Coach Saul Phillips has a different mood about this year's team with players like Simmons and Campbell making improvements in their game.
Winning 10 games in 2015 wasn’t fun for Ohio coach Saul Phillips.
There wasn’t much jubilation from Phillips, who is known for his quips and honest demeanor, in his introductory year as Ohio basketball’s head coach in a disappointing season.
Phillips was the general of an army of players who — to be honest — weren’t his guys and weren’t buying in to his strategy.
But halfway through this season, the mood surrounding Phillips has drastically altered. There are feelings of hope, and he admits, some fun surrounding the Bobcats (10-5, 1-2 Mid-American).
Early milestones
Phillips was quick to whimsically congratulate himself on back-to-back 10-win seasons after Ohio’s victory against Ball State on Saturday.
On Dec. 15, redshirt junior forward Kenny Kaminski, someone Phillips convinced to come to Athens after playing for Michigan State, scored a career-high 31 points in a win against Ohio Dominican.
With that victory, Phillips, from his coaching stint at North Dakota State to now Ohio, amassed his150th win.
“I want people around here to know we’re making progress. No question,” Phillips said. “Shoot, I like being here. I hope I win enough to stay a long time.”
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Simmons’ foul and turnover reduction
In The Convo on Monday during a routine practice, redshirt sophomore guard Jaaron Simmons fought hard through a screen in a defensive drill.
He gave freshman ball-handler James Gollon a slight forearm shove in the process. To Phillips, Simmons’ love tap may as well have been a slug to the face.
Phillips wants his team to be aggressive in its play, even noting a scrum during Tuesday night's loss to Bowling Green as a "positive sign".
Turnovers have also been a head-banging issue for Simmons, as someone who touches the ball the most on the team in any given game.
But from the beginning of the year to now, he has notably cut down his turnover margin.
In the past three games, Simmons only had seven turnovers. In a three-game stretch back in early December, he tallied 17.
Phillips joked the reason for the reduction was “electro-shock therapy,” but Simmons gave the real answer.
“I didn’t play for a year," he said. "Everything at the beginning of this year was moving 100 miles per hour. I’m starting to see things slow down, I’m able to take my time now.”
Campbell for three
Recruited by some college coaches for his three-point shooting ability, junior forward Antonio Campbell was brought to Ohio for a much different reason.
After gaining 45 pounds following his AAU days, Campbell was pushed to work in the post more and recalled only making one 3-pointer his opening year.
A 4-for-6 outing for Campbell from beyond the arc against Ball State this season, however, has had Phillips thinking a bit more about allowing him to shoot from deep.
“He loves it,” Campbell said about how his coach feels when he successfully spaces the floor, allowing the guards more opportunities to get to the rim.
“I think it’s something people should look out for.”
nk596613@ohio.edu
@NKairys
