Greg Oden, 7'0, freshman, C, Ohio State
25 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 turnovers, 10-15 FG's, 5-8 FT's
Jonathan Watters
If you were in the camp that was waiting for Greg Oden to put in dominant performance on both ends of the floor for an entire game before anointing him as the next great center prospect, wait no longer. Oden's season has been full of ups and downs, but it turns out that he truly would save his best for last. In the ultimate twist, his breakout performance came against Florida, the same team he truly struggled with back in December.
Of course, Greg Oden isn't the same player he was back in December. He is back to shooting with his right hand, and this obviously made a difference tonight. He converted several moves on the low block that can only be described as professional caliber, while the ease with which he brushed formidable post defender Al Horford aside bordered on scary. If he wasn't able to simply bull his way to the basket for a layup or dunk, he used deft footwork and a touch looking softer by the shot to dominate the game offensively. Back in December, Oden struggled gaining position, lacked assertiveness, and didn't know how to deal with a double-team. Tonight he took command of the Ohio State offense, decisively and actively attacking the Florida frontcourt. It didn't take long before Billy Donovan's entire front line, certainly not lacking in depth, was in foul trouble.
And then there was the defensive end. Oden was a game-changing shot blocker the moment he stepped on the court in mid-December, but has now evolved into a dominant individual defender as well. The officials finally gave the heralded big man a break, letting a bit of the incidental contact go. Oden pounded Horford with his thick frame, altering or blocking nearly everything the junior attempted on the low block. Early in the second half, his presence was clearly hindering Florida's ability to get easy baskets near the rim. If not for the hot hands of Lee Humphrey and Taurean Green, this game could have turned out a lot differently.
As the game wore on, Oden certainly tired (as a certain Mr. Packer felt obligated to point out on regular intervals), and this made his offensive presence manageable for the Gator defense. He will need to improve his conditioning before he is ready to emerge as a superstar at the next level, and there are still ways to bother Oden when he is forced to roam out on the perimeter to defend. But in terms of awareness, activity level, comfort level and skill, Greg Oden is now improving by leaps and bounds on a game-by-game basis.
While the Buckeyes wouldn't end up cutting down the nets, this type of performance was certainly a personal victory for Greg Oden. The timid, raw, step-slow freshman is gone. In his place is a truly dominant force, absolutely everything that was advertised when he first broke onto the scene. Greg Oden has made his case for the #1 pick in the draft. Will Kevin Durant be able to answer the call?
Of course, Greg Oden isn't the same player he was back in December. He is back to shooting with his right hand, and this obviously made a difference tonight. He converted several moves on the low block that can only be described as professional caliber, while the ease with which he brushed formidable post defender Al Horford aside bordered on scary. If he wasn't able to simply bull his way to the basket for a layup or dunk, he used deft footwork and a touch looking softer by the shot to dominate the game offensively. Back in December, Oden struggled gaining position, lacked assertiveness, and didn't know how to deal with a double-team. Tonight he took command of the Ohio State offense, decisively and actively attacking the Florida frontcourt. It didn't take long before Billy Donovan's entire front line, certainly not lacking in depth, was in foul trouble.
And then there was the defensive end. Oden was a game-changing shot blocker the moment he stepped on the court in mid-December, but has now evolved into a dominant individual defender as well. The officials finally gave the heralded big man a break, letting a bit of the incidental contact go. Oden pounded Horford with his thick frame, altering or blocking nearly everything the junior attempted on the low block. Early in the second half, his presence was clearly hindering Florida's ability to get easy baskets near the rim. If not for the hot hands of Lee Humphrey and Taurean Green, this game could have turned out a lot differently.
As the game wore on, Oden certainly tired (as a certain Mr. Packer felt obligated to point out on regular intervals), and this made his offensive presence manageable for the Gator defense. He will need to improve his conditioning before he is ready to emerge as a superstar at the next level, and there are still ways to bother Oden when he is forced to roam out on the perimeter to defend. But in terms of awareness, activity level, comfort level and skill, Greg Oden is now improving by leaps and bounds on a game-by-game basis.
While the Buckeyes wouldn't end up cutting down the nets, this type of performance was certainly a personal victory for Greg Oden. The timid, raw, step-slow freshman is gone. In his place is a truly dominant force, absolutely everything that was advertised when he first broke onto the scene. Greg Oden has made his case for the #1 pick in the draft. Will Kevin Durant be able to answer the call?