Austin, TX – On an emotionally charged night, Texas took the floor for the first time after it was announced that guard Andrew Jones was diagnosed with leukemia. Texas came out with a purpose and somehow escaped with a double-overtime win over No. 16 TCU after the Horned Frogs’ Jaylen Fisher missed a last second layup. The 99-98 win raised Teas to 2-2 in conference play. While TCU had cracked the top ten in the rankings earlier this season, they’ve now dropped three of their first four Big 12 games and are struggling to get back on track.
Many players used the nationally televised game to showcase everything they can do and it made for a highly competitive contest. 6-7 TCU guard Kenrich Williams seemed to make everything he threw up in the second half, single-handedly bringing his team back into the game after Texas made a strong run coming out of halftime. Finishing with 26 points, eight rebounds and four assists on 7-for-11 from deep, he showed he can be a go-to scorer with big shot making ability. Though his complete offensive game still has some flaws, Williams is extremely well built and has the look of a pro wing. He was able to beat bigger defenders off the dribble and make something happen inside but looked mentally shaky from the free throw line going 3-for-6. Defensively he showed promise and could hold his own getting backed down in the post.
Another standout performance for TCU was junior guard Alex Robinson. Coming into the game only shooting 15 percent from three, he exploded for three 3’s in the first half and was steady in the game. At 6-1, 175 lbs., Robinson showed some heady point guard instincts he played at a solid pace. He was creative with the ball and has deceptively quick crossover and hesitation moves. His vision was exceptional and he just plays with a nice bounce to his game, always a threat to attack the paint and create an open shot for someone else. Though how he fairs at the next level will be dependent on the perfect overseas opportunity and situation for the undersized floor general, his style of play and demeanor could be valuable.
On the Longhorns side, the player of the game was freshman point guard Matt Coleman. He put on a ridiculous passing display in the first half and showed advanced vision and pick and roll ability for his age. Finishing with 17 points and 12 assists, the 6-2 Oak Hill Academy alumnus showed some flash that is rare to see these days in the college game. Pocket passes and no-look dump offs on fast breaks don’t do justice to the ability Coleman has to see all his teammates at all times. A lefty, Coleman has a nice floater and is slippery with the ball. While he did what he wanted in the first half, he had a tough time breaking down TCU’s 2-3 zone in the second half and ended up with five turnovers. He danced around with the ball at times when the offense became stagnant and defensively started to gamble as he got tired. All in all, he has good potential as he progresses as a point guard.
Mo Bamba
Other notable performances for Texas were Jericho Sims who finished with 14 points and six rebounds and Eric Davis Jr. who led the team in scoring with 22 points. The highly touted Mo Bamba showed a little bit of everything in this game before fouling out, ending with 10 points, nine rebounds and five blocks. He will without a doubt be one of the longest players in the draft come June.
This article was written by Keaton Davis, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter. We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout certification program. For information contact us and forward your resume.
