OSU Hoops: More From Fraschilla
Better days ahead for Travis Ford and the Cowboys?
By John Helsley
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Preparing for my story on Travis Ford for Wednesday’s paper, I talked to ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla – who sees a lot of Big 12 ball – for his take on the status ofOklahomaStatebasketball and the stock of Ford.
Thought he had some interesting things to say, including that he believes this is Ford’s best job of coaching while at OSU.
Here are some outtakes from our conversation, items that didn’t survive the cutting room floor, so to speak:
On where he sees the Cowboys at this time next year:
“When you take this core nucleus of kids who are coming back next year, with potentially and hopefully, for their sake, Darrell Williams, and JP Olukemi, and then you throw Marcus Smart into this mix, they could be very, very good next year.
“They certainly have work to do before next season, but I think there’s enough pieces in place where they have weathered the storm and have a chance to be back in the NCAA Tournament a year from now.”
On the silver lining of this season:
“I think their future is bright. Anytime you go through a season like this, particularly when you have a couple guys transfer, you can grow stronger from it. Who would have known Brian Williams and Markel (Brown) would have blossomed into solid players without (Jéan-Paul) Olukemi getting hurt or without (Reger) Dowell and (Fred) Gulley transferring? So in a sense, there is a silver lining to what has been a very tough season.”
On Ford’s recruiting at OSU:
“You can talk about Travis’ recruiting all you want, but when you go Le’Bryan Nash and Marcus Smart back-to-back, and then you throw little Phil Forte in there, who’s kind of like Keiton, that’s pretty good.”
OSU Hoops Recruiting Back On
Cowboys coach Travis Ford must get busy on the recruiting trail.
By John Helsley
follow on twitter @jjhelsley
The news that Travis Ford and Co. were cutting ties with Juco forward Karron Johnson came as no surprise. And it shouldn’t be regretted.
The Cowboys chased Johnson a long time and there was promise when he signed a letter of intent with OSU back in February. But Johnson couldn’t steer clear of a familiar trail of trouble that traced from school to school to school — five schools in all, in five years.
His season at Midland had barely begun when he had a run-in with Chaps head coach Ross Hodge, who booted Johnson from the team after just nine games. It was the same story a year ago, when clashed with coach Jeff Spoonhour at Moberly Area Community College in Missouri and was dismissed from the squad there.
Nobody doubts that Johnson is a rare talent, an NBA talent. But there’s no doubting his track record for trouble, either. Needing a focused direction going forward from this season of struggle, the Cowboys don’t need any distractions of this sort.
So the Cowboys are moving on. And moving out, now scrambling to find some new pieces for the 2011-12 season. And they’ve got their work cut out for them.
OSU will be lacking a proven presence in the post next year, especially if Darrell Williams doesn’t return from his legal issues. Marshall Moses and Matt Pilgrim are seniors. That leaves Roger Franklin and Jarred Shaw as experienced forwards. Mike Cobbins, a redshirting freshman, still draws raves from the coaching staff. But there’s a noticeable lack of muscle.
Trouble is, there’s little unsigned talent left in the prep ranks. And getting in late on what is available won’t be easy. Maybe the Cowboys can have some luck with some other Juco players.
Here are a few names to monitor as the Cowboys re-start their recruiting efforts:
PG Cezar Guerrero. A 5-11 prep point man in California, Guerrero is the best point guard still unsigned. A number of schools are involved and the Cowboys are late to the dance. But don’t count them out.
SG Tony Kimbro. A 6-4 prep shooter out of Louisville, Kimbro has been on the Cowboys’ radar for some time. The Cowboys need shooters, clearly.
PG Sam Grooms. At the Juco level, Grooms would likely be the top target — of several teams. The 6-1 guard, who plays for the nation’s No. 2 JC in Florida, is garnering interest from Florida, North Carolina and Kansas as well.
PG Anthony Hickey. The Cowboys are the most prominent program on the 5-10 point man out of Kentucky, but they may be aiming higher.
