Saturday night, IUBB commits, Noah Vonleh and Troy Williams, suited up as teammates for the first time in the Jordan Brand Classic. Neither started or played a whole lot, but each player had outstanding performances. Although one shouldn’t make serious evaluations in a high school all-star game, both Vonleh and Williams had me really liking what I was seeing.
Noah Vonleh: As soon as Vonleh entered the game, he quickly scored four points and grabbed a couple boards. Noah is simply outstanding on the glass, especially the offensive glass. He showed aggressiveness and the ability to go and get his. For such a large body, Vonleh has incredible ball-handling skills. I saw him drive the lane multiple times like many other guards in the game. He seems like he will be a match-up nightmare, especially for slower Big Ten big men. The activeness on the glass and the superb handles will allow him to play just about any position. He showed good effort on defense, even had a block. One thing Vonleh does need work on is free throw shooting, however. It seemed like he may be rushing his free throws, which could partly explain the problem. Nonetheless, he’ll bring a lot to the table for the Hoosiers next season. Vonleh finished with four points and three rebounds in 13 minutes of play.
Troy Williams: Like Vonleh, Troy Williams did some things to get Hoosier Nation hyped for next season. Williams showed a nose for the basket and could easily be a key scorer next year. He played above the rim, and displayed his great athleticism. Obviously wanting to show the world what he could do, Williams played aggressive on both ends of the court, and played magnificent. While he wasn’t the highest rated recruit on the court, he acted and played like he thought he was. That confidence will be great on the court and boosts his teammates as well. Deflecting a few passes and stealing a couple, Troy displayed active hands on defense, or music to Tom Crean’s ears. He may not start right away next year, but in the three times I’ve seen Williams play, I’ve been impressed every time. He should be a key part of next year’s team.
The Jordan Brand Classic gave us a brief glimpse into the future, and it’s bright. Both IUBB commits showed everyone some impressive things. Their defensive and offensive efforts are very evident. They’re skilled, athletic, and desire greatness. Each guy will be a big part of Indiana Basketball next season.
Note: Keep up with the Derby Classic (DerbyBBClassic). Five of Indiana’s commits will be playing in that game. The future for IUBB is very bright.
All Hoosiers 