Originally published at: https://pistolsfiringblog.com/stat-stuffer-likekele-first-osu-player-with-1000-points-600-rebounds-400-assists/
On Likekele’s legacy and comparing him statistically with other OSU greats.
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Ummm…that’s great but how many turnovers and how many missed layups and missed free throws? How many times has he made the tournament. How many guys had to guard him out on the three point line or even midrange? I’m sure there is other records he broke. Good kid but will be glad when we have a real point guard on the court.
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Good for Ice… I would like to see better production numbers for him though. No need to be negative towards a player that gives his all to our program. Looks like we have those here. Looking at Jeff…
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If he was giving it his all then he would’ve practiced more on his offensive game in the four years he was here. Especially at the free throw line. His statistics were better his freshman year than his senior except for rebounding. That’s it!!!
In fairness to Ice he has the best assist to turnover ratio of our 3 current primary ballhandlers/playmakers. For this season Ice is around 92 assists to 52 turnovers, 1K is around 70 assists to 50 turnovers, and Avery has a negative Assist to TO ratio this season thus far.
The shooting concerns are valid though (if he was in a lineup with 3 good shooters it would make his lack of shooting less of an issue . . . alas we don’t have 3 good shooters on any given night). Ice is offensively very much limited to the paint and getting out in transition, at least as far as the scoring goes.
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His freshman year he had Lindy and Dizzy on the wings to space the floor and cash in assists, he also didn’t share ball-handling duties as much. So I don’t know that the counting stats being down are a direct reflection of lack of progression. The shooting never getting better seems just as much mental as it is physical, his 3 at the buzzer last night didn’t look awful coming off his hand but for whatever reason he won’t pull the trigger even when he is open from outside (which is probably the right choice in most folks opinion including Ice’s)
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Who the hell goes from shooting 65% from the line as a freshman to 53% as a senior? Makes me wonder how many more games we might’ve won if the dude wasn’t so ■■■■ awful at the free throw line or any place on the court that’s three feet away from the basket.
I listened to him on the radio, being interviewed after the game, on the way home and i will add he is a very well-spoken and intelligent young man, who represents the university much, much better than some of the deadbeats in this thread.
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I bet I could represent us better at the free throw line.
Yeah, the free throws are concerning and frustrating. Early in his career he seemed to hit clutch free throws even though he wasn’t shooting it great. I’d be interested to compare the free throw attempts in all of those years, to try and understand the decline a bit better.
Responding to myself here but Ice averaged between 3 and 4 free throw attempts per game in his two years of shooting mid 60s percentage wise and averaged closer to 2.5 free throw attempts in his years below 60 percent. Which could be looked at as maybe he hasn’t gotten a consistent rhythm at the line OR he is avoiding going to the line because he can’t shoot, depending on what side of the Ice debate a person is on.
He’s a senior and we are 13-14. His numbers wouldn’t be as high if boynton actually knew who his best players were. Likekele should have been coming off the bench for years.
Who should have been/should be starting in his place in your opinion?
And like clockwork… Here comes Joe.
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Anderson, Bryce Williams and Thompson. I would even start Walker and/or Ke. Boone over him.
Last season Cunningham, Anderson, and Williams/walker.
Likekele is a solid 6 man. He’s been one of the worst big 12 point guards the last 4 years.
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AA has been too streaky and TO prone this year for my taste. I think my ideal lineup probably features Likekele, Bryce Williams, Bryce Thompson, Keylan, and a Big Man.
I’d imagine you want AA in that lineup, I feel like they are fairly interchangeable with AA offering way more scoring upside but being more TO prone, Rebounding less and being less switchable than Ice.
I guess my main point is I feel like it’s more a case of needing a more balanced lineup than Ice actually being not good enough to start.
Likekele is good enough to start if you enjoy watching a team that is not good enough to make the ncaa tournament. I do blame coaching on his development. I blame Boynton on a lot.
In 4 years, with Likekele as a starter, we are 55-52. In our loss to Oregon State last year, he had 0 points in 22 minutes.
I’m not saying he shouldn’t play b/c he’s a good role player but we should be able to do better at PG going forward.
While I don’t think I can fully agree with you I can see the logic that having a really good role player/glue guy as your PG isn’t going to be worth a lot if you don’t have a star somewhere else on the court.