SF Anthony Norris. A lot of familiar names are in on this 6-7 forward from Houston, including Baylor, Oklahoma, Colorado and others.
SG Zeke Chapman. More like a combo guard at 6-2, Chapman may answer dual needs for the Cowboys.
SG Josh Richardson. An under-the-radar prospect from Edmond Santa Fe, the 6-5 Richardson is picking up some late interest.
PG Kevin Amayo. A 6-4 guard from New Jersey, Amayo would offer size the Cowboys currently lack at the position.
SG Ben Dillard. Another prep option out of Texas.
SF Ahmad Ibrahim. A 6-5 prep player out of Houston.
OSU-Texas A&M: Five Keys
The Cowboys could use a hot hand from Keiton Page tonight.
By John Helsley
follow on Twitter @jjhelsley
The term must-win has been following the Cowboys around for what seems like months now.
Now in the final stretch run, with five games to play and OSU’s Big 12 record at 4-7, the Pokes play Texas A&M tonight at Gallagher-Iba Arena amid fleeting NCAA Tournament hopes.
Dare we say it?
“A must-win,” said Cowboys senior captain Nick Sidorakis. “We can’t lose this game. It’s a must-win game, hands down. I don’t know any other way to put it.”
And he’s right.
Only this time, it’s for real. Lose and the NCAA dream is gone, barring a magic upset of No. 1 Kansas in Lawrence Monday night.
So, how do the Cowboys beat A&M?
Five keys:
1. Ride The Wave. As bad as the Cowboy have been on the road in the Big 12 – 0-6 bad – they’ve been solid at home, owning wins over Kansas State and Missouri in a 10-1 run, with the only loss to Texas. The crowd should be good, with no excuses to get in the way. The weather is right. The time is right, considering the team’s plight. And it’s not a school night. So it’s time for the Cowboys to use their crowd to fuel a big win and stay alive in the hunt for an NCAA bid.
2. All Together Now. For whatever reason, OSU can’t get more than two or three players producing on any given night. And it’s driving Travis Ford crazy. Against A&M – and from here on – more Cowboys must step up. “I’m past the point of saying everybody’s got to bring their A game,” Ford said. “You’ve got to contribute. If you’re not scoring, bring something else. You better defend or do something else.”
3. Wild Card. Without Darrell Williams, the Cowboys are shorthanded inside. Marshall Moses can’t hold down the paint alone. That means Matt Pilgrim or Roger Franklin or Jarred Shaw needs to help out. And, yes, it’s a broken record. But it’s mandatory.
4.Find Walkup. When the Aggies beat OSU in College Station, Nathan Walkup went off for 16 points, mostly left unguarded from the perimeter. The Cowboys must locate Walkup and get a hand in his face.
5. Win. Somehow, someway – any way – the Cowboys must find a way to win. It’s that simple. Win ugly. Win late. Win in overtime if necessary. But win.
OSU-Texas: Five Keys
By John Helsley
follow on Twitter @jjhelsley
The Cowboys appear to be walking into an ambush tonight, with No. 3 Texas in pursuit of perfection and perhaps the No. 1 ranking in the land.
The Horns probably should have been elevated to the top spot already, instead of a Kansas team they beat in Lawrence, considering their so-far unbeaten run through the Big 12 that includes a win over OSU in Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Throw in the fact that the Cowboys have been road kill in far lesser matchups, entering the Erwin Center at 0-5 in conference away games and 1-6 on the road overall.
“The closest game they’ve played in the league is nine points,” said Cowboys coach Travis Ford, “and they had a 20-point lead in that game.
“Nobody’s really played them close yet. We understand the challenge. We’re going to have to play a whole lot better than we have been.”
That leads us to our Five Keys for Texas:
OSU's Keiton Page (12) shoots game-tying 3-pointer over Iowa State's Melvin Ejim (3) the during the college basketball game between Oklahoma State University and Iowa State University, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2011, at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman
1. Don’t Roll Over. OK, so this might appear as the most unlikely upset possibility ever. Things happen. Kansas didn’t last the day as the nation’s No. 1 team. Texas flopped in its debut at No. 1 a year ago and actually owned up to not wanting the responsibility this time. The Cowboys haven’t gotten everyone on the same page at the same time this season. Now would be a good time.
