Who caught my eye

Although there was only about 20 minutes of live scrimmage action, there was a long list of things that jumped out immediately. Seeing this team share the floor together for the first time was extremely eye opening. Here’s some players that stuck out to me and why.

Tate Sage

Open practice MVP Tate Sage

Tate Sage was the clear MVP of the open scrimmage. His game looks much more confident than it did last season. I can’t remember him taking many, if any, jump shots off the dribble as a freshman, but after watching this scrimmage, he looked like a completely different player. He looked like the primary scorer. No one else appeared as comfortable with the ball in their hands. Sage was pushing the ball coast to coast, attacking the rim with confidence, coming off screens into pull up mid range jumpers, and knocking down threes while moving without the ball. He also looked capable of beating defenders off the bounce and finishing at the rim.

What impressed me just as much was how comfortable he looked operating in the pick and roll. He was able to score out of it, but the play that really stood out came on a left wing pick and roll when he delivered a perfectly timed pass to Cam Manyawu for an easy basket. The timing and decision making were outstanding. He also looked much more physical than he did a year ago and seemed to be playing with a different level of confidence. Based on what I saw, Tate looks like he has a real chance to be the guy for Iowa this season. It’s still early, but he looked every bit like a player ready to take a major leap.

Andrew McKeever

Andrew McKeever didn’t stand out quite as much during his time on the floor, but you can definitely see why Iowa is excited about his potential. It’s clear Ben McCollum wants McKeever to play as a modern offensive hub, a role that has become more common for centers in today’s game. The offense is asking him to constantly screen, pass, slip to the rim, and stay involved in nearly every possession. It reminds me a lot of how Oklahoma City uses Isaiah Hartenstein, where the center helps keep the offense flowing instead of simply finishing plays. If McKeever can grow into that role, it could completely change Iowa’s offense.

That said, there is still plenty of room for growth. During the scrimmage, McKeever didn’t look completely comfortable as a screener. He wasn’t able to generate many easy baskets on slips to the rim, and we never really got to see him work in the post. He also didn’t have many opportunities to show off his passing ability. Of course, it’s important to keep everything in perspective. This was only about 20 minutes of basketball, and the season is still months away. McKeever’s ceiling in this offense is extremely high, and I believe Ben McCollum is putting him in a position to succeed as he continues to develop. I wouldn’t read too much into his quiet performance because the role he’s being asked to play takes time to master, and the flashes of potential were definitely there.

Ty’Reek Coleman

Ty’Reek Coleman was the best defender from today’s open practice in Iowa City

The first thing that jumped out to me with Ty’Reek Coleman was his intensity and effort on the defensive end. He fought through every screen, made life extremely difficult on whoever was handling the ball, and looked very scrappy away from the ball as well. I honestly didn’t realize Iowa was getting this level of defense from a 6’2 sophomore guard. Offensively, you can already tell Ben McCollum has him running many of the same actions Bennett Stirtz ran last season. There was a lot of passing, zoom actions, flares, and different off ball screens. Coleman moved extremely well without the basketball. His shot wasn’t falling today, but he never hesitated to shoot it, and his track record says those shots are going to fall. He’s going to get plenty of quality looks in this offense, and he also uses his body really well to shield defenders and create space.

The biggest issue that stood out was his passing and turnovers. At times he just looked a little sped up by the defensive pressure, and some of his passes felt careless. He put his rollers in difficult positions and threw a few passes that were easily deflected. His pace was very fast, which can be a positive at times, but we know McCollum prefers a slower, more controlled offense. When your primary ball handler is playing at 110 percent Joe Toussaint mode, it can throw off the rhythm of the offense. With that being said, I’m not worried. It’s still very early, and McCollum has a long history of developing point guards. I fully expect Coleman to settle in and find the right balance as the season gets closer.

Cam Manyawu

Cam Manyawu struck me as the most surprising returner today at open practice

Cam Manyawu looked really strong during open practice. His screen setting is something any basketball fan can appreciate, and I truly believe he’s going to take another step this season even with Andrew McKeever joining the frontcourt. A lot of people assumed McKeever’s arrival would make it harder for Manyawu to earn minutes, but I actually think it’s the opposite. Cam is a natural screen setting power forward, and over the last couple of years under McCollum he’s been forced to play out of position because of Iowa’s lack of size. This year he finally looks like he’ll be able to play the role that best fits his game, and I think he’s going to be a huge part of what Iowa wants to do offensively.

