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Oklahoma finished off its summer work with a trip to Puerto Rico last week and came away with two wins against local all-star teams put together by former NBA player Carlos Arroyo.
It wasn’t the smoothest travel situation — the Sooners had to play their first game just 12 hours after landing — and they were without a few rotation pieces, but the week still gave Porter Moser and the staff some valuable early looks.
“The trip to Puerto Rico and the two games were great for the development of our team,” Moser said. “It was an important opportunity for us to spend some time away from home with just the team. Watching the players get together and build chemistry is so worthwhile on these trips, and I thought they built that chemistry on and off the floor.”
Xzayvier Brown looked every bit like one of the better lead guards in the country. He averaged 22 points, 5 rebounds and 6.5 assists over the two games, shot it efficiently, and went a perfect 12-of-12 from the free-throw line. In the opener he dropped 32 points.
In the second game he settled in as a pure facilitator with 12 points, nine assists and zero turnovers. After averaging 15.6 points and knocking down 62 threes last season, Brown is clearly ready to take on an even bigger role.
The backcourt depth showed up too. Transfer Pop Isaacs and freshman Quincy Wadley combined with Brown to produce a lot of easy offense. The three of them accounted for strong scoring, playmaking and outside shooting while taking care of the ball.
Isaacs already has a long résumé with over 1,200 career points and plenty of experience making threes. Wadley, a top-75 recruit, had a nice all-around first game with 16 points, five assists, three steals and two blocks and finished the trip averaging 11.5 points and 5 assists.
Freshman Gage Mayfield also made a strong impression. He played with energy on both ends and finished the second game with 25 points on efficient shooting, including a few highlight dunks. Over the two games he averaged 17.5 points and shot it well from the field and the line. Having two freshmen already contributing like that is a good early sign.
Sophomore center Kai Rogers took advantage of extra minutes with Yaak Yaak on a restriction. Rogers scored 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds in the second game. He averaged 12 points on very efficient shooting across the two contests and the Sooners were plus-35 in his minutes in that second outing. Continued growth from him in the frontcourt will be important.
The overall offensive formula looked familiar. Oklahoma assisted on a high percentage of its makes, shared the ball well, and knocked down 14 threes in each game. Five different players averaged double figures on the trip. That’s the kind of balance Moser has wanted.
A few pieces were held out. Dayton Forsythe is still working back from offseason surgery. Derion Reid and transfer Khani Rooths were also sidelined while rehabbing minor injuries, though both were in the gym getting shots up.
Reid is coming off an 11.7-point season and should be ready for a bigger year. Rooths brings size and experience from Louisville.In the first game the Sooners jumped out early but had to hold on late after the short rest, foul trouble and some hot shooting from the other side.
Brown’s free-throw shooting closed it out. In the second game Oklahoma controlled things from the start, dominated in transition, and played much tighter defensively.
While the trip itself was about development and chemistry, the roster situation is still moving. Moser is exploring options created by the latest eligibility rulings and the chaos around fifth-year players.
One name that won’t be returning is Tae Davis. The forward, who averaged 13.0 points and 5.6 rebounds last season, plans to enter the transfer portal. He is not currently part of the eligibility lawsuits, and as things stand he can’t legally enter the portal yet. His expected departure signals that if he does get a fifth year, it won’t be in Norman.
Overall the Puerto Rico trip did what it needed to do. The Sooners got some game action, built chemistry in a different environment, and got positive early returns from Brown, the new guards, the freshmen, and Rogers.
There’s still a lot of work to do before the season starts, and the roster isn’t finalized, but the early returns from the summer were encouraging.
Continue reading...
It wasn’t the smoothest travel situation — the Sooners had to play their first game just 12 hours after landing — and they were without a few rotation pieces, but the week still gave Porter Moser and the staff some valuable early looks.
“The trip to Puerto Rico and the two games were great for the development of our team,” Moser said. “It was an important opportunity for us to spend some time away from home with just the team. Watching the players get together and build chemistry is so worthwhile on these trips, and I thought they built that chemistry on and off the floor.”
Xzayvier Brown looked every bit like one of the better lead guards in the country. He averaged 22 points, 5 rebounds and 6.5 assists over the two games, shot it efficiently, and went a perfect 12-of-12 from the free-throw line. In the opener he dropped 32 points.
In the second game he settled in as a pure facilitator with 12 points, nine assists and zero turnovers. After averaging 15.6 points and knocking down 62 threes last season, Brown is clearly ready to take on an even bigger role.
The backcourt depth showed up too. Transfer Pop Isaacs and freshman Quincy Wadley combined with Brown to produce a lot of easy offense. The three of them accounted for strong scoring, playmaking and outside shooting while taking care of the ball.
Isaacs already has a long résumé with over 1,200 career points and plenty of experience making threes. Wadley, a top-75 recruit, had a nice all-around first game with 16 points, five assists, three steals and two blocks and finished the trip averaging 11.5 points and 5 assists.
Freshman Gage Mayfield also made a strong impression. He played with energy on both ends and finished the second game with 25 points on efficient shooting, including a few highlight dunks. Over the two games he averaged 17.5 points and shot it well from the field and the line. Having two freshmen already contributing like that is a good early sign.
Sophomore center Kai Rogers took advantage of extra minutes with Yaak Yaak on a restriction. Rogers scored 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds in the second game. He averaged 12 points on very efficient shooting across the two contests and the Sooners were plus-35 in his minutes in that second outing. Continued growth from him in the frontcourt will be important.
The overall offensive formula looked familiar. Oklahoma assisted on a high percentage of its makes, shared the ball well, and knocked down 14 threes in each game. Five different players averaged double figures on the trip. That’s the kind of balance Moser has wanted.
A few pieces were held out. Dayton Forsythe is still working back from offseason surgery. Derion Reid and transfer Khani Rooths were also sidelined while rehabbing minor injuries, though both were in the gym getting shots up.
Reid is coming off an 11.7-point season and should be ready for a bigger year. Rooths brings size and experience from Louisville.In the first game the Sooners jumped out early but had to hold on late after the short rest, foul trouble and some hot shooting from the other side.
Brown’s free-throw shooting closed it out. In the second game Oklahoma controlled things from the start, dominated in transition, and played much tighter defensively.
While the trip itself was about development and chemistry, the roster situation is still moving. Moser is exploring options created by the latest eligibility rulings and the chaos around fifth-year players.
One name that won’t be returning is Tae Davis. The forward, who averaged 13.0 points and 5.6 rebounds last season, plans to enter the transfer portal. He is not currently part of the eligibility lawsuits, and as things stand he can’t legally enter the portal yet. His expected departure signals that if he does get a fifth year, it won’t be in Norman.
Overall the Puerto Rico trip did what it needed to do. The Sooners got some game action, built chemistry in a different environment, and got positive early returns from Brown, the new guards, the freshmen, and Rogers.
There’s still a lot of work to do before the season starts, and the roster isn’t finalized, but the early returns from the summer were encouraging.
Continue reading...
