TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — There are loads of positives to remove as Alabama basketball wraps up convention play.
The Crimson Tide is 9-2 with wins over two top-ranked groups, with its solely losses coming in opposition to UConn, who’s 12-0 and No. 2 within the AP Ballot, and Gonzaga, who has among the best gamers in Drew Timme.
There’s additionally the play of Brandon Miller, who torched the Bulldogs for 36 factors and eight rebounds on 22 pictures. The freshman ahead now leads the SEC with 20.1 factors per recreation, and Alabama averages 47.7 rebounds per recreation as a crew, essentially the most within the nation.
For all of the success nevertheless, there may be all the time room for enchancment this early within the season, and for Nate Oats’ crew, it is on the defensive finish. Alabama has given up over 50 factors within the paint the final two video games, Oats is properly conscious of the defensive struggles in that space, particularly after the Gonzaga recreation. However the Crimson Tide head coach didn’t put all of the onus on the frontcourt, though he stated Charles Bediako, Noah Clowney, Noah Gurley and others have to enhance. For him, the advance actually wants to return from the perimeter protection.
“[The bigs] have to do a greater job, nevertheless it’s additionally the guards. We’re letting the ball get into the paint an excessive amount of,” Oats stated. “Our guards are letting their males get into the paint. They are not placing sufficient ball stress one, they do not have sufficient resistance.”
Oats known as it the “line of scrimmage” regarding the guards being the primary line of protection, and there have been some blown coverages in opposition to Gonzaga; the guars made a dwelling of pick-and-rolls, which created loads of short-range appears to be like that have been extensive open. Oats stated that could be a level of emphasis to enhance going ahead, however then it additionally results in one other level: no Nimari Burnett.
Alabama was in a position to win with out Burnett, who’s confirmed himself as a tricky on-ball defender in opposition to Houston, when Memphis was on the town, however his play was sorely missed in opposition to Gonzaga. The Texas Tech switch might be out a number of extra weeks with a wrist damage, which means one other should step up behind Mark Sears and Jaden Bradley.
“We want Rylan Griffen to proceed to get higher as a freshman,” Oats stated. “He is taking part in exhausting, needs to essentially be who we’re about.”
Griffen has slowly began to seek out his footing on the faculty stage, however the one participant with excessive hopes of returning to kind is Jahvon Quinerly, who’s nonetheless discovering his rhythm after an ACL damage. Followers know what Quinerly can do as a result of he is completed nice issues earlier than, however he is not fairly “there” but. Oats is optimistic, nevertheless, and it exhibits within the alternatives Quinerly has acquired in efforts to construct the arrogance.
“I believed he seemed nice in observe right now,” Oats stated. “If he can get again to the place he was, I believe that’ll give us an enormous enhance.”
Till Burnett and/or Dom Welch return to the court docket, that third guard spot within the rotation will stay up within the air till somebody lays declare to it.
Alabama will play its remaining nonconference recreation in opposition to Jackson State on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Coleman Coliseum. Tipoff is at 6 p.m. CT.
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