One play perfectly showed why this pairing could be so dangerous. Coleman caught the ball at the top of the key while Manyawu set a ball screen and rolled. Coleman hit him right at the free throw line after Manyawu’s defender had to overplay the screen, leaving two defenders on Coleman and nobody picking up the roll. The defense was then forced to help off Kael Combs in the corner, leaving Manyawu with a decision. He stayed patient, made the correct read, and found Andrew McKeever on the block for an easy dunk. That’s exactly why having a 6’9 screener next to a 7’3 center is going to be such a gift for this offense. Manyawu was also very vocal throughout practice, and you can already tell he’s going to be one of the leaders of this team as a senior.

Manyawu finds McKeever on the block for an easy score off a P&R with Coleman

Jaidyn Coon

Jaidyn Coon surprised me the most out of the newcomers today at open practice.

I really loved the way Jaidyn Coon fit into Iowa’s system today. He was everywhere. He crashed the glass, ran the floor hard in transition, and what stood out most was his willingness and ability to cut at exactly the right moments. We saw Tate Sage score so many easy baskets as a freshman last season because of his cutting, and that’s such a huge part of Ben McCollum’s offense. When you have a freakishly athletic 6’7 freshman like Coon who already seems to understand those concepts, you’re not only going to get easy layups but also some exciting backside lob opportunities. He looks like everything you want in a freshman playing in this system.

He didn’t look completely comfortable shooting jump shots today, but his high school film shows that’s a part of his game, and I’m confident it will continue to develop. He actually finished as one of the higher scorers in the scrimmage, with almost all of his baskets coming on cuts to the rim. My favorite play came during a three on one fast break when Coon sprinted the floor, caught a trailing pass from Ty’Reek Coleman, and finished with an easy dunk. I’m extremely excited to watch him develop because I think this system fits him perfectly. He looked good on both ends of the floor today, and I believe he’s going to earn a role in the rotation from day one.

Ethan Harris

I really didn’t know what to expect from Ethan Harris coming into open practice. Most of what I had seen before today was his athleticism and shooting ability in highlight clips, so I was excited to see what he brought to the floor. There’s a lot to like when you’re talking about a 6’9 player who still looks pretty raw. The first thing that stood out was how confident he was shooting catch and shoot threes, and he knocked several of them down. At 6’9, if you can consistently make perimeter shots, you’re going to find a role. I think Harris, just like Jaidyn Coon, has a real chance to make an immediate impact in this offense. There should be plenty of opportunities for him to knock down open threes, attack closeouts, and use his athleticism to make plays around the rim.

Of course, there’s still plenty for him to learn, especially defensively. One play really stood out when he closed out on Trevin Jirak in the corner and ran him off the three point line, only to give Jirak a free path to the rim for a dunk. If you asked Trevin Jirak how often he gets run off the three point line and finishes with a dunk, he’d probably say almost never. Harris is still learning the defensive side of the game, but that’s expected for a young player with his experience. Even so, he was vocal throughout the scrimmage, which is always a great sign. He’s definitely still raw, but after watching him today, I came away thinking there’s a lot to be excited about with his long term potential.

Final Thoughts

Those were the players that stood out to me the most during today’s open practice. I wanted to focus primarily on the newcomers because that’s where a lot of the excitement surrounding this roster comes from.

One thing that surprised me was the lack of offensive aggression from Trey Thompson. His game was very quiet throughout the scrimmage despite being one of the players many Iowa fans believe will have a major role this season. He looked willing to catch and shoot, but I didn’t see him attack much beyond that.

Another moment that caught my attention was Ben McCollum getting on Kael Combs for passing up an open catch and shoot three after being relatively quiet throughout the scrimmage. A couple possessions later, Combs confidently stepped into one and knocked it down. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see him looking for his shot much more this season.

Another player who quietly impressed me was redshirt freshman Payton McCollum. He played extremely hard defensively, made life difficult for the offense, and scored a couple of baskets with well timed cuts. I don’t think he’ll crack the regular rotation this season, but he’s definitely someone worth keeping an eye on as he continues to develop.

One notable absence was Cooper Koch, who did not participate in today’s scrimmage.