Five Game Recap: What I’m Thankful For
I haven’t been able to write near as much as last year as my life has become much busier in the last few months. For this, I have to be thankful. I haven’t spent hours poring over plus/minus ratios or lineups on this horrible start to the season. That was enjoyable for me when the team was breaking the century mark during last year’s non-con schedule. It’s been a long time since I have been thankful for anything Illini basketball related. (Do you realize the last enjoyable game was almost nine months ago? I would say it was the blowout win over Northwestern, but that was Northwestern, maybe the OT win over Michigan?)
However, this is the time of the year to be thankful. In honor of tomorrow’s holiday, I am going to try to spin these first five games into something positive. I am going to list three (not sure how many more I could do) things I am thankful for with Illini basketball this year. This isn’t going to be easy. This team is very close to being 0–5 with losses to North Florida (#120 in KenPom ratings), Chattanooga (#108), and Chicago State (#337). But, they are also very close to being 3–2 with a true road victory against a legit team (Providence, #60). Here we go; I will try to stay as positive as possible. Hopefully Coach Groce can read this at the dinner table tomorrow and it can bring him and his family some joy.
Jalen Coleman-Lands
This is the easy place to start. Not only did JCL not miss any time after his offseason injury, but there is a giant light at the end of the tunnel in number 5. After his game-winning buzzer beater, he is now 13 for 26 from 3 and along with fellow freshman, Aaron Jordan — who is 10 for 21, the path to a successful future is out there. Clearly the kid can fill it up and it’s telling that Coach Groce is already drawing up game-winning plays for him and that Malcolm is feeding him for it (would Rayvonte have passed a freshman the ball last year in that spot?). A few points to work on (see? Constructive criticism): JCL currently has a 1:2 assist to turnover ratio so as of right now he doesn’t seem to have what it takes to be the point guard any time soon. And for the defense…well, I said I’d remain positive so I’ll move on.
Get Casey Boguslaw’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
Michael Finke
In my season preview article, I wrote about how I was very excited about the frontcourt. I was really only referring to Mike Thorne, Jr and Leron Black but it’s been Michael Finke who has been the consistent spark on this team since he has been getting minutes. Thorne has been great but went missing in the Providence game. It was Finke who brought that team within inches of victory (literally and figuratively). When I see Finke I get images of what he can be and I’m hoping an even better version (the NBA version?) of Meyers Leonard. The defense again is the problem here (it’s a rather large theme for the whole team).
Malcolm Hill
Malcolm has done everything he can this season and I feel almost as bad for him as I do Coach Groce. Malcolm has played 189 of 200 minutes and is doing it all. The issue is this shouldn’t be all his job. He should be the best player on this team but being asked to be the point guard isn’t exactly his role. Hill has also been the best defender on this team and that pretty much says it all. His 3-point percentage has dropped significantly this year but that’s because there hasn’t been anyone else able to set him up for open looks. Hill has had his poor stretches numbers-wise this season and still is not the leader that this team so desperately needs, but he has done more than enough to be thankful for.
Let’s hope this positive energy can lead into a weekend we can all enjoy. Happy Thanksgiving Illini Nation.
