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PISCATAWAY – Here’s a sign of how much interest there is in Rutgers basketball for the 2024-25 season: They ran out of seating in the media area for Tuesday’s practice.
More than 30 reporters and scouts turned out for the program’s annual media day. Here are five observations, with much more to come.
FIVE OBSERVATIONS
1. The big two looked the part.
You can see why NBA scouts are frequenting Piscataway these days – some were there today – to look at freshmen Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey. Head coach Steve Pikiell was not wrong when he said the two McDonalds’ All-Americans are NBA-level passers.
In five-on-five action, the 6-foot-9 Bailey executed a pick-and-roll with fellow freshman Lathan Sommerville with a perfect dump-down pass that led to a layup. Then Harper drove left and skipped an on-target bounce pass to backcourt mate Jeremiah Williams for a reverse layup – not an easy pass to make because Williams was cutting through baseline traffic.
Bailey also made a variety of mid-range shots, including an eye-popping step-back 20-footer, and Harper got to the rim on multiple occasions. Both pushed the ball at every opportunity, which is how these 5-on-5s are designed.
2. Sommerville vs. Ogbole
The 6-foot-10 freshman Sommerville, who has lost 24 pounds since arriving on campus, looked like a different player from June. He scored over 6-foot-10, 270-pound junior Emmanuel Ogbole multiple times as they matched up against each other in the 5-on-5, and mostly stymied Ogbole on the other end.
Ogbole, who projects to start at center, had good moments defensively and rebounded well, but Sommerville finished against him through contact, beat him down the floor in transition for a layup and held his own physically.
The base teams Pikiell rolled out in the 5-on-5 scrimmage were Harper, Jeremiah Williams, PJ Hayes, Zach Martini and Ogbole against Jamichael Davis, Jordan Derkack, Bailey, Dylan Grant and Sommerville, with Bryce Dortch subbing in for Sommerville.
3. Free throws
Rutgers…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/rutgers-basketball-dylan-harper-ace-213034453.html
Author : App.com | Asbury Park Press
Publish date : 2024-09-24 21:30:34
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