As Iowa State’s non-conference schedule concludes this Tuesday it is safe to say we have all been pleased with how this portion of the season has played out.
This team has established its identity of defensive pressure, rebounding, loose ball pursuit, and toughness.
Offensively they have continued to grow with a selfless approach of playing to the hot hand each night.
It is worth noting that when evaluating this team’s offensive performance, I think it is appropriate to place much of the weight of your opinion on how they have fared against high-major programs.
Xavier and Iowa are much more indicative of the style of play the Cyclones will begin seeing come January 1. And they are sticking to the ultimate rule of sports, just win, baby!
One aspect of this team that has gone underappreciated but has been crucial to their 11-0 start is the play of their bench.
Tre Jackson has provided this team with a steady backup lead guard. He has provided leadership, shot-making, and pesky defense regardless of how many minutes he plays.
Caleb Grill can be credited with the same pesky defense, relentless pursuit of the ball, and his willingness to fly with the big boys for rebounds. Additionally, his 3-point shooting will be critical to this team’s offensive success as the season plays out.
I wrote last week about Aljaz Kunc, and he continued to build upon his stellar play Sunday with 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field and 3-of-3 from the 3-point line.
Both he and Grill should continue to aggressively hunt their shot as that will help open the spacing of their offense.
Robert Jones has stepped in admirably whenever George Conditt needed rest or was in foul trouble. His rim protection and rebounding are emblematic of this team’s blue-collar, gritty, and old-school approach to the game.
Coming off the bench and quickly acclimating yourself to the game is a generally underappreciated skill in basketball.
Players like having time to get into the game’s flow, but coming off the bench does not always afford you that luxury.
You do not know how long you will be sitting or when a coach will call your number, but no matter when that is, the coach expects you to be ready to execute your role and produce.
Great teams tend to have bench players who excel at adjusting to the game’s flow quickly.
This Cyclone team has four players who have embraced their role, executed when called upon and helped this team grind out wins.
I think it speaks to these four players’ skill and talent and their basketball character.
It is often a sour subject for players to accept a role as a bench player, and not one of them has ever shown a moment of frustration with what T.J. has asked of them.
Fans rave about this team’s selflessness. These four guys are the heart and soul of that.
I have said this before, but it is worth repeating. The camaraderie that this team has is rare and should be appreciated.
They are a delightful group to watch compete. As someone who always struggled to find a flow coming off the bench, I wanted to humbly tip my cap to these four players and acknowledge how important they have been to this team.
