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Ohio State basketball will hit the hardwood shortly for a few preseason exhibition tuneups down in Puerto Rico. The Buckeyes will take their trip July 31 through August 5 and get much needed time on the floor together ahead of an expected-filled season.
Ohio State enters the 2026-27 season with lofty goals and are slotted in many pre-season top 25 polls.
While the upcoming week won't count towards its record, there are a few things that will be beneficial for Ohio State.
Here are the 3 key areas Jake Diebler wants to focus on heading into Ohio State's Puerto Rico trip.
Ohio State brings in eight new players -- both transfers and freshmen -- nearly all of whom are expected to make some sort of impact this season. While guys like John Mobley Jr and Amare Bynum will be the backbone of the roster, and potential success, the incoming talent will be needed in order for the Buckeyes to reach their goals.
That goes both on and off the floor. During this trip, being able to find that camaraderie on the floor while taking advantage of off the court activities will be significant. This group has been locked in the gym and Columbus for two months and being able to create new memories and experiences will be great for the growth of this roster.
"Chemistry is so important in college basketball," Diebler told reporters this week. "You don't have a chance to have great chemistry if you don't have a locker room full of good guys. We have that. There's been an organic element to the way the chemistry is formed ... I think this creates an opportunity for them to see a different part of the world together, which will build chemistry for us to play some games ahead of schedule, which will build some chemistry on the court. Nothing but positive will come from this."
The saying is; you don't know what you don't know. And this group has no idea what will happen on the floor until they play another team. Ohio State will get early experience learning how to adjust on the fly and be able to respond to any sort of adversity that would hit.
Who steps up when a voice is needed? How can they stop a long scoring drought? Can this group dig in defensively and get necessary stops to come back from a deficit? Those are all questions that Diebler is excited about learning when it's a team on the opposite side of the floor that the Buckeyes don't know.
"It's really important. It gives us an opportunity, I think, to speed up some game situations. Learn a little bit about our guys. Figure out how to handle adversity together. That's all stuff that it's hard to create organically," Diebler said. "You need to go play against somebody to do it ... you don't know what they're going to run. You don't know what defense they could do and how it could impact us. It's going to force us to think on our feet.
"This trip, we want as much in-game adversity as we can get … I'm excited to see how we respond. I want to see who speaks up, see who connects us. I want to see who helps us stay a little disciplined because we're evaluating all that stuff with a new team."
This is a new experience. Whether it's guys on the roster going on a signifiant trip for the first time, learning a new culture, and more specifically -- getting put in different spots on the floor that they aren't used to.
What Diebler wants is for this group to get uncomfortable. There is no room for progress if players stay in the same situation as before and if there is a 'newness' presented. Because of that, Diebler said the preparation won't be anywhere near as detailed as it will for a regular season type game.
"This won't be a typical game prep," Diebler said. "There's got to be an element of diversity that we can manufacture with our lack of preparation, so to speak. So we'll be prepared from a limited basis of what we want to accomplish on offense and defense. But going into this trip a little blind, as to who we're going to play, what they're going to do -- I think it's a great thing for us because that's going to force guys to talk a little bit more."
"I'm excited to see who steps up from a leadership standpoint ... there's going to be an opportunity for growth for us. I think that's the best part. We're simulating as best we can with some of these practices, using this time to add to our foundation on both sides of the ball. We're doing some things for the first time."
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion.
This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: 3 areas of focus for Ohio State entering Puerto Rico trip
Continue reading...
Ohio State enters the 2026-27 season with lofty goals and are slotted in many pre-season top 25 polls.
While the upcoming week won't count towards its record, there are a few things that will be beneficial for Ohio State.
Here are the 3 key areas Jake Diebler wants to focus on heading into Ohio State's Puerto Rico trip.
Chemistry-Building Moment For A New Team
Ohio State brings in eight new players -- both transfers and freshmen -- nearly all of whom are expected to make some sort of impact this season. While guys like John Mobley Jr and Amare Bynum will be the backbone of the roster, and potential success, the incoming talent will be needed in order for the Buckeyes to reach their goals.
That goes both on and off the floor. During this trip, being able to find that camaraderie on the floor while taking advantage of off the court activities will be significant. This group has been locked in the gym and Columbus for two months and being able to create new memories and experiences will be great for the growth of this roster.
"Chemistry is so important in college basketball," Diebler told reporters this week. "You don't have a chance to have great chemistry if you don't have a locker room full of good guys. We have that. There's been an organic element to the way the chemistry is formed ... I think this creates an opportunity for them to see a different part of the world together, which will build chemistry for us to play some games ahead of schedule, which will build some chemistry on the court. Nothing but positive will come from this."
Creating Adversity And Growing Together
The saying is; you don't know what you don't know. And this group has no idea what will happen on the floor until they play another team. Ohio State will get early experience learning how to adjust on the fly and be able to respond to any sort of adversity that would hit.
Who steps up when a voice is needed? How can they stop a long scoring drought? Can this group dig in defensively and get necessary stops to come back from a deficit? Those are all questions that Diebler is excited about learning when it's a team on the opposite side of the floor that the Buckeyes don't know.
"It's really important. It gives us an opportunity, I think, to speed up some game situations. Learn a little bit about our guys. Figure out how to handle adversity together. That's all stuff that it's hard to create organically," Diebler said. "You need to go play against somebody to do it ... you don't know what they're going to run. You don't know what defense they could do and how it could impact us. It's going to force us to think on our feet.
"This trip, we want as much in-game adversity as we can get … I'm excited to see how we respond. I want to see who speaks up, see who connects us. I want to see who helps us stay a little disciplined because we're evaluating all that stuff with a new team."
Force Guys To Be Uncomfortable
This is a new experience. Whether it's guys on the roster going on a signifiant trip for the first time, learning a new culture, and more specifically -- getting put in different spots on the floor that they aren't used to.
What Diebler wants is for this group to get uncomfortable. There is no room for progress if players stay in the same situation as before and if there is a 'newness' presented. Because of that, Diebler said the preparation won't be anywhere near as detailed as it will for a regular season type game.
"This won't be a typical game prep," Diebler said. "There's got to be an element of diversity that we can manufacture with our lack of preparation, so to speak. So we'll be prepared from a limited basis of what we want to accomplish on offense and defense. But going into this trip a little blind, as to who we're going to play, what they're going to do -- I think it's a great thing for us because that's going to force guys to talk a little bit more."
"I'm excited to see who steps up from a leadership standpoint ... there's going to be an opportunity for growth for us. I think that's the best part. We're simulating as best we can with some of these practices, using this time to add to our foundation on both sides of the ball. We're doing some things for the first time."
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion.
This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: 3 areas of focus for Ohio State entering Puerto Rico trip
Continue reading...
