Purdue once again opened the doors to Mackey to host a joint practice/intra-squad scrimmage where Purdue’s roster split apart to compete in three 12-minute scrimmages against each other in front of fans and media.
Here’s some instant takeaways from the most extended look at Purdue’s roster a week before its exhibition at Kentucky next Friday.
We’ll have more takeaways after talking to players and coaches after the scrimmage.
Oscar Cluff instantly adding juice
It’s not how you usually think about bigs,
but it’s clear, Cluff knows how to play, and he’s gonna get every rebound when he’s on the floor. Cluff transferred from South Dakota State as one of the country’s best rebounders, and he carried that into Purdue’s intra-squad scrimmages. Cluff’s wing span allows him to get to balls from out of space, his tenacity allows him to contest for almost every board, and his motor made him a force on the offensive glass. Cluff’s experience was something Purdue’s coaches were salivating over. He knows how to respond to broken down plays, where to be, and offers Purdue a new look on defense. His ability to hedge on pick and rolls makes Purdue’s defense less predictable while better challenging ball handlers.
He will be Purdue’s starting center and has already built chemistry in the pick and roll with Braden Smith and Omer Mayer.
Coaches harp scoring to Omer Mayer
PJ Thompson told me in the summer, his conversations with Mayer have been simple. He needs him to look to score. When he does, the passing lanes will open up, and his natural play making will show. But teams have to respect and know Mayer is looking for his own.
It worked early, with Mayer draining a side step three from the corner. Mayer’s passing did dazzle, finding TKR on a roll with his off hand, and then later when Mayer adjusted mid-shot to fire a pass to TKR for a lay up.
But Mayer led the first scrimmage with two turnovers as well. Both of them were on pick and rolls where Mayer’s slow pace allowed the defense to diagram the threat and sell out to the passing lanes. Without Mayer applying pressure that he might look to score, two passes were deflected and led to steals.
The lesson seems pretty simple. The aggressive, looking to attack Mayer will lead to points for him and his teammates.
Jack Benter set for back up four spot.
There will be nuance, match ups, and lots of changes throughout the season, but for now, Benter’s work as a connector at the four shined above any other potential answer for Purdue. Liam Murphy looked good as well at the four, but Benter’s ability to play at all three levels, present himself as a match up nightmare, and moving the ball on offense stood out playing the four.
There won’t be a bunch of minutes Purdue’s Matt Painter needs filled at the four this season with All-American Trey Kaufman-Renn moving back to the four in the starting lineup, but Benter provides versatility, a change of pace, and elite shooting to give Purdue’s offense even more space on offense when he’s in there. He’ll struggle against real bigs, but has spent all summer battling TKR in scrimmages and live ball play. He’ll have been tested by one of the best post scorers in the country as he emerges from his redshirt freshman season.
Antoine West is real, and he’s going to play.
There’s been no announcement. Painter notoriously makes these decisions with his players up until the clock of the season starting, but after watching him go head to head against Braden Smith on the defensive end, then chase down Fletcher Loyer through off ball action in the third and final scrimmage, West’s size, athleticism, and in your face physicality from teh guard spot has made the case that he’s the exact kind of guard Purdue needed to add to the roster to this team.
West’s offense flashed, too. His jump shot is consistent, he’s comfortable witht he ball in his hand, and has the juice to get into the paint.
The minutes are still an uncertainty with CJ Cox, Gicarri Harris, Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and Omer Mayer all vying for back court minutes. West’s path to playing was pretty much only if he offered something unique to Purdue’s roster. He might be Purdue’s second best defender, and one of just a couple guards capable of effectively guarding lead ball handlers and wings. Right now, he looks too good to not be a part of Purdue’s rotation in his freshman year as Purdue looks to win a national.
Back court synergy looks real
Purdue did a lot to improve its front court with the portal, adding South Dakota State transfer Oscar Cluff and getting Daniel Jacobsen back from injury.
But the on-court synergy and improvement in the back court looks just as impressive. Gicarri Harris and CJ Cox both look to have made marked improvements from last season. Harris’ jump shot is where he left it last season, red-hot. He looks more comfortable finding his spots on the perimeter and knocking it down. Harris also flashed in transition.
CJ Cox continues to be the ultimate glue guy, grabbing offensive boards, playing solid defense, and getting buckets when needed. Twice he bailed out Purdue’s offenses late in shot clock scenarios, showing off his range with a pull up thirty footer then his ability to be patient and attack, driving against a mismatch with Jacobsen and finishing with the left hand.
Then you add the steady presences of Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith who have played so much basketball together at this point that their minds might have melded. Harris and Cox appear to be part of that telepathic link now with the ball constantly flying around the perimeter.
Add in West’s size and athleticism, Mayer’s shot making and creativity, and Purdue’s back court looks to be even more loaded than it looked on paper for the #1 team in the country.
