OSU Hoops: Be Patient
By John Helsley
follow on twitter @jjhelsley
OSU’s Monday exhibition opener offered equal doses of panic and pleasure, yet begs mostly for a long leash of patience.
This could take a while, Cowboys fans.
As the Cowboys venture into the early stages of this college basketball season, with Travis Ford sorting through his roster for the right mix, there will be highs and lows. We saw it against OCU, with a first half filled with struggle, followed by a second half of budding promise.
When Matt Pilgrim joins in Wednesday upon his return from suspension, things could only get more complicated.
That’s what happens when you lose your best players (James Anderson and Obi Muonelo), then introduce five viable new players into a deep returning core. The new guys are just trying to figure out Ford’s demanding system. The old guys are trying to meld with the new guys. And the coaches are trying to figure out exactly what they’ve got.
Immediate (and probably premature) impressions:
The Cowboys may struggle to score. A year ago, when all else failed, OSU could always turn to Anderson and Muonelo to freelance and find baskets. With Anderson, the Cowboys often had the best player on the floor. It’s early, and heads are spinning, but no one in the current crew has the look — yet — of being a guy who can create offense on his own. There are plenty of talented pieces. But the Cowboys may have to grind their way offensively, at least until someone (Markel Brown? Mike Cobbins? Ray Penn?) evolves into a go-to scorer.
Follow
