players who saw action, only two did not commit a turnover. Yes, Dinwiddie and Booker, who saw a combined 57 minutes of action.
“I don’t feel pressure, because I just want to win,” Booker said.
Last spring, the 6-foot-5 Dinwiddie earned Los Angeles City Section player of the year honors in leading Taft High School of Woodland Hills to a 29-3 record.
“In terms of recruiting, the thing I loved about Spencer is he can affect a game in so many different ways,” Boyle said. “I remember seeing him play in a game when he didn’t score a point. But he ran the team. He rebounded. He made plays for others.”
Booker, generously listed as 6-1 by CU, helped Los Angeles’ Price High School compile a 23-8 record a year ago. Boyle was impressed with his competitiveness and athleticism.
“All our lives, Spence and I have played guys that were going to be Division I,” Booker said. “So why should we be nervous? These games are important. But to us, they’re just another game against good competition. We’re used to that.”
Boyle knows neither will wilt under pressure or back down from a challenge. Dinwiddie, who was selected to the Pac-12 all-freshman team, averages 10.2 points and 3.6 rebounds. Booker ranked among the top sixth men in the conference, contributing 8.7 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.
“Those two guys have come in with a confidence and a bit of a swagger,” Boyle said. “They are naturally confident players; they believe every shot is going in. We try to recruit guys that can shoot. We watched them shoot in games, but we also watched them shoot during warm-ups. … I want to see that (shooting) stroke.”
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
