Can we even want an introduction? School basketball is placing out an unbelievable product proper now. Let’s dive into this week’s version of 10 developments. There may be a lot to unpack.
1. Cooper Flagg will get a bucket on each Auburn defender
One under-discussed subplot surrounding the fabulous Flagg is that Montverde Academy, the place he performed as a highschool senior, was so dominant in its 33-0 marketing campaign final season that he hardly ever obtained reps in late-game conditions. He is studying what he can and might’t do in clutch eventualities on the fly. Sadly, two expensive late-game turnovers in opposition to Kentucky and Kansas have shrouded a few of his brilliance.
That was not the case on Wednesday.
The freshman phenom was large in No. 9 Duke’s 84-78 win over No. 2 Auburn, notching 22 factors, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, two blocks and three steals.
Duke’s offense sizzled to the tune of 1.33 factors per possession in opposition to Auburn’s fabulous protection. That had not occurred to a Bruce Pearl crew since Feb. 20, 2021, when a Cam Thomas-led LSU membership went berserk for 1.34 factors per possession (shoutout, Will Wade).
Flagg’s destruction of each single Auburn defender was the most important purpose why. Pearl tried everyone on Flagg and nothing labored. He scored seven buckets on six totally different Auburn defenders.
- First bucket: Flagg blows by All-American Johni Broome and finishes over Dylan Cardwell. These are two of one of the best shot-blockers in America, people.
- Second bucket: Chaney Johnson, a robust 6-foot-7 ahead, will get the task this time. Flagg parachutes to the rim, stops on a dime and drills a tricky fadeaway.
- Third bucket: Johni Broome is guarding him, however Duke dials up a big-on-big display screen to get Cardwell onto Flagg. The freshman phenom takes Cardwell (I repeat, one of many elite defenders within the sport) into the paint for a fallaway jumper. Nothing however the backside of the online.
- Fourth bucket: Auburn continues to be switching every thing defensively, so Flagg is used because the screener to get Denver Jones, a 6-4 guard, onto him. That, predictably, doesn’t go effectively for the Tigers. Flagg will get to his spin transfer and drills a floater.
- Fifth bucket: It is Chad Baker-Mazara’s time to tango. The long-armed wing gives little resistance. Flagg blows proper by him and connects on a jumper over Broome’s outstretched arm.
- Sixth bucket: Auburn desires Broome to remain hooked up to Flagg, however Duke does a superb job of placing the Tigers’ protection in battle with Kon Knueppel setting a display screen for Flagg that forces Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford to modify onto Flagg. A 6-1 guard attempting to cease a 6-9 ahead is just not going to go effectively. Pettiford is a pest, however Flagg stays underneath management, will get to the center of the ground and finishes by means of contact for an old school, 3-point play.
- Seventh bucket: It is Johnson’s flip for one final time. The Auburn ahead strikes his toes brilliantly, Flagg slips on the hardwood however retains his dribble and pirouettes into an unattainable lefty floater. Unguardable.
2. The heady trigger-man behind Washington State’s rise
Washington State coach David Riley celebrated his thirty eighth birthday final week, and his membership rewarded him by notching a 68-57 street win over Mountain West frontrunner Nevada on Monday. It is simply certainly one of any crew’s most spectacular street victories, and the primary Quad I victory was added to Wazzu’s ledger.
It did it with out star wing Cedric Coward who was sidelined with a shoulder damage. One of the best participant on the ground was sophomore LeJuan Watts, certainly one of 5 Japanese Washington studs to observe Riley to Pullman this offseason.
The 6-6, 233-pound ahead completed with 13 factors, 9 rebounds and 6 assists in opposition to an intimidating Nevada frontline that options dimension at each single degree.
Riley’s brilliance is in his simplicity. Japanese Washington had the Large Sky’s greatest offense final yr, and Riley dialed up post-up after post-up … with anyone on the ground. Final season, Japanese Washington had the sixth-highest post-up fee within the nation, simply trailing the likes of Purdue (with Zach Edey) and Gonzaga (with Graham Ike and Braden Huff).
It is early, however Riley’s saved tapping the “post-up” button early and sometimes at Washington State. The Cougs fee within the 88th percentile nationally in post-up frequency and within the ninetieth percentile in post-up effectivity, per Synergy.
Watts is in the course of all of it. His playmaking is a complete delight. Washington State does a superb job of spacing the ground (large males Ethan Worth and Dane Erikstrup can each stroke it from downtown), so Watts has a potpourri of choices. He’s a superb trigger-man who has notched a 20% help fee to go together with his 11.8 factors per recreation.
Some opponents have tried to take Washington State out of its stuff by taking part in zone. That is a loss of life sentence in opposition to a high-processing stud like Watts who picks aside defenses with pinpoint precision.
Riley has Washington State as much as No. 83 on KenPom.com, 28 slots forward of its preseason ranking, however the challenges solely get extra vicious. The Cougars will face Boise State on Saturday (4 p.m. ET on CBS) with one other Quad I win simply 40 good minutes of basketball away. Boise State, like Nevada, is large. 5 of Boise State’s top-six rotation gamers are 6-7 or taller with Tyson Degenhart and O’Mar Stanley main the best way.