2. Unlock Keiton. Texas’ win in Stillwater was marked by a defensive shutdown of Cowboys guard Keiton Page, who was held scoreless. Longhorns guard Dogus Balbay put Page in lockdown with a physical style allowed by officials. Page can’t endure a similar game, or the Cowboys have no chance. Expect a lot of screens intended to free Page on the perimeter. Said Ford: “We don’t need to change a whole lot with Keiton, he knows. He needs to continue to run our basketball team and step up and make plays. He’s a veteran player.”
3. Jumpstart JP. Wrote about Jéan-Paul Olukemi’s radical home/road splits for the paper today. Coincidence that the Cowboys are 4-1 in conference home games and 0-5 on the road? Don’t think so. Whatever it is that’s troubling Olukemi on the road – bad beds, bad food, whatever – OSU must fix it. And fast.
4. Get Comfortable. Olukemi isn’t the only Cowboy struggling on the road, he’s just the most impactful. At this point, a mental hurdle may be developing as well. “I feel that actual weight coming down, the season is winding down and there’s an extra weight that we haven’t gotten a road win at all in the Big 12 Conference. It’s sitting on everybody’s mind just how critical it is to win on the road. I know everybody’s wondering why and what are we doing wrong.”
5. Don’t Back Down. The absence of suspended forward Darrell Williams showed up in Saturday’s loss at Nebraska. The Cowboys didn’t get the needed filler from Matt Pilgrim, Roger Franklin and Jarred Shaw, leaving them soft and vulnerable in the middle. If that doesn’t change tonight, the aggressive and physical Longhorns can’t be stopped. On the bright side, at least Pilgrim is available for this one at the Erwin Center. He sat out last year’s game here after a curfew violation.
OSU at Nebraska: 5 Keys
Cowboys coach Travis Ford is looking to steal a Big 12 road win.
By John Helsley
follow on Twitter @jjhelsley
OK, so the magic number for NCAA Tournament inclusion may have dropped to 8 in the Big 12, if the league gets the six bids it is projected to receive.
That’s good news for Oklahoma State, which is 4-5 and faces road trips to Texas and Kansas, as well as Nebraska (Today) and Oklahoma.
The bad news: the Cowboys haven’t won a league road game since February of last season. And any math adding up to 8 Big 12 wins requires a breakthrough in an enemy gym somewhere.
Could today be the day?
Five keys for the Cowboys at Nebraska:
1. Shoot Straight. Sounds simple, right? But it’s more complicated than that, as the Huskers will pack the lane, taking away OSU’s offensive strength, which is using Jéan-Paul Olukemi on drives and getting trash baskets from Marshall Moses and Matt Pilgrim. Keiton Page, Olukemi and Ray Penn will get some open looks. For a team that has been wildly inconsistent from the perimeter, the Cowboys will have to knock down some 3s.
2. Fill The Void. Just as Darrell Williams was coming off his best two games at OSU, and seeming to figure things out, the skilled forward was suspended amid sexual assault charges. Williams wasn’t a regular impact player, so it’s not like the Cowboys are without their go-to guy. But he was a starter at a position where OSU has lacked any consistency. That spins the focus to a familiar figure: Matt Pilgrim. A bit of an enigma, Pilgrim has played better of late and is capable of lessening the loss of Williams. Roger Franklin and Jarred Shaw factor in as well. And watch for Ford to utilize more of a four-guard look, too, with Olukemi filling an Obi Muonelo-type role.
3. Be Patient. The Huskers aren’t at all sexy, with a pedestrian offense. But they will get after teams on the defensive end, which is why they lead the Big 12 in scoring defense, allowing just 59.1 points a game. For the Cowboys, the key will be showing patience with their offense, working the ball and working off screens and not firing up ill-advised shots.
