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TORONTO - As Amir Johnson took a seat, having just picked up his sixth foul towards the end of Thursdays first overtime period, Patrick Patterson fouling out minutes earlier, Dwane Casey and his coaching staff mulled over their next move. Huddling up, Casey consulted with his assistants for over 30 seconds before looking to the far side of his bench and reluctantly calling for Jonas Valanciunas. The Raptors starting centre had been a spectator since late in the third quarter, amounting to roughly an hour of real time spent on the bench since he was last on the floor. As his coach feared, Valanciunas was more than a little rusty, playing 25 seconds in the first OT frame and the bulk of the second until Casey opted to go with Tyler Hansbrough to close the game in the third and final period of extra time. "It really wasnt fair to Jonas," Casey said in hindsight, following his teams marathon 134-129 loss to Washington. "It wasnt his fault." Upon reentering, Toronto immediately ran a pick-and-roll for Valanciunas, however the pass from Greivis Vasquez - who was trapped on the right elbow - was mistimed and ultimately deflected before it reached Valanciunas in the middle of the key, the turnover charged to Vasquez. A few minutes later, Valanciunas received the ball on the left block and with the clock winding down he flipped up a quick shot that was swatted by Marcin Gortat, his first of two field goal attempts in the period, both blocked by Gortat. With just over one minute remaining in double OT, the game tied at 116, Valanciunas negated a Vasquez runner, needlessly tipping in the shot that was already on its way down, above the cylinder. The look of frustration on the sophomores face said it all. This was not his night. The Raptors were outscored by 14 points in the 29 minutes that Valanciunas was on the floor. "I feel really sad," Valanciunas lamented, with his head down after the game. "I feel really bad right now. I could do a much better job than what I did." Valanciunas lost more than his rhythm, sitting as long as he did in the second half of Thursdays ball game. His confidence appeared to be at an all-time low. The second-year centre has had a rough couple of weeks, averaging 7.1 points and 7.6 rebounds, shooting 45 per cent in 24 minutes per in his last eight games. Over the previous eight contests, he put up averages of 15.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, shot 58 per cent from the field and logged just over 29 minutes a night. Perhaps fatigue has played a factor - he eclipsed his minute total from his rookie season last week - but the most noticeable variation in his approach hinders on an immeasurable concept that he has downplayed in the past. Swagger. Valanciunas is a different animal when he plays with that edge, anger and fire, when he gets outside of his head, stops over-thinking the game and just plays basketball. Too often you can almost see his thought process on the court, his movements are robotic as he aims to avoid disaster, fearful of making a mistake that will draw the ire of his head coach. However, hes at his best when he plays freely and Casey knows it. "The key is patience, not getting down on yourself, have fun," Casey said after morning shoot-around on Thursday. "I mean youre playing basketball. Theres no pressure on JV to produce. The pressure is on DeMar (DeRozan) and Kyle (Lowry) and Amir, the older guys." Given the unreasonably high preseason expectations its easy to overlook the fact that Valanciunas is still only 21-year-old, playing in his first full season after missing a sizeable chunk of his rookie campaign due to injury. Hes had an eventful year, participating in Summer League for the Raptors and competing with Lithuania in the FIBA qualifying tournament during the offseason. Hes still learning the NBA game, getting fully accustomed to his surroundings and most importantly finding his way as a player. None of that is lost of Casey, who refuses to put the cart before the horse when it comes to the development of his young centre. "I told him to stay with it," Casey said after Valanciunas logged just 17 minutes in Tuesdays win over Cleveland. "Right now hes pressing so much. [I] just told him to relax [and] play basketball." On account of their unexpected success this season the Raptors ultimate objective has been altered slightly. Although theyre now looking ahead to the playoffs and hoping to make some noise come April, their primary goal has not changed. Casey is still focused on developing his young players, namely Valanciunas and fellow sophomore Terrence Ross. "The hardest thing to do is to develop and win at the same time," Casey said. "Luckily weve got some wins and these guys are developing at the same time. Its the hardest thing to do because a lot of times theyre in there when they really dont