The Round House | 08/02/2023 10:19:00
By Paul Suellentrop
Jaykwon Walton dunks after cutting to lose a defender and completing a perfectly timed pass. Kenny Pohto lobe to isaac abide, all alone at the edge, for a dunk. Photo screens for Craig Porter Jr.then bounces a pass to Walton for a dunk.
These are pieces that require timing, movement, cutting, and practice. Wichita State, after months of struggling to score, is in a groove where execution and comfort with the offense are on the rise.
“It’s trusting yourself, moving the ball and believing it will come back,” said the guard xavier belle. “Hoping we get the best shot possible.”
Wichita State (12-11, 5-6 American Athletic Conference) meets UCF (13-9, 4-6) Wednesday (7 p.m. ESPN+) at Koch Arena.
It shouldn’t be surprising that a squad of 11 newcomers — and two comebacks with more than two years of WSU experience — needed time to blend in. Over the past eight games, Wichita State has averaged 76.8 points — down from 64.5 in the previous 13 — while shooting 45.1 percent from the field (down from 41.6). Free throw attempts are up more than seven per game and assists are up six at 15.3.
Those improvements, tied to increased tempo with an emphasis on fast breaks, helped the Shockers go 5-3 in those games.
“When you play together it makes basketball a lot easier, and they’re doing a great job right now,” the coach said. isaac brown said.
The Shockers have averaged 13.1 points on fast breaks over the last eight games and, according to their analysis, those easy field goals generated by pushing the ball are key. Earlier in the season, the Shockers went through some tough half-court possessions. They’ve rarely given themselves layups and dunks that can take a team past 60 points and into easier-to-win territory.
“We’re much more in transition,” Porter said. “Once we see someone get a rebound, go for it. We got 10-20 points right off the transition.”
James Rojas and Walton, two of the newcomers, fuel significant parts of the offensive improvement. Rojas is averaging 14.3 points and eight rebounds over the past eight games. Walton, over the past nine games, is averaging 5.3 free throw attempts per game. He’s 11 of 22 three-pointers in his last four games.
Jaron Pierre Jr.another newcomer, led the Shockers with 19 points in Sunday’s 86-75 win at Tulsa.
Tic Tac Toe ✖️✖️✖️
Live of @ESPNMore | https://t.co/JhSiVnEABv pic.twitter.com/5VRRj2iVDP
— Wichita State Men’s Basketball (@GoShockersMBB) February 5, 2023
“(Walton) started shooting well again,” Brown said. “He’s not settling for three anymore. He’s been shooting make-believe and doing shut-ins and getting to the rim. He’s one of the best players in the AAC right now.”
Pohto and Rojas also bolster the offense with their passing ability, giving the Shockers two big men with good court sense. In 11 conference games, Pohto averaged 1.9 assists, second on the team, including highs of six in a win at Tulsa and four against Tulane. Rojas is averaging 1.2 assists and had four in a win over ECU.
“We just had to figure out how to get easy buckets and not play offense in the half court with every possession,” Rojas said. “We had a lot of easy transition buckets.”
Porter’s early passing numbers:
2/2, 45 yards, 2 TDs 🙌
Live of @ESPNMore | https://t.co/JhSiVnEABv pic.twitter.com/FC4sqq0zho
— Wichita State Men’s Basketball (@GoShockersMBB) February 5, 2023
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for the university’s strategic communications. Suggested story? Contact him at [email protected]
