Indiana men’s basketball’s second game of its Peru trip for the FISU America Games became a takeover by a freshman.
Vaughn Karvala has looked impressive this summer, like a player with major long-term potential. But his display Thursday night looked like someone with massive potential right away. The Oregon, Wisconsin native dominated against the U.S. Virgin Islands, as Indiana — representing the United States — ran away with a 120-63 victory.
Karvala led Indiana with 32 points, including seven 3-pointers. He threw down a big dunk as the buzzer sounded at the end of the first quarter, in one of his many highlights on the evening. He finished an alley-oop later, got to the rim with ease, and kept a rhythm going from outside the arc.
It’s still July, and these games aren’t indicative of the competition the Hoosiers will face in the regular season, and particularly in Big Ten play. Indiana doesn’t have Samet Yigitoglu available for the FISU America Games, and Sam Alexis is helping out with that absence. The version of IU men’s basketball playing in Lima, Peru right now just isn’t the same team that will take the floor against Eastern Illinois on Nov. 2 to open the season.
So it’s unclear how much of what Karvala — along with fellow freshmen Prince-Alexander Moody and Trevor Manhertz — has shown this summer will translate to more meaningful games. But if this is the player Karvala’s going to be this season, he’ll have a shot to play a significant role for the Hoosiers. The forward played like an alpha on Thursday — and there’s always room for guys like that on the court.
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