Can Isaac Likekele, Ohio State turn versatility into better defense?
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
There wasn’t much to defend about the Ohio State defense last year.
The numbers by now have been analyzed and processed, and the final output shows that the Buckeyes failed to reach a Sweet 16 because they simply couldn’t mount enough resistance to their opponents. The reasons are complicated and varied, but the bottom line is that by allowing 99.3 points per 100 possessions according to KenPom.com, the Buckeyes suffered through their worst collective defensive output of coach Chris Holtmann’s five seasons.
Isaac Likekele is yet to play for the Buckeyes, but the fifth-year transfer from Oklahoma State thinks that’s about to change.
“Defense is just a mindset thing that you’ve got to commit to, and I believe we have the right guys in here that can commit to it,” he said. “With Coach O being a great defensive coach, you mix those two things – a great coach and guys willing to listen – and I feel like defensively we should be more than fine.”
Ohio State basketball insider:Stay in the know with texts from beat reporter Adam Jardy
That “Coach O” is Jack Owens, who spent the last five years as the Miami (Ohio) head coach and now is in his first year with the Buckeyes. Prior to that, he spent nine years on Matt Painter’s staff at Purdue, and during that time the Boilermakers finished among the nation’s top 25 teams in adjusted defensive efficiency.
After a summer’s worth of extra practices thanks to Ohio State’s exhibition trip to the Bahamas, he’s got a believer in Likekele.
“Everybody here has played for a coach that they looked at him every time he’s saying something like, ‘Woah, what’s he talking about?’ ” Likekele said. “Coach O, he just knows what he’s talking about. I trust that guy completely and everybody else here does, too.”
Want to keep up with Ohio State? Don't miss a single Buckeyes story. Get a great deal by subscribing to the Dispatch today at www.dispatch.com/subscribenow/.
Likekele knows a thing or two about team defense. The Cowboys ranked No. 4 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency last season, an improvement on their No. 17 mark the year prior.
Oklahoma State had "multiple shutdown guys," Likekele said, and specific size matchups gave the coaching staff options for how it wanted to deploy him.
Likekele’s voice already carries some weight within the Ohio State locker room. He will be one of three players to represent the Buckeyes next week at Big Ten media day and is in line for a significant role after his four seasons at Oklahoma State. As he looks poised to assume a leadership role within the locker room, his role on the court is less defined. With the strength of a forward but the ball skills of a guard, Likekele said he’s too versatile to be defined by just one position.
Name, Image and Likeness: 'The O Foundation' created to support Ohio State men's basketball, NIL deals
It’s that attribute that might be the biggest reason why the Buckeyes think they can mount some stronger defensive resistance this season. With the likes of Justice Sueing, Brice Sensabaugh, Tanner Holden and others, the Buckeyes feel they’ve assembled a roster with more defensive versatility than in recent years.
“You look at a lot of NBA teams, they’ve got a lot (lineups) of point guard, big and then just three guys that are interchangeable,” third-year guard/wing Gene Brown III said. “We can probably do that with five guys that are versatile, 1-5, being able to switch. I think it’s going to make defense easier for us.”
Defensive versatility helped Brown play his way into the lineup last year in spite of an offensive game that’s still growing. This year, he’s one of multiple players Holtmann should be able to play simultaneously who will be able to guard multiple positions.
“(That’s) a big part of it,” Holtmann said. “We have not been good enough defensively the last two years. A little more athleticism, a little more versatility, a little more length at the rim, I think were all things we needed to address.”
There are new bodies to work with and a new coach overseeing that end of the court. Now it’s time to see if that’s enough to help turn things around.
Get more Ohio State basketball news by listening to our podcasts
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Isaac Likekele, Buckeyes banking on versatility boosting their defense
