Jalen Hood-Schifino Complements Johnson, Adds Dimension Indiana Lacked Last Year

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana level guard Xavier Johnson closed out a bit too laborious on Morehead State sharpshooter Mark Freeman, who drilled his third 3-pointer and sunk the following free throw to tie Monday’s common season opener at 21-21.

Johnson pleaded to the officers that Freeman kicked his leg out, however there was no reversing his second foul with 9:17 left within the first half. Indiana coach Mike Woodson pointed to Jalen Hood-Schifino to interchange Johnson, who had simply subbed in for the freshman simply 19 seconds earlier.

Hood-Schifino ran the present because the lead guard till the two:41 mark within the first half, sparking a 15-3 Hoosiers run. He wrapped a intelligent cross across the Morehead State protection to Malik Reneau on a pick-and-roll, and Hood-Schifino added two factors of his personal after stealing the ball from Freeman and draining a clean pull-up leap shot. 

However most significantly, the Indiana offense did not skip a beat — it went on its finest run of the primary half, the truth is — with out Johnson, its start line guard. That is nothing towards Johnson, who had a effective sport Monday and is an enormous motive why Indiana has expectations of profitable a Massive Ten title. 

However with the 6-foot-6 Hood-Schifino, Indiana has a wrinkle it severely lacked final season and a backcourt dynamic that has gone lacking inside Meeting Corridor for quite a few years. In Mike Woodson’s second season, he has a second guard that may confidently run the offense, make others round him higher and take strain off Johnson on a nightly foundation. 

Johnson scored 4 factors with three assists and handled foul bother towards Morehead State, and Woodson thought he was taking part in too quick throughout Indiana’s blowout exhibition win over Saint Francis. In two exhibition video games and the common season opener towards Morehead State, Johnson has scored a mixed 16 factors with 9 assists, eight rebounds, 4 steals and 7 turnovers.

It isn’t that Johnson has performed poorly, nevertheless it’s good for Woodson to have another choice on the prepared. Indiana can depend on stable level guard play for 40 minutes a sport this yr, one thing they have not been in a position to say for a number of years.  

“I advised Xavier after the sport, you do not have to do all of it this yr. You actually do not,” Woodson stated. “I believe we have got sufficient items on this group that you may simply do your half and never must stress out about considering it’s a must to do all the pieces. That was my phrases to him as a result of there’s going to be nights X goes to actually, actually explode offensively and have large video games, and there is going to be nights which may not occur. 

“However he is nonetheless bought to be Xavier Johnson for us. He is nonetheless bought to defend. He is nonetheless bought to get the ball the place it is bought to go and set us up, break press defenses and issues of that nature.”

Suppose again to the 2021-22 Hoosiers. Johnson wasn’t Indiana’s finest participant final season, however his play usually dictated wins or losses for Indiana. This was particularly evident down the stretch as Johnson scored 71 factors with 34 assists, 22 rebounds and 15 turnovers within the ultimate 5 video games. 

The burden on Johnson’s shoulders final yr was a results of Indiana missing dependable second level guard to run the offense. Sure, senior Rob Phinisee hit the shot to take down Purdue and was a powerful defender, however he shot 31 % from the sector, by no means developed right into a constant scorer and was injured usually. Parker Stewart wasn’t rather more than a spot-up 3-point shooter, Trey Galloway was restricted to twenty video games with accidents, Tamar Bates had an up-and-down freshman season and Khristian Lander wasn’t bodily able to run the purpose within the Massive Ten. 

It is nonetheless extraordinarily early in Hood-Schifino’s faculty profession, however all indicators level to him confidently stepping as much as complement Johnson within the backcourt.

“What you’ll be able to anticipate from Jalen Hood-Schifino is only a chief,” Reneau stated. “Somebody that is going to be there on daily basis, working laborious each single day and able to go. He has a professional bag. He will get to his spots. He is a really spectacular participant to me.”

On Monday, Hood-Schifino scored seven factors on 3-for-4 taking pictures with 4 assists, two rebounds and a steal. These numbers aren’t eye-popping in comparison with his 11 factors and 4 assists towards Marian within the first exhibition, or his 15-point evening towards Saint Francis that included a behind-the-back layup and a 3-for-3 mark from 3. 

However what actually stood out with Hood-Schifino towards Morehead State was his plus-28 plus-minus, which was a minimum of 15 factors greater than the remaining 4 starters and behind solely Tamar Bates at plus-29 and Jordan Geronimo’ plus-30.

“I take a look at Jalen and Malik, they got here out of a system in Montverde that that coach is a rattling good coach, and he pushes guys to play laborious and do the proper issues on each ends of the ground,” Woodson stated after Indiana’s exhibition win over Marian. “I believe the transition for them coming in, particularly for Jalen has been straightforward for him as a result of the child works.”

Associated tales on Indiana basketball:

• HOOSIERS CRUISE PAST EAGLES Trayce Jackson-Davis and Malik Reneau every had 15 factors and Jordan Geromino led Indiana’s bench on a number of lengthy runs within the Hoosiers’ 88-53 victory over Morehead State on Monday of their season opener. CLICK HERE
• MOREHEAD STATE’S EXPERIENCE: Morehead State level guard Mark Freeman bought off to a powerful begin, scoring 14 factors in 11 minutes, however the Eagles struggled  after he went down with an harm in an 88-53 loss to No. 13 Indiana. CLICK HERE
• WOODSON REACTS TO WIN OVER MOREHEAD STATE: Take heed to or examine what Indiana basketball coach Mike Woodson needed to say following the Hoosiers’ 88-53 win over Morehead State to begin off the common season. CLICK HERE
• GERONIMO, THOMPSON COMMENT ON SEASON OPENER: Hear from Indiana basketball forwards Jordan Geronimo and Race Thompson following the Hoosiers’ 88-53 win over Morehead State on Monday. Video hooked up. CLICK HERE