4. Road Worriers. The Cowboys haven’t won on the road in the Big 12. The Huskers are 14-1 at home, with only a loss to Kansas appearing as a blip. So this looks like a tall task for the Cowboys seeking a breakthrough. Still, it’s not like the Huskers are world beaters inside the Devaney Center. Nebraska does own a nice home win over Texas A&M, but otherwise they’ve beaten Iowa State and Colorado and a bunch of nonconference lightweights.
5. Tit For Tat. The Huskers can defend, but so can the Cowboys. And Nebraska struggles to score, ranking 11th in the league in scoring. The Huskers don’t have anyone among the league’s top 20 scorers. That should assure that OSU is in this game to the end. Now, they have to find a way to win it.
OSU-Mizzou: Five Keys
The Cowboys could use a big game from Darrell Williams.
By John Helsley
jhelsley@opubco.com
follow on Twitter @jjhelsley
Lady Luck and Mother Nature seem to be conspiring against the Cowboys.
Not making any alibis for the Pokes here, but hidden among their poor shooting percentage is a number of in-and-out shots. If just a few of those go down – just one at Texas Tech – the record might be better.
As it is, OSU stands 2-5 in the Big 12 entering tonight’s game against Missouri, yet the next in a series of seemingly must-win games for the Cowboys.
And just when they could use all the comforts of home, including a large and loud crowd, the great blizzard of 2011 puts attendance for tonight’s tilt in doubt.
The school is doing its best to back Travis Ford’s crew, opening the doors with free admission for anyone willing to brave the elements. Students and Stillwater residents could unite.
Their Cowboys need them.
And they need this win in a major way.
Five keys vs. Missouri:
1. Who’s In? We talked about the potential crowd issues – could be huge tonight. No. 14 Missouri is 17-4 overall, but just 3-3 in the Big 12, with all three losses coming on the road, two of them ugly. They’re just not the same club outside of Columbia. But if Gallagher-Iba Arena goes quiet, the Tigers may not notice the unfriendly surroundings.
2. Road Weary. Mizzou opted not to fly in to Stillwater early Monday and instead bussed to Kansas City, where it spent all Tuesday, practicing at nearby Park University. The Tigers finally got made it out, getting a break when they were able to fly directly to Stillwater and not Oklahoma City, as originally feared. But how will the travel impact their play? Teams typically arrive the day before and like to stick rigidly to routines. That’s not the case here.
3. Push It. Travis Ford’s promised offensive tweaks revolved around pushing the pace when possible Saturday. With only two days to stress the faster pace, Ford found himself urging them to “Go, Go!” many times in the game. Running will be easy tonight against the Tigers, who love to play fast.
4. Head Check. Mizzou forward Laurence Bowers, second in the Big 12 in blocked shots, is questionable after suffering a concussion in Saturday’s loss at Texas, where he caught an elbow from the Longhorns’ Tristan Thompson. Bowers doesn’t start, but plays significant minutes in Mike Anderson’s heavy rotation. If he’s out, OSU’s bigs get a break.
5. Postseason Watch. The Cowboys desperately need a win to maintain any hope of staying alive in the chase for an NCAA Tournament berth. Lose, however, and those hopes likely are gone at just the midway point of the league schedule. Then the focus flips to the NIT.
OSU-Iowa State: Five Keys
By John Helsley
follow on Twitter @jjhelsley
The overriding theme for the Cowboys last week centered on finding a way to steal a Big 12 road win.
Scratch that.
Losses at Texas A&M and Colorado leaves OSU at 1-2 in conference play, about what we might have expected after three games, or, back to even, despite the early win over K-State.
That brings us to tonight’s clash with Iowa State. A must-win clash, because holding court at home in the Big 12 is vital in this team’s quest to get to the NCAA Tournament. Mandatory if the opponent is Iowa State, even if the Cyclones are among the surprises of the Big 12.
Still, that doesn’t mean tonight won’t offer challenges. Nothing comes easy for these Cowboys.
