Jordan Woodard gets a national mention

[OUHoops]

Top 20 under-the-radar freshmen:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebas...tball-preview-top-20-under-the-radar-freshmen

Jordan Woodard, G, Oklahoma: A traditional floor general, Woodard brings winning experience after capturing two state titles in high school. Look for Lon Kruger to use both Woodard and sophomore Je'lon Hornbeak at point guard during the upcoming season for the Sooners.

 

[DenverSooner]

I feel pretty confident that Woodard is going to have an impact. I hope that Booker can have an impact shooting 3s off the bench. I am really worried about that aspect of the offense.

 

[WTSooner]

I think our biggest struggle this year will be scoring with our half court offense. I think we'll defend well. We'll rebound well enough. We're athletic, so we shouldn't have problems scoring on the break. But are we going to be a good offensive team in the half court? That is the biggest question. I honestly feel like we are a year away in that regards.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

But are we going to be a good offensive team in the half court? That is the biggest question.

I agree. Hoping that woodward can get in the paint and create and that cousins is more assertive and under control this year. Both of those will help a lot

 

[AdaSooner]

It should be obvious by now that the starting point guard position is Woodard's to lose. Kruger has already said that the Cousins PG experiment is over, and that Jordan and Je'lon will play the point this season.

I, too, believe he will have an impact on our offense, as a distributor with good handles and passing skills, but also as a scorer. I'll be shocked if our opponents back off and leave him open the way they did with Sam Grooms.

Having said that, I agree with what WT said about scoring in the half court:

I think our biggest struggle this year will be scoring with our half court offense. I think we'll defend well. We'll rebound well enough. We're athletic, so we shouldn't have problems scoring on the break. But are we going to be a good offensive team in the half court? That is the biggest question. I honestly feel like we are a year away in that regards.

Aside from the limited depth and size in our frontcourt, my biggest concern is the absence of consistent scoring in our half court sets. I think there will be games when one or two players get a hot hand from the perimeter, whether it's from behind the arc or on short-range jumpers. I just don't see a go-to-like scorer on this team, someone like Osby for example, or a Pledger who is capable of making a high percentage from three. I have watched two practice replays on television and one live session online. Nothing I saw makes me believe this will be a great shooting team. I would love to be wrong.

 

[garyeb2]

I wouldn't disagree with the assessments that are being made. But, there is more than one conclusion to come to even if those assessments are correct. If a go to scorer does not emerge and if we don't have anyone that can knock down an open 3 with acceptable consistency, then a long 18/19 win season with a NIT bid could be a likely outcome. Or not.

Go to scorers are a scarce commodity. If you have one, they are likely to end up as 1st team all conference. Most of the teams we play won't have a player as good as Osby finished up being. Most teams don't have future NBA players. You don't have to have them to be a good college basketball team. Kelvin sent one to the NBA.

Our perceived shortcomings in the half court are a small thing as compared to the problems in the half court most of our opponents are likely to experience when they play us.

Cam has been a more dominate scorer in practice than Osby was this time last year. Now that doesn't mean that Cam will be a go to scorer when the games start. But, it does mean that one can not summarily dismiss the possibility that Cam is sitting on a breakout year.

 

[DenverSooner]

I sure hope you are right Gary. OU needs production from Cam. Moreover, OU needs others to step up too. I really think Hield, Hornbeak, Cousins, Woodard, and Spangler all have to consistently score this season.

I am worried about both 3 point shooting. Hield only shot .238 from 3. Cousins shot .250. Neal shot .261. Hornbeak shot .333. This was with Pledger taking almost half of the threes on the season and shooting .364. You have to think defenses will focus on Hornbeak more this year making it tougher on him. Cousins, Hield, Woodard, Neal and Booker have to help him by knocking down shots.

 

[scrybe]

Booker was a great 3-point shooter in high school. Let's hope that will carry over to the college game. That's possible, especially if Booker has enough maturity to not let the speed of the game overwhelm him as a freshman. We'll see.

 

[garyeb2]

Booker was a great 3-point shooter in high school. Let's hope that will carry over to the college game. That's possible, especially if Booker has enough maturity to not let the speed of the game overwhelm him as a freshman. We'll see.

Booker has had his inner Labron working the last couple of days. He is coming around.

 

[TheGimper]

Booker has had his inner Labron working the last couple of days. He is coming around.

LeBron's most glaring weakness is his 3 point shooting. Are you saying Booker's regressed?

 

[garyeb2]

LeBron's most glaring weakness is his 3 point shooting. Are you saying Booker's regressed?

While Booker has been shooting pretty well this week, I was referring to his displays of confidence, aggressiveness, and toughness. If all Booker was able to bring to the table was making 3's, he wouldn't get to play.

 

[KBaden145]

LeBron's most glaring weakness is his 3 point shooting. Are you saying Booker's regressed?

Booker has shown me enough to say I think he will eventually be a major contributor. I also think 3 point shooting will NOT be his greatest contribution. I love his demeanor, he seems very willing to accept coaching, and gives excellent effort. He is also a better athlete than I thought he would be.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

While Booker has been shooting pretty well this week, I was referring to his displays of confidence, aggressiveness, and toughness. If all Booker was able to bring to the table was making 3's, he wouldn't get to play.

He seems like a player other teams are going to hate and that we will love

 

[garyeb2]

He seems like a player other teams are going to hate and that we will love

Booker is kind of a hard guy for me to nail down. He is a cut below last seasons freshman guards in the athleticism department. He lacks the cat like quickness.

He is a tough kid and a scrapper. His shot is coming around. But, he will still get punked by a quicker guard on defense from time to time.

I'll defer to the experts. Kruger brought him in for a reason. That reason wasn't so clear to a fan like me back in the summer. Now it is a little easier to see what the finished product might look like. Tubbs even paid him a bit of a left handed compliment yesterday.

 

[AdaSooner]

Booker is kind of a hard guy for me to nail down. He is a cut below last seasons freshman guards in the athleticism department. He lacks the cat like quickness.

He is a tough kid and a scrapper. His shot is coming around. But, he will still get punked by a quicker guard on defense from time to time.

I'll defer to the experts. Kruger brought him in for a reason. That reason wasn't so clear to a fan like me back in the summer. Now it is a little easier to see what the finished product might look like. Tubbs even paid him a bit of a left handed compliment yesterday.

I think we'll see the real Frank Booker down the road a ways. Here is a blip from an article I read when he signed with OU. His great shooting from long range was a constant theme in nearly every article and blog I read.

The sooners will be getting a big time scorer who's range is out of this world. Literally, when he steps over mid court, he's not afraid to put up a shot and makes more then his fare share of them.

http://www.wrdw.com/sports/headline...des-on-Oklahoma-for-basketball-199414961.html

I have no idea how long it will take Booker to get his confidence back and to find his shooting touch? Hopefully, it will be this season. I do know he was known for his long range shooting in high school, so there is no reason to believe that he can't do the same thing in college.

True, the defenders he faces now are quicker, bigger and stronger. So, he may need to come off of screens and set plays to get him open, the way Pledger had to do. As the "new kid on the block" this year, I doubt if OU is running a lot of set plays designed to get Frank open right now.