Armed with the charms of NBA talent and blessed with legs of youth and in State many consider the epicenter of basketball, Kelvin Sampson’s Indiana Hoosiers are poised to reclaim their place at the pinnacle of the college basketball world. Is IU’s potential for greatness a one year aberration or is this an Indiana team built to restore their tradition?
Gordon the Savior
While Hooiser Nation will savor the Season of Gordon, the primary beneficiary of EJ’s residency in Bloomington is Coach Sampson. Without a doubt, Sampson’s repeated transgressions with NCAA rules would not be so easily obscured if not for the potential of his team, which is directly proportional to Gordon’s presence on campus.
Ironically, Sampson’s illicit and unseemly recruitment of the one time Illinois verbal Gordon has afforded Sampson a temporary reprieve from the uniform wrath of IU’s fan base due to his continued and, apparently, willful violation of NCAA rules while at IU. The question remains, however, whether Sampson will be able to mitigate the damage to the dumping of Assistant Coach Herb Senderoff and $500,000 or whether, after Gordon leaves, Sampson too will be left in the wind.
The Candystripes and EJ
After a handful of college games Gordon has emphatically declared to the IU Nation he’s the best player on the floor if not the country. Averaging over 24 points a game and making 51% of his three pointers, Gordon has a quick trigger and a plethora of perimeter moves that guards from Western Carolina and Longwood have had a difficult time defending. As the season moves into conference play, however, it’s likely Gordon will face a more stern test. But, judging from his obvious physical gifts, it’s one he can pass on the offensive end.
And Sampson recognizes it. Breaking from his history of being a post-oriented coach, Sampson has taken a page from Thad Matta’s playbook and adjusted his offensive scheme for Gordon. Ten games into the season, Sampson has turned the keys over to Gordon.
Possessing one-on-five confidence on offense, Gordon often works freely and without constraint, displaying a deft collection of one-on-one moves. Whereas Sampson is known to loudly bark and then bark some more at his players, essentially berating them at the hint of mistake, Gordon has heretofore gotten a pass. Adjust, Sampson has, to his guiding star.
Awash In Players
IU is deep on the perimeter, if Sampson’s players avoid suspensions. With four players averaging double figures and three players suspended thus far, Sampson has started two freshman, two JuCo transfers and senior icon DJ White. With Gordon leading the way, IU is a talented but young team with a current roster of only four returning lettermen.
Like Gordon, Jordan Crawford, from Detroit, Michigan, by way of Hargrave (VA) Military Academy, is a physically mature frosh with a quick trigger and very good outside shot. Now if he and Armon Bassett can stay out of trouble and away from suspensions. Throw JaMarcus Ellis and AJ Ratliff into the mix (who’s academically ineligible this semester) and the Hooisers are awash in good guards who can shoot.
With a healthy DJ White as the anchor in the post, IU possesses the potential for a strong blend of offensive balance, provided he stays on the floor. Mike White seems to has fallen out of favor with Sampson and fellow big body DeAndre Thomas is unusually heavy for a Sampson conditioned player, making him less mobile on defense. Despite the talent of the guards, White’s strong play and the ability of his teammates to feed him the ball will be determine how far IU ventures into March.
It’ll Get Tougher
Entering this weekend’s tilt with Coppin State, IU stands at 9-1. However, with Billy Gillispie struggling at Kentucky, the most challenging game the Hoosiers have played this season was with Xavier, and they lost. In fact, Xavier is probably the only NCAA Tournament caliber team the Hooisers will have played in preseason. This isn’t intended to be a knock on the scheduling, although some in Hooiser Nation, as Inside the Hall points out, think Sampson has assembled “one of the worst non-conference schedules” in recent memory.
Like most of the rest of the Conference, save Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans, the ability of IU will be much better evaluated once the Big Ten season begins in earnest. Games against Illinois State and Chicago State won’t tell you much about a talented but young team. There’s only so much Eric Gordon can learn from playing against teams two time zones behind his ability.
O
Reminiscent of
With their team speed, much as Ohio State relied on Mike Conley, IU is often is transition, pushing the tempo of the game at every opportunity to penetrate the defense and to take quick shots, often long Gordon three pointers.
If IU lives up to the expectations placed upon them for a deep run into the NCAA tourney, it’s possible they could lose 60% of their starting lineup to the NBA and 80% to attrition. Much as Daequan Cook, Mike Conley and Greg Oden parlayed the success of Ohio State into professional contracts, freshmen Eric Gordon will go and Jordan Crawford might follow. Such is the price of recruiting five star talent and succeeding with it: you may not have the team on campus past April.
It’s a Team
Sampson has made the decision to turn the fortunes of IU over to Gordon this season. For one season, IU’s athleticism and the gift of Eric Gordon may be enough to propel IU past the first round and into the Final Four. For some, one season of big wins may be enough to satiate the appetite for a Final Four.
But for most Hoosiers, who are accustomed to winning over the course of decades, one season of elite success isn’t enough. To that end, a team solely designed around maximizing the athletic talent of its individual stars without regard to team basketball could present long term problems.
In order to make a run in March this season and more importantly, to reestablish a IU tradition, a commitment to principles is required. An emphasis on team, on chemistry, on offensive balance, on making the extra pass, and on a commitment to strong defense is required. IU is certainly capable but it’s incumbent on Sampson to ensure team basketball prevails in Bloomington.
Hopefully, even with the departures of the core of this season’s team, the players will have left a foundation to re-establish IU tradition. If they don’t, IU will look similar to Thad Matta’s current