Five keys against ISU:
1. Guard the Perimeter. The Cyclones lead the Big 12 in 3-point attempts, makes and percentage, averaging 9.1 long balls a game. It’s a major part of their attack. And the 3s don’t come just from the guards, with 6-11 forward Jamie Vanderbeken firing in 47 so far, including seven in Saturday’s win over Baylor. Vanderbeken will be a matchup problem for the Pokes.
2. Press the Issue. OSU may not opt for all-out, full-court pressure, but the Cowboys would like to make the Cyclones work. ISU is dealing with depth issues, forcing its starters to play heavy minutes – all five starters average 30-plus minutes in Big 12 play and four are at 34 or more. Point guard Diante Garrett, playing 37.7 minutes in league play and the team’s leading scorer, arrives after starting the week sick. If the deeper Cowboys can wear down the Cyclones, it could pay off down the stretch.
3. New Look. Jéan-Paul Olukemi played well in his first career start, scoring 21 at Colorado. Now it’s time for him to provide consistent scoring, which this team has lacked outside of Marshall Moses. Olukemi is OSU’s most athletic and versatile scorer. They need him to attack.
4. Step Up, Someone. Teams are slowing Moses with constant double teams. That means someone’s open in the paint. Matt Pilgrim and/or Darrell Williams need to discourage such strategy by getting aggressive on the offensive end and emerging as the kind of scorers they can be.
5. Stretch the Streak. Iowa State hasn’t won in Gallagher-Iba Arena in 15 tries, dating back to 1988. And while the Cyclones are playing well under new coach and former star Fred Hoiberg, even Hoiberg didn’t experience success in GIA, losing in all four visits as a player.
“I don’t have any fond memories of that place,” Hoiberg said earlier this week. “I had a good meal at Eskimo Joe’s, but that’s about it.”
OSU at Colorado: 5 Keys
It's time for Matt Pilgrim to fully exert his presence.
By John Helsley
follow on Twitter @jjhelsley
A week ago I wrote about the Cowboys “winning ugly.”
Wednesday night at Texas A&M, we saw them lose ugly – hideously in fact.
And after what seemed like a breakthrough win over Kansas State at home last Saturday, the Cowboys find themselves on the back end of a two-game road trip suddenly needing a rebound.
It won’t be easy.
Colorado is one of the surprise teams in the Big 12, owning wins over two Top 25 teams (Missouri and K-State) in the past week.
In Alec Burks and Cory Higgins, the Buffs have two projected NBA players, and the roster overall is in better shape than recent years.
Five Keys for the Cowboys vs. A&M
1. Work the offense. At A&M, when things started to slip away, the Cowboys too often opted for quick and unwise shots, rather than working the ball to Marshall Moses and Co. inside. Moses was limited to just seven shots, although he hurt himself, too, with five turnovers when defenders stripped the ball when he went to his dribble-down move on the blocks. This is not a premier 3-point shooting team. And it shouldn’t act like one. Ray Penn can’t miss 10 shots.
2. Slow Alec Burks. Former Colorado coach Jeff Bzdelik didn’t win a lot at CU, but he apparently recruited well. Burks is big-time, considered a Top 10 pick in this year’s NBA Draft by some. Burks is averaging 24 points per game in two Big 12 outings. The Cowboys won’t be able to shut him down, but they better slow him down.
3. Get help. OSU relies on bench help, with Jéan-Paul Olukemi, Markel Brown and Darrell Williams key figures in any successful projection. None of the three were a factor at A&M. Olukemi in particular, after his 22-point outburst against K-State, threw out a no-show, providing but a single point before fouling out. These guys aren’t complementary players, they’re major players.
4. Road test. The Cowboys have played just three true road games, scuffling in all three, including two bad losses at Gonzaga and A&M. To get back to the NCAA Tournament, a road win or two in the Big 12 would be advisable. Don’t know if it comes here, but at least a stronger showing would be good.
5. Prod Pilgrim. Matt Pilgrim slowed his progress into this season, drawing a suspension from coach Travis Ford in the preseason and falling out of shape. But he’s been back for nearly two months now and it’s time he starts to resemble the guy who showed so much promise late last season. Pilgrim can be a force when he extends himself and plays hard all the time. It’s time.
