McCamey starts on bench

CHAMPAIGN – Less than two minutes after Demetri McCamey subbed into Illinois' 66-50 win against Eastern Washington, he swished a three-pointer. Which probably made many people wonder why he wasn't in the game in the first place.

It's simple: Illinois coach Bruce Weber wanted to deliver yet another message that even the team's best player has to give 100 percent effort. And the season opener, with 30 regular season games remaining, seemed an opportunity to get the sophomore's attention.

So Weber took McCamey out of the starting lineup Friday, and the sophomore watched the first 3 minutes, 20 seconds from the bench.

"Demetri, he's our best player. At least potentially," Weber said after the Illini pulled away for their 10th consecutive season-opening victory. "But all I've talked about all year is hard work, heart and hustle. If Demetri can't do that, it's very hard to justify that I expect it out of them and he doesn't have to do it."

This isn't a new message from Weber. There has been a revolving door on the coach's doghouse seemingly reserved for McCamey.

He still played starter's minutes Friday – 29, tied with Chester Frazier for the team high – but Weber gave the start to senior Calvin Brock. A point guard for most, if not all, of his basketball career, McCamey often played in the off-guard slot and had 11 points, three rebounds and three assists.

"We're going to need him (McCamey) to win games," Frazier said

"I expect him – just like I did Dee, Deron and Luther – to be the best worker, the hardest workers," Weber said.

Weber has made comparisons with McCamey and Deron Williams, mainly because they are big-bodied point guards. But there's a big difference in their practice efforts, and it shows in five-on-five scrimmages.

"Deron never lost," Weber said. "I could put all four starters on the other team and he'd still win. And talk trash to them."

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