Three thoughts from Rutgers men's basketball's local media day
The Rutgers men's basketball team hosted its local media day on Tuesday. The Scarlet Knights participated in a 2-hour open practice, followed by a press conference from head coach Steve Pikiell.
Here are three thoughts from the open practice and the press conference.
Speed, speed and more speed
In the famous words of Al Davis, "Speed kills," and this will most certainly be head coach Steve Pikiell's fastest team during his time on the Banks.
In the 2022-2023 season, Rutgers averaged 68.2 possessions per game, which was the 266th most possessions in all of Division I college basketball.
With the additions of fifth-year guard Noah Fernandes and freshman guard Jamichael Davis, the Knights are bound to take a massive leap forward in that statistical category. During practice, the players participated in five-on-five drills with only a 12 or 20-second shot clock. Players were sprinting up and down the floor throughout practice.
It would seem that the days of Rutgers taking up the full 30-second shot clock or bringing the ball up and backing down to the basket are over.
The Knights' blistering speed was on full display at the end of practice when sophomore guard Derek Simpson went up against Davis in a full-court one-on-one drill. In the drill, Davis got the better of Simpson, hyping up the rest of the team.
When asked who is faster between Davis and Simpson, Davis answered, "Give it to me."
Whether this team can make the NCAA tournament or not, the offense will most likely be a lot more fun to watch.
New faces stand out
It is always difficult to gauge who has made significant improvements in just a 2-hour practice. That said, both redshirt sophomore forward Antonio Chol and redshirt junior guard Jeremiah Williams stood out in practice.
Williams had several steals and made a couple of mid-range shots during the practice. He looked shifty and quick and was one of Rutgers' best perimeter defenders. Williams may miss the upcoming season, though, as he still needs a waiver from the NCAA and might still be suspended for his part in the Iowa gambling scandal.
Chol redshirted his freshman year and appears to have made major strides in his game. He hit a couple of corner three-point shots and a couple of deep mid-range shots, but Pikiell has always praised his shooting.
Where it seems Chol has improved is on the defensive end. Pikiell told reporters that Chol gained 18 pounds over the summer and looked like a much-improved defender. After missing a defensive assignment and not putting his hands up to contest a shot early in practice, he shut down whoever he was matched up against for the rest of practice.
If Williams can play and Chol gets on the court as a stretch power forward, the team's depth will be much stronger, and its versatility on both offense and defense will improve.
Other notes
Senior center Clifford Omoruyi took the ball up the court to varying degrees of success over the course of the 2-hour practice. He still looks dominant inside and remains a force on the defensive end.
Sophomore center Emmanuel Ogbole stands out for his sheer size and weight, but he is still recovering from a knee injury, and while he practiced free-throw shots, he did not participate in most of the practice.
Senior forward Mawot Mag, who has been cleared for contact, participated in the practice to a varying degree. He participated in many of the three-on-three drills but practiced alone during the five-on-five scrimmage.
"When he is ready, he is ready," Pikiell said of Mag. "He is way ahead of everything, so we are just excited to have him back."
Sophomore forward Antwone Woolfolk looked more confident on the ball and can play a factor for the Knights this season.
"He's made a major jump," Pikiell said of Woolfolk. "I've got to figure out how to make sure I play him a little bit at the four spot and the five. I got to get him some minutes because he is clearly deserving of that."
Fernandes seemed like a leader on the court and often brought the ball up during the five-on-five scrimmage.
While freshman guard Gavin Griffiths struggled shooting in practice, his shooting form looked immaculate, and he showcased great athleticism, throwing down a dunk at one point in practice. Expect Griffiths to be a major contributor to the team this season.
The Knights will open up the season against Princeton at 7 p.m. on November 6 at the CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton, New Jersey.
"I think this is a good team," Pikiell said. "Gonna be able to do a lot of different things."
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