OSU at A&M: Five Keys
By John Helsley
follow on Twitter @jjhelsley
The Cowboys scored a major early win over Kansas State on Saturday.
In retrospect, it may have been a must win, considering the road tests that await them the next four days.
OSU visits Texas A&M tonight and is at Colorado on Saturday. The two teams are a combined 26-5 overall, 2-0 in the Big 12 and 19-0 at home.
Both games are winnable and each game presents a different set of challenges.
And at the same time, winning just one should be considered a bonus.
The Pokes proved something Saturday, beating a quality team and exhibiting toughness in doing so.
But the Big 12 road is something completely different; something Jéan-Paul Olukemi and Markel Brown and Darrell Williams have yet to experience.
Five Keys for the Cowboys vs. A&M
1. Survive the Surroundings. Again, we can’t stress enough how difficult it is to win on the road in the Big 12. Any breakthrough is like stealing. It’s money in the bank in the quest to get to nine conference wins and make the case for NCAA Tournament inclusion. As the competition rises, OSU will need more and more from guys like Olukemi, Brown and Williams. They can’t get caught up with the crowds and the noise and crazies.
2. Lean on Moses. At times, the Cowboys get away from feeding Marshall Moses in the post. That’s a no-no, especially on the road, where he provides experience and leadership. He has a knack for getting big men in foul trouble, which can be an equalizer in enemy gyms. Moses, because he’s left-handed and a bit unorthodox, creates matchup difficulties for defenders. The Cowboys must lean on that.
3. Good Guards. OSU survived shaky shooting from guards Keiton Page and Ray Penn against Kansas State. They’ll need one or both to fire some daggers against A&M, so that Moses and Olukemi and Matt Pilgrim can find room to score and rebound inside.
4. Manage Middleton. A&M’s Khris Middleton is among the most improved players in the league. While the Aggies’ scoring is balanced, Middleton is a guy who can go off – as he did with 31 against Arkansas – and he’s a guy who gets everyone else going. He’s led the Aggies in scoring a team-high eight times and has a team-best 13 games with 10 or more points.
5. Penn’s Place. For Ray Penn, it’s his first time to play at A&M, which is as close to his Houston home as it gets in the Big 12. A knee injury prevented his College Station debut a year ago. Penn is expecting several family members to make the trip over, which is always nice. But he must maintain focus on the job at hand.
Bonus Coverage!
We don’t always get this, but we’ve secured some comments from Aggies coach Mark Turgeon on tonight’s game. Turgeon’s take:
On the next stretch of games being a big judge of where the team is…
“I want to see truly where we are. I think Oklahoma State’s phenomenal. They had a game that they lost, Virginia Tech, that they probably should have won. They were ahead seven with about four to go, and had a tough break. Something happened, or they’d be like 15-1 or whatever and they’d be ranked too. I think they’re really good. Then you play a Missouri team that’s ranked, then a Texas team that’s ranked, then a Kansas state team that’s ranked. So it’ll be good for me to see where we really are. I know we’ve beat some good teams, but consistently for four straight games to do that…we’ll see how tough we are and what we’re all about.”
On what makes Marshall Moses such an effective player…
“He’s just so strong. He’s got a great base and just overpowers you. He can turn and face. He’s got a quick first step. He can get you deep and he can score, and get second chance points, (he’s) just real physical. He’s really good at posting up. They do a really good job of getting him the ball and they usually have some good shooters around him, so they can space pretty well too. He’s good. I remember we played him there his sophomore year and we’d never really heard of Marshall Moses. And he just lit us up at their place that game and ever since then he’s really never looked back. He’s having a phenomenal senior year. That’s why they’re doing so well.”
