Notes on basketball game against Campbellsville

Exhibition games are exhibition games are exhibition games but that doesn’t mean I’m not excited that OSU hoops is back. I watched its first exhibition against Campbellsville off and on (along with Dez’s mega-meltdown in the Detroit game) and I have a few quick thoughts.

• Travis Ford appears to at least be experimenting with some exotic defenses. OSU showed multiple looks off made baskets including some half and 3/4 (or at least 5/8) court traps. Me likey.

• Somebody who knows things told me he had no idea how good Stevie Clark is or how anyone is able to tell because he goes against Marcus Smart every day. It would appear to be doing him some good thus far. Jackson Five (as Quade wants me to call him because he’s No. 5 and legitimately looks like he could be in the group) is more than a long-range gunner.

There was one possession in the second half where he slipped into the lane and missed a scoop shot over two people but recovered quickly and got the quick steal. Le’Bryan would have been busy trying to calculate what the miss did to his shooting percentage. Also, Clark is John Lucas-fast

• Speaking of Nash — he sat out the first half because of an apparent discipline issue. His role will be interesting this year. Ford has the bodies to shelve him when need be. There’s so much talent there it’s a joke but we don’t have time for him to be in learning mode anymore. Has to perform.

• Smart and Markel love the backdoor oop like I love Justin Gilbert kick return TDs.

• Michael Cobbins displayed the makings of a legitimate left-handed baby hook. This made me weep with glee. He looks like a monster this year.[1. Allegedly gained 30ish pounds…which, I don’t know about that but he certainly looks bigger.] I don’t know how that translates in the Big 12 but man he’d be elite if we played Campbellsville all the time!

• I’m pretty interested in the new “you can’t touch/breathe on/look at/think about the guy you’re defending” rule that’s been instated this season. I think long-term it’s going to be great (I hate 50-49 games…that’s football, not hoops!) but this year it’s going to want to make me eat my keyboard at times.

I actually noticed this more around the bucket than I did on the perimeter. This is going to be awesome for OSU on offense (Smart might shoot 30+ free throws a game) but Soucek is going to foul out in the first half of every game if he plays more than three minutes.

• The 75th anniversary patch is so money.

• There are going to be some wild lineups at times this season. At one point I watched Soucek, Nash, Forte, Stevie, and Markel as OSU’s five guys. That’s just like Ford asking for Smart to leave for the NBA at the semester.

• Brian Williams’ athleticism seems to be a thing. I believe this is what happens when you hang out with Markel Brown off the court so much but he looks like a legitimate Big 12 basketball player. Bigger than Markel, more athletic than Nash, he’s going to be really, really good this season.

While we’re here, can I get him to grow the full beard and go full Harden to Markel and Marcus’ KD and Westbrook?

• Travis Ford met his wife at Campbellsville. Nice.

Next game: Friday night against Emporia State (exhibition)