BLOOMINGTON — For the third time this summer, The Daily Hoosier attended an IU basketball practice Tuesday morning in Cook Hall.
Here are my notes from the two-hour session.
– This practice was the first time I watched when Villanova transfer guard Bryce Lindsay was available, so he was someone to naturally keep a closer eye on.
– Lindsay is very similar to Darren Harris with his simple, pure shot mechanics and quick release. There’s no wasted motion. He’s proven at this level, after shooting 38.2% from three on 432 attempts over the past two seasons. He made threes in 5-on-5 settings well beyond the arc and appears to have a long-range green light similar to Lamar Wilkerson a year ago.
– It’s easy to imagine Harris and Lindsay on opposite sides of the court providing spacing for driving lanes and the big men. Their presence on the court together can really put stress on an opposing defense.
– As a defender Lindsay is still learning program principles — positioning, when to switch, communication terms, etc. It will be interesting to see how he comes along in that regard in games during the Peru trip later this month.
– Indiana will be a bit undersized against high majors with point guard Markus Burton and Lindsay on the court together. It’s probably generous to call them 6-foot and 6-foot-3, respectively as they’re listed by IU. That undersized pattern will continue if 6-foot-5 Darren Harris is the small forward with them. Jaeden Mustaf and Trent Sisley can clearly provide more size on the wing as needed, however. And with 6-foot-11 Aiden Sherrell and 7-foot-2 Samet Yigitoglu, IU might be able to afford going smaller/quicker elsewhere.
– In a 5-on-5 halfcourt setting with all scholarship players on the court, Markus Burton repeatedly broke down the defense with paint touches. In most of those situations he got assists. That was notable because Burton has been a prolific scorer to this point in his career. Either way his ability to drop his shoulder and get past his man with one step is a real weapon that will make everyone around him better. He was in the paint before anyone on the defense could react, causing numerous breakdowns.
– Burton has also clearly grown more comfortable in the system and as a leader this summer. You hear his voice and see his confidence more in early July than mid-June. And he’s very competitive. Even something like winning a down-and-back sprint — he wanted to win.
– I continue to see strides on the offensive end from Trent Sisley. He’s making shots at a higher rate and his offensive arsenal is more diverse. Sisley will need to be able to guard at all levels, and his continuing development as a defender will likely be a main factor in the extent of his role this year. But he can clearly help this team.
– This is a repeat comment, but Prince-Alexander Moody does not look like a freshman. He’s confident, vocal, skilled and doesn’t seem bothered by the physicality at this level. When some players sat out for non-serious bumps and bruises, he was elevated to the top five. He’s going to get a real chance to play in his first year.
– For his size, Yigitoglu moves fairly well as a defender away from the basket. He’s not going to lock down guards for 30 seconds, but with his length he can be disruptive in quick bursts without giving too much away. On the other end his passing ability stands out, and obviously he’s got an elevated vantage point to see the floor.
– We’ll see for sure at the scrimmage on July 15, but a fairly clear top eight in the rotation appears to be Sherrell, Yigitoglu, Darren Harris, Lindsay, Burton, Jaeden Mustaf, Sisley and Moody.
– And the depth of this team is notably improved over a year ago. There are 11 scholarship players available including quick point guard Justin Monden and walk-ons such as Ben Winker and Drew Snively who add to the quality of the practice sessions. 5-on-5 is very entertaining and competitive, and the top rotation players are getting something out of it.
– Freshman center Clemens Sokolov from Germany is still not with the team, but he’s expected relatively soon. Along with Yigitoglu, he won’t be allowed to play in Peru due to international rules.
– Indiana has gotten through the first five to six weeks of the summer as a relatively healthy team. There’s no one completely sitting out of everything. Just minor stuff here and there you expect with any team.
– As previously reported, Indiana has a public exhibition at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on July 15, and then travels to Peru later this month for the FISU Americas Games. Indiana still does not have details for their game schedule in Peru. That is expected very soon.
See also: Summer Q&As with Sherrell, Yigitoglu and Trevor Manhertz.
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