Unsurprisingly, people tend to underestimate what it takes to get from Point A to Point B in college basketball.
Just go recruit good players, win big games and move forward.
Simple right?
Well for Penn State basketball it has been that simple, but achieving that simplicity has been something of a work in progress. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was a successful basketball program in the nation’s toughest conference.
For a roster that has been fairly unchanged at its core with Ross Travis, Brandon Taylor and DJ Newbill there is still a lot about this season that is already different for Penn State. The addition of a few new pieces to the puzzle and the benefit of time and experience are all having an impact on the team in ways seen and in ways that are far less noticeable.
The biggest change is depth. The offense now has options, something of an exact opposite to Penn State’s offensive line down the street. Coach Patrick Chambers has the luxury of swapping capable players in and out of the equation. In turn he can change what the offense will try and do with any particular lineup.
The depth is so great that in theory there are two starting fives to be found on Penn State’s roster. They may not live up to the hype of Kentucky’s platoon system, but Penn State can do more than simply hope there is enough talent in the Top 6 of the roster to win games.
A byproduct of this; the ability to find a more complete and dynamic offense. Not that the Nittany Lions weren’t running offense in the previous three years or that wins came by chance. But there is a look of a real honest to goodness basketball team forming this season. Yes, it’s a season that’s only two games old. But what we’ve seen so far leads you to believe that Penn State can actually do a number of things on any given possession and end said possession with points.
Working in the paint, sharing the ball around the perimeter, finding shots and making them. It seems easy, and it is, but getting to the point where it is easy is part of a much longer journey. Penn State has finally started that adventure and it’s a moment worth noting.
As you might imagine, that kind of potential hasn’t gone unnoticed within the program, where defense was the singular pillar in previous years. Chambers is spending more time on the offensive end. it’s a small but important step.
“Obviously over the last few years we’ve had to do what we’ve had to do to compete. We’d do anything we had to do,” Chambers said earlier this week. “I feel like we have some really good leaders, some selflessness and when you have that in the locker room you’re going to give yourself a chance. Obviously my focus has always been on the defensive end, but we have kind of split time this preseason going into the non conference on offense and defense.
“It’s because of their willingness, to get on the floor and stay on the floor, to play hard on defense and rebound, and then you can get to the offensive side of the ball and really spread the ball and find open shots, uncontested shots.”
Chambers hasn’t only looked in house for ideas either, inviting former Boston College head coach Steve Donahue to work with the program on the offensive end of the ball. They’re looking for places to add wrinkles, additions and subtractions. It’s real, tangible time and energy spent on the end of the floor where good teams can enforce their will. Players understanding their role, believing that if they can do X their teammates will take care of Y and as a result they’ll all walk away with a W.
“It looks that way doesn’t it,” Chambers said about everyone finding their roles. “And they’re playing like that. I think they’re playing at a much better pace. That’s what we need. I think they’re understanding and their basketball IQ is probably the highest we’ve had since we’ve been here.”
This season will still have its ups and downs. There are certain limitations this team will have as the year goes along and it will take time to learn what those are. It will also take time to see how this particular roster can take advantage of something of an offensive revolution in the Bryce Jordan Center.
But like all things in Penn State’s journey towards relevancy in college basketball, it simply takes time.
