Kaminski has "taken him under his wing," Block said.
Freshman Gavin Block grinned and looked down for a split second.
After knocking down two 3-pointers in Ohio's 75-67 win against Tennessee State, the freshman from Lincoln, Illinois, knew he "borrowed" some of his mentor's shooting touch Monday night.
On a night when Kenny Kaminski, who Block said has "taken him under his wing" early in his Ohio career, was shooting 0-of-8 from the field, Block stepped up and delivered a break-out performance for the Bobcats with 12 points and three rebounds in 20 minutes of play.
"It wasn't his night, and it's going to be opposite, but he was telling me 'keep strokin' it. Go up there with confidence,' " Block said of Kaminski. "That's what he's there for and that's what I'm there for, for him when it's the other way around. He was there for me tonight."
Block, a 6-foot-6 guard with a similar playing style as Kaminski — an outside-inside game which consists of cuts to the basket from the weak side of the defense — has gotten close with the Michigan State transfer since graduating from Lincoln Community High School.
Block said Kaminski has taught him to be confident in his shot and to understand "he's on the court for a reason."
Kaminski's wisdom to Block seemed to resonate Monday. Down 59-57 with five minutes left in the second half, Block received the ball on an assist from guard Jaaron Simmons and swished a 3-pointer from the left corner to give Ohio a 60-59 lead.
The Bobcats never trailed afterward.
"Me and Kenny have talked numerous times," Block said. "I kinda see myself as the younger version of him. Playing that role, a long, lanky shooter and trying to do the little things and trying to be affective."
The two sharpshooters' relationship is something Ohio coach Saul Phillips sees on the court, too. Phillips said Kaminski seems to be drawn to Block and vice-versa.
"There was one time, during a summer workout, I corrected someone, and they kinda came back at me kinda hard, and Gavin said 'Oh, hold on. (Kaminski) has a Big-10 Championship ring. He knows what he's talking about. He's not trying to say something to hurt you,' " Kaminski said.
After Monday's win against the Tigers, Phillips may use Block more in the lineup as the Bobcats next travel to the Virgin Islands for a quick getaway from Athens.
For Phillips, he's hoping to correct some issues seen in Ohio's quick 2-0 start.
For Block, it's another chance to show off his smooth jump-shot and pick Kaminski's brain.
"(Block and Kaminski) both shoot it at an extremely high clip. They both are very skilled and think the game very well," Phillips said.
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