deserve to, not as much lately but in the first part of the year." However, Casey wont coddle either sophomore with unconditional playing time. Valanciunas, like Ross, has had the opportunity to play and learn through his mistakes but the criteria for remaining on the floor long enough to do so has been made clear since the get go. "Offensively right now, hes not making his post moves, but thats going to come," Casey said. "Get some sweat shots, get some tip-ins, go to the offensive boards, screen. Do some of the sweat jobs and that will help him get his rhythm in the post." The process is gradual and, as Casey reminds us, its not going to happen overnight. Valanciunas possesses the ability, the desire and the work ethic to be a top tier NBA centre but its not going to happen in the middle of his second season. It takes time and no one in the Raptors organization will rush him. For now, Valanciunas is a matchup play. His minutes will continue to be sporadic as Casey leans on quicker, more experienced and versatile defenders in Johnson and Patterson some nights, depending on the opponent and whichever version of Valanciunas comes to play. Through it all, he cant lose focus and most importantly he cant lose his confidence. Hes got to keep his head up - on and off the floor - continue to work and learn whether hes in the game or on the bench. The Raptors are exercising patience with their young big man but he needs to be patient with himself. Bismack Biyombo Jersey . People familiar with the case told The Associated Press on Friday that arbitrator Fredric Horowitz could issue his decision this weekend. 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WINNIPEG -- Robert Marve knows that when you give Winnipeg Blue Bomber fans something to cheer about, you feel the love. Marve is one of three quarterbacks coach Mike OShea says are in the running to back up starter Drew Willy for the Bombers. He spent a scant few minutes on the field last Thursday at the end of a 24-22 loss to the Toronto Argonauts but didnt waste a second. He rushed for 17 yards and connected with three out of four passes, including one for a touchdown to rookie receiver Donavon Kemp. It game fans a reason to cheer, and they responded in person and on Twitter. "I did get some Bomber love," he said Thursday after practice. "That was nice. The fans are awesome and I appreciate all the support." Marve will get another chance to play Saturday when the Bombers visit the Calgary Stampeders in Calgary, but coach Mike OShea couldnt say how much. "Well see all four," he said. "Now how the times broken down, well see how it all plays out. But the plan right now is, as I said yesterday, to give Drew all the time he needs to feel comfortable and for the offence to get comfortable with him." Willy also didnt sound too concerned Thursday about how much time he will get as the team plays its last pre-season game before their CFL home opener against the Argonauts June 26. He had two seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in a backup capacity and at least on Thursday was getting a lot more playing time in practice. OShea insists the role of backup in Winnipeg is still very much up for grabs. In terms of CFL experience, Max Hall would seem to have the inside track. HHe finished last season as the pivot the Bombers turned too most often as they struggled to find a way to win.dddddddddddd But they also brought in Marve and Brian Brohm to audition. At just 25, Marve is the youngest of the three. A high-school star in Florida, his college career was marred by three operations to repair three tears of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Likely as a result, he was undrafted in the 2013 NFL Draft but attended the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. He insists his knee feels better after this last operation than it has since it was first injured and he doesnt let the injury in any way dictate how hes going to play. "No, Im a loose cannon. I cant play holding anything back. And as you kind of saw on that one drive Im a pump up guy. I like to run around and make some things happen. "So I felt good in the game. My knee felt fine when I was running so Im ready to go physically." His last operation was about a year ago and he finished his college career at Purdue before having it. Among the cuts the Bombers announced Thursday was their No. 1 draft pick in 2012, offensive lineman Tyson Pencer. Although Pencer, who was taken third overall in that years CFL draft, has spent much of his time with the Bombers on an injured list, OShea said they have seen enough to know he was not going to make the team. They also released import defensive linemen Stafford Gatling and Louis Nzegwu, import offensive lineman Quentin Saulsberry and another draft pick, defensive back Kris Robertson, who they selected in the second round last year. ' ' '