Watts is the issue solver.
3. Indiana’s disconnected protection
The smoke alarms needs to be blaring in Indiana’s facility after the Hoosiers’ protection went MIA on the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Louisville bulldozed IU for 1.24 factors per possession in an 89-61 drubbing. Gonzaga solely shot 6 of 20 (30%) from downtown, however it nonetheless managed a buzzing 1.20 factors per possession in a stress-free 89-73 victory. Gonzaga would’ve simply cracked 100 if it hadn’t taken its foot off the fuel late within the recreation when the competition was already determined.
Linked, well-scouted defenses don’t let one of the best shooters get free seems to be. Indiana is just not doing that proper now. The Hoosiers allowed 39 (!) unguarded catch-and-shoot 3-pointer throughout the three-game keep within the Bahamas.
Two of Louisville’s greatest three shooters are lefty Reyne Smith and BYU switch Noah Waterman. Smith and Waterman mixed for 17 makes an attempt from 3-point vary in opposition to IU. Gonzaga’s greatest two snipers are Nolan Hickman and Khalif Battle. They mixed for 11 3-point makes an attempt in opposition to IU. Windfall’s greatest two shooters are Jabri Abdur-Rahim and Jayden Pierre. They mixed for 18 makes an attempt in opposition to IU.
You get the purpose. One of the best shooters are getting free in opposition to IU.
The tape is much more damning.
Let’s return by means of these 4 performs from the Louisville horror present.
- First play: Indiana was attempting to do a ton of off-ball switching to fight Louisville’s actions. Kanaan Carlyle (No. 9) and Myles Rice (No. 1) blow a swap and Smith will get a wide-open 3-pointer.
- Second play: Indiana’s transition protection was not superb both. It does not find effectively proper now. Bryson Tucker (No. 8) and Oumar Ballo (No. 11) are each camped in the course of the paint guarding completely nobody. Louisville’s James Scott is wise and lively. As a substitute of lazily standing within the nook, he simply goes up and will get in Tucker’s solution to release Waterman for an open look with nobody within the zip code. Louisville does not even need to run a play to get a incredible search for certainly one of its greatest shooters.
- Third play: I do not know what Trey Galloway (No. 32) is doing right here. None.
- Fourth play: This baseline out-of-bounds play (additionally known as a BLOB) is to get Smith one other trey. He is pink sizzling and feeling it. Galloway turns his head to have a look at the inbounds play and he is lifeless proper then and there. Kasean Pryor tags him with a display screen and Malik Reneau and Oumar Ballo haven’t any intention of serving to in any respect. One other scot-free search for the splashin’ Smith.
The self-scouting in Indiana’s struggle room is already underway. It’s what it’s with Ballo. Groups like Gonzaga and Louisville that characteristic frontcourt snipers will give the massive man hassle. That is been the case all through his total school profession and will not change anytime quickly. However the different stuff simply can’t occur. Indiana’s consideration to element defensively and off-ball consciousness merely must be higher.
A part of it must be on IU’s workers to search out one thing that works. A part of it must be on the gamers to execute and, uh, give a rattling.
4. Iowa State steals back-to-back buckets in opposition to Marquette with an an identical play
Generally, basketball video games are received within the margins.
Like out-of-bounds performs.
No. 6 Iowa State knocked off No. 5 Marquette 81-70 in a top-10 showdown and it used an an identical play to attain two-straight buckets off baseline out-of-bounds performs.
Kansas coach Invoice Self is regularly lauded for his means to steal little innocent buckets that matter far more later. T.J. Otzelberger is doing the identical factor at Iowa State. When the Cyclones are inbounding the ball beneath their basket, you higher be careful. Iowa State is averaging 1.147 factors per possession on baseline out-of-bounds performs.
That charges within the 96th percentile, per Synergy.
5. Tre Johnson reveals aggressive hearth for Texas
NC State had two possessions within the closing minute in opposition to Texas on Wednesday, needing only a bucket to tie the sport. Wolfpack coach Kevin Keatts dialed up a Jayden Taylor isolation in opposition to Texas freshman Tre Johnson not as soon as, however twice.
Johnson rose to the problem each instances with back-to-back glorious defensive chops. He did not get credited with a block or a steal, however he pressured Taylor into a tricky stepback jumper and one other contested jumper within the paint to assist Texas salt away a 63-59 victory.
The five-star freshman has a severe aggressive spirit that is unattainable to disregard. You may inform these items issues to him on each ends. Oh, and he made two of the most important photographs within the clutch.
6. A concept behind RJ Davis’ taking pictures woes
Davis is taking pictures simply 47% on the rim on 21 makes an attempt in halfcourt conditions. Davis went simply 2 for five on the rim in halfcourt eventualities in No. 20 North Carolina’s irritating 94-79 loss to No. 10 Alabama on Wednesday.
