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Veer Singh knew it was just a matter of time until he went off.
That is what the Seton Hall freshman told reporters Tuesday after a night of three-point precision propelled the Pirates past the University of South Florida. A long-distance sniper, Singh knocked down four of his six shots from behind the arc, finishing the game with 12 points to compliment a two-assist, two-rebound performance in 17 minutes off the bench.
“Coach knows what I can do,” a hyped-up Singh said after the 66-49 win. “My teammates know what I can do. It was not a matter of if, it was just when, and you saw what I can do today.”
“It’s good to see him kind of get in a little bit of a rhythm,” head coach Kevin Willard said. “He gives us a nice weapon off the bench.”
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Isaiah Whitehead made it a point to find the wingman, making Singh the primary benefactor of his career-high 10 assists.
“I knew it was coming,” Whitehead said. “I saw that he hit a couple and then after that the sky was the limit. I just kept trying to find him and he just kept burying them.”
Willard had previously stated that Singh was on track to be one of his starters before preseason wrist and elbow injuries left lingering effects on the shooter’s touch. Singh said he is now at 80 percent and his most recent outings back up the notion that his health is improving.
Prior to the USF game the rookie scored just five points against Wichita State on Saturday, Dec. 19, yet he managed to spark the Pirates with one shot. With 8:29 remaining in the second half, Singh drilled a clutch triple to bring the Pirates within one of the Shockers. It was a standout-basket in what would ultimately be an 80-76 Hall win.
Despite only having a major impact on SHU’s last two games, Singh has turned into something of a cult hero since arriving in South Orange. All season long a contingent of students has made up the Veer Singh Fan Club. The group makes up punny signs inspired by Singh’s name and even has a Twitter account (@V33RFanClub). Singh often slaps hands with the group after games.
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“I’ve seen that, I’ve seen that. My roommate ‘Timmy Ice’- he reminds me of it all the time,” Singh said of his fans, drawing a room full of laughs. “’Guess what they just posted? Guess what they just posted?’ It’s funny man. It’s great for the team. I really appreciate the support because they’ve been with me even when I was struggling with my wrist injury.”
No longer struggling, the Pirates will need Singh to stay hot as they head into Big East play. The win over USF saw Seton Hall conclude its non-conference slate with a 10-2 record. Now, the team will gear up to play Marquette on the road in its first in-league bout on Dec. 30. Singh said it is important he continues to contribute.
“That’s what they need from me in Big East play,” he said. “That’s what they brought me in for.”
Gary Phillips can be reached at gary.phillips@student.shu.edu or on Twitter @GPhillips2727.
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