On OSU losing players like James Anderson and Obi Muonelo off last year’s team and still playing so well…
“They’re bigger and stronger. They’re a whole different team. I think they defend really well. Keiton Page is playing really, really well and having a great year. He’s gotten better. Jean-Paul (Olukemi) sat out last year and practiced, and he’s really giving them good minutes. They’ve got some good depth, good players, good guards and are well-coached. They have a plan and a purpose every game and they execute it, and that’s why they are where they are. It will be a real physical game Wednesday night, which we need to prove we can play in.”
On Oklahoma State’s offensive strategy this year…
“Get the ball to Moses or get the ball to Keiton Page. That’s what they’re trying to do. They only shot 10 threes the other day against K-State, and only made two, but they shot 40-something free throws. So it was a combination of a physical game and it being called closely, but also (them) getting to the foul line. So they’re doing a good job of that. It’s good coaching when you can play one way one year and win, then play different the following year and still win. That’s the sign of a good coach. Travis (Ford) has done a good job with this team and they create some problems. Defensively they’re real solid and always have a game plan. They’re playing different, I think they’re averaging 69 a game or something, where last year this time I’m sure they were in the 80s. So they’re playing differently. They’re rebounding better. They look more like us probably.”
OSU Hoops: Be Patient
Travis Ford enjoys teaching. That's good, because there's much to be done.
By John Helsley
follow on twitter @jjhelsley
OSU’s Monday exhibition opener offered equal doses of panic and pleasure, yet begs mostly for a long leash of patience.
This could take a while, Cowboys fans.
As the Cowboys venture into the early stages of this college basketball season, with Travis Ford sorting through his roster for the right mix, there will be highs and lows. We saw it against OCU, with a first half filled with struggle, followed by a second half of budding promise.
When Matt Pilgrim joins in Wednesday upon his return from suspension, things could only get more complicated.
That’s what happens when you lose your best players (James Anderson and Obi Muonelo), then introduce five viable new players into a deep returning core. The new guys are just trying to figure out Ford’s demanding system. The old guys are trying to meld with the new guys. And the coaches are trying to figure out exactly what they’ve got.
Immediate (and probably premature) impressions:
The Cowboys may struggle to score. A year ago, when all else failed, OSU could always turn to Anderson and Muonelo to freelance and find baskets. With Anderson, the Cowboys often had the best player on the floor. It’s early, and heads are spinning, but no one in the current crew has the look — yet — of being a guy who can create offense on his own. There are plenty of talented pieces. But the Cowboys may have to grind their way offensively, at least until someone (Markel Brown? Mike Cobbins? Ray Penn?) evolves into a go-to scorer.
Get ready for Darrell Williams.It’s Da-Rell, for pronunciation purposes. Might as well get used to it, you’ll hear and repeat his name often. After a slow start against OCU attributed to hesitancy, Williams got going and finished with 15 points, 15 boards and five assists. He’s a big man with skills who can run the floor, dribble, pass and finish. If Ford can convince him to play like the man he is, Williams will command extra attention in the paint, which could open things up offensively on the perimeter, where Keiton Page can do his thing.
The youngsters need time.For all the hyperventilating that occurs over freshmen recruits — among the fans and the media — reality usually slaps us upside the head. So it is with the Cowboys’ freshmen trio, Brown, Cobbins and Brian Williams. All three are taking baby steps in adapting to Ford and the college game. They should be good in time, maybe great in an instance or two. It’s not happening immediately. The goal should be for two of them, Brown and Cobbins, to become major contributors at some point this season. Travis Ford enjoys teaching, which he’ll be doing plenty of.
Frontcourt depth has improved.We’ve talked about Williams. Pilgrim is on his way back. Marshall Moses remains in the mix. And Jarred Shaw appears ready to give the Cowboys something off the bench. Cobbins, while a bit thin, has the best long-term skills of the bunch. That’s a significant upgrade in the post, not just over last year, but in a long time at OSU.
Defense will be key. The Cowboys forced 27 turnovers from OCU. Now, the Stars were an NAIA team that was overmatched. Still, the Pokes showed their athleticism and quickness and depth, which is going to allow Ford to turn up the pressure on teams. If a grinding offensive style becomes necessary, stout defense will be key to providing easy baskets and winning ugly.