Davis is on tempo to publish his lowest effectivity on the rim since his sophomore season at UNC.
A part of it’s unhealthy luck. In case you undergo the tape, Davis has had quite a few layups which can be midway down and discover a solution to skitter out.
Another excuse may very well be no Armando Bacot. North Carolina’s screening has not been a serious power to this point within the early going. There aren’t many cases the place Davis’ defender is getting scraped off Davis by the bodily screens that Bacot may land.
That is not simply on Jalen Washington and Ven-Allen Lubin. A few of UNC’s timing has been off as Davis will get used to taking part in with two bigs who’re getting main burn in UNC’s rotation for the primary time.
North Carolina’s protection doesn’t seem like will probably be a power as a result of it is small at each single degree. The offense has to prepare dinner to make up for it. That may’t occur if Davis can’t get something going on the rim.
7. West Virginia’s new two-man recreation is cooking
New West Virginia level guard Javon Small is scoring 9 factors per recreation straight off pick-and-rolls this season. That is an absurd quantity that ranks sixth-best in all of faculty basketball.
West Virginia’s teaching workers has helped Small begin cooking through the use of Tucker DeVries, West Virginia’s greatest total participant, because the screener to create a harmful this-or-that dilemma for opposing defenses.
DeVries is the No. 1 participant on each West Virginia scouting report. The 6-7, 220-pound ahead has a strap and is taking pictures practically 47% from downtown on severe quantity.
West Virginia’s resolution to place its greatest two gamers in actions has pressured tons of battle. The chemistry between Small and DeVries has been phenomenal. Small helps DeVries and vice versa.
Collectively, they’ve helped West Virginia exceed expectations in a serious manner with wins over No. 7 Gonzaga and Arizona who entered the season as nationwide championship contenders.
8. UAPB freshman Chop Paljor hits H-O-R-S-E photographs
Arkansas-Pine Bluff is off to a 1-8 begin, however let me introduce you to Chop Paljor, a 6-8 freshman, who shoots 3-pointers from the car parking zone.
Paljor got here out of nowhere to erupt for six treys in opposition to Missouri on Nov. 24. He hit three extra in opposition to Kansas State final Sunday.
You simply have to look at this…
9. Inside Kim English’s pivot to assist Windfall knock off BYU
Windfall beat BYU 83-64 factors Tuesday when the Friars took 27 fewer photographs than the Cougars. A part of it was a strategic play to commonly punt on chasing down second-chance alternatives to restrict a potent BYU transition offense. There are a number of cases on tape the place a Friars shooter traces one up and two or three of his teammates are already jogging again in transition to organize for the incoming onslaught as an alternative of bulldozing downhill for a shot at an offensive rebound.
Windfall completed the sport with simply two offensive rebounds on 17 misses. Add in just a few missed offensive free throws and the algorithm spits out a meager 10% offensive rebound fee. That was the third-lowest mark of Kim English’s teaching profession, relationship again to 2021. It is also an enormous outlier for this present iteration of Windfall basketball.
Windfall’s offensive rebound fee, game-by-game:
It is a jarring pivot however it labored. A Windfall transition protection that had simply gotten shelled by Indiana to the tune of 21 factors allowed simply eight factors on six photographs. It was BYU’s lowest transition fee of the season.
The Friars face in-state rival Rhode Island at midday ET Saturday on CBS Sports activities Community.
10. Maryland’s Derik Queen goes drivin’
There was loads of consternation about Maryland’s funky frontcourt match between Queen and Julian ‘Juju’ Reese, however to this point, it has been top-of-the-line two-man tandems within the nation.
Maryland blitzed Ohio State 83-59 in Wednesday’s Large Ten opener, and the Terps have a whopping +50.5 web ranking with Reese and Queen on the ground collectively. That charges within the 99th percentile nationally, per CBB Analytics.
That effectivity is partially boosted by bulldozing mid-majors, however even in Maryland’s greatest three video games (Marquette, Ohio State and Villanova), that duo is +29 in over 62 minutes collectively.
It is one other worthwhile reminder that high-processing hoopers could make nearly any scenario work. Queen’s sensible, under-control drives have unlocked nearly every thing for Maryland. Queen is averaging 16.6 factors, 8.3 rebounds and a pair of.6 assists per recreation, and he is turned it over on simply certainly one of his 29 drives.
The burly 6-10, 246-pound freshman simply sheds defenders left and proper on his solution to the tin. Queen’s dexterity with the rock has even allowed Maryland to experiment with some big-on-big pick-and-rolls the place Reese’s road-grating screens can open up lanes for Queen to get to the rack.
Oh, and Queen’s passing has instantly translated to the school ranks.
Queen, the driving force, is brutal to protect. Queen, the playmaker, is likely to be much more harmful.
Flagg and Dylan Harper have been one of the best two freshmen within the nation. For my cash, Queen has been the third-most impactful within the first month. Good issues simply preserve taking place when the massive fella will get a contact.
He is Maryland’s greatest participant.
