We shouldn’t read too much into an exhibition win over a Division II school that was overmatched from the opening tipoff. But, the exhibition served as a public showcase of what head coach Jerry Stackhouse has done since he took over the job in April, and his team appeared to have strong chemistry and a solid understanding of Stackhouse’s basketball philosophy.
Freshmen Scotty Pippen Jr. and Dylan Disu are legit
ESPN rated both players as four-star recruits coming out of high school, so it is no surprise that they have the talent to make their mark on the Commodores in their freshman years.
Pippen Jr. started at point guard and ran the offense well. He moved the ball around behind the arc, and his ball handling skills were the best on the court. His dunks electrified the Memorial Gym crowd. Pippen Jr. shot 60 percent from the field, and he had a team-leading six assists. He hustled on defense, too.
Disu came off the bench at forward, and he finished with ten points. He shot 50 percent from three-point range, which is an important part of his game as a 6’9” forward. He was second on the team with four rebounds, and his hustle on the offensive glass was something Stackhouse praised in his post-game conference.
“We want our fours and fives going to the boards every time. A couple times, he missed it, and I got on him in practice. Now, I don’t have to worry about it. When that shot goes up and he didn’t shoot he, he’s going up trying to get his hand on a board,” Stackhouse said.
Both of their college careers officially start on Wednesday night in the season opener, but if Friday night was any indication of their talent, Pippen Jr. and Disu’s names will be heard often on the PA system of Memorial for years to come.
No slacking off in Stack’s house
Stackhouse prides himself on making sure his team puts its full effort into every single play. No play was more evident of this mantra than when freshman guard Jordan Wright took a few shots from right underneath the basket with about eight minutes left to play in the second half. Wright got his own rebounds and kept putting up tough shots until he got a foul called on his defender and was sent to the free-throw line. The effort earned him a loud round of applause and passionate cheers from Stackhouse.
Stackhouse had Pippen Jr. press Clark Atlanta’s guards on the inbound pass throughout the game. Most coaches would try to save the legs of their starting point guard, but Stackhouse refused to let Pippen Jr. take it easy on defense.
This is a team you won’t want to miss
After the fan base was tested to its limit in last year’s winless SEC season, it is important that fans show up on Wednesday night for the first official game of the Stackhouse era. This team is fun to watch with their powerful dunks and quick ball movement on offense. On defense, the team is feisty and hustles to force turnovers and fast breaks.
The non conference schedule is full of mid-major and low-major teams, but these games will offer Stackhouse an opportunity to get his team comfortable running his system, and they will offer fans the chance to finally see some winning basketball in Memorial Gym.
In other words, if you like high-energy basketball and watching wins, there’s no reason not to be at Memorial Gym this fall.
