Any Tulsa fans looking for a good omen for the season should be pleased that one of Tulsa’s greatest basketball players of all time, Paul Pressey, recently was in Tulsa to help the team by lending his expertise.
Pressey, the player who the point-forward position was invented for in the NBA while starring for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1980’s, was also a long-time NBA assistant, so he knows coaching as well.
Tulsa coach Frank Haith had no trouble getting his good friend Pressey, who was the star on the 1981 NIT Championship team and the 1982 nationally ranked NCAA team, to provide his input.
“We had Paul Pressey here last week. It was great because, we talked about our identity,” said Haith. “We play hard, we play unselfish. When someone talks about Tulsa basketball, they’re going to play their butts off, and they’re going to share the ball. That’s what I want people to say about us.
“Sure enough, when Paul watched us practice, he said we play hard, and we play unselfish, and we share the ball. And I said that’s what it’s all about.”
Pressey would have been impressed with Tulsa’s intensity on Friday afternoon in its first open scrimmage. Pressey, who lives in the Dallas area to be near his children, certainly would have enjoyed watching mainstays Sterling Taplin, DaQuan Jeffries and Martins Igbanu showing why they are being counted on so heavily to help TU improve off of last season’s 19-12 record.
Igbanu, Jeffries and Taplin scored 18, 14, and 12 points, respectively, teaming up to lead the Blue team to a 52-40 victory in a scrimmage with two 12-minute halves.
The 6-foot-8 Igbanu provided considerable inside presence while going seven of eight from the field, grabbing, three rebounds, and adding a block and a steal in 16 minutes.
Jeffries, who is 6-5 like Pressey, had an impressive first season as a juco transfer from Pressey’s junior college, Western Texas. Jeffries was five of nine from the field, including a surprising four of seven on three-pointers. It was only surprising because Jeffries showed no reluctance to shoot, firing away with hands in his face.
“DaQuan has made great strides,” said Haith. “He’s shooting the ball great. He’s handling the ball great.”
Last year, Jeffries had to be prodded to shoot at times, like Pressey at TU. Jeffries is also known for his defense, like Pressey. Jeffries also added five rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal in 21 minutes in the scrimmage.
Although nobody in TU history had the overall court awareness, defensive skills and passing game of Paul Pressey.
Haith’s relationship with Pressey dates back to when he coached Pressey’s sons Phil and Matt at Missouri.
“Paul is one of my best friends,” Haith said. “He’s always coming through. He came back to a couple of games last year. I was at Phil’s wedding a couple of months ago. He’s like family. I coached his boys, and we became real good friends. From time to time he will come into town and stay with us and hang out with my wife and I. He’s a special friend.”
Although none of Tulsa’s players figure to be in Pressey’s league this year, or likely any other year, Tulsa does have some promising prospects. The Golden Hurricane’s best player figures again to be senior point guard Sterling Taplin, who could be in store for a monster season.
Taplin made the key plays in the scrimmage to give his Blue team the edge down the stretch. He finished four of 10 from the field, including three of four on three-pointers. He had six assists to only one turnover, and had two steals. His passing and defense were crisp as usual.
Filling out the Blue team’s starting lineup were Lawson Korita and newcomer Zeke Moore. One or both of those two could very well be in the starting lineup to join Taplin, Jeffries and Igbanu this season.
Neither did much statistically Friday, but both are being counted on by Haith. Korita was zero for five from the field but had two steals in 12 minutes. The 6-7 Moore, a sophomore transfer who previously played for Saint Louis, was one of five from the field with three rebounds and two assists in 16 minutes.
Chris Barnes, a 6-4 sophomore combo guard who previously played for UTEP, was two of four from the field with four rebounds and a steal. He was active and athletic coming off the bench for the Blue team.
Haith is counting on Moore and Barnes this season as well.
“Both are going to be in the rotation, I’ll tell you that,” Haith said. “They’re both really talented. Chris is super fast and athletic. Strong. He can pass the ball. Zeke, I don’t know if he scored much today, but he’s been our second leading scorer in practice. He can really stroke the ball. At 6-7, he’s got great size.”
Other sophomore juco transfers include 6-8 Simon Falokun and 6-10 Peter Hewitt. Each played for both teams in the scrimmage, and, along with Igbanu, are Tulsa’s only true inside players.
Falokun clearly looks farther along. The lefty was three of six from the field, scoring six points, and had two rebounds and a block in 17 minutes, mostly for the Black team. He displayed good moves around the basket and should provide help inside.
Hewitt is a little more raw, but has some offensive moves as well. He was one of six for two points and added two rebounds in 11 minutes.
“Our bigs are getting better, in terms of Simon and Peter, they’re coming along and getting better and better,” Haith described.
The starting lineup for the Black team featured Nebraska transfer Jeriah Horne, Elijah Joiner, Falokun, Curran Scott and Darien Jackson.
The 6-7 Horne, who was a highly-rated recruit coming out of high school, got valuable experience in his one year playing for the Huskers. He sat out at TU last year while practicing with the team due to transfer rules and has three years of eligibility remaining.
Horne scored 12 points on five of 12 shooting, including two of five on three pointers, to go along with three rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes.
“Jeriah played well today. I think he’s going to be a weapon,” Haith said. “He did a lot. He rebounded. He’s one of those guys who hasn’t hit his stride yet, but he’s smart. I saw that guy last year be terrific. I don’t worry about Jeriah.
“For us to be good, we need Jeriah to be really good.”
Some are expecting Horne to fill in and be the next Junior Etou, who led Tulsa in scoring and rebounding last season with 15 points and 7.9 rebounds.
That is not particularly fair at this point, but they are similar type of players. Horne may be a little more physical inside. Both can step out and shoot threes well. Even if Horne is not quite yet an Etou, he should be good this season.
Two other guards figure to get plenty of playing time this season, Curran Scott and Elijah Joiner. Scott, a 6-4 junior shooting guard who played his first season for TU after averaging in double figures at Charlotte as a freshman, is being counted on to score.
Scott scored all 10 of his points in the scrimmage in the second half. He finished four of 10 overall, including two of six on three-pointers in 21 minutes, and he added five rebounds.
Joiner, a 6-3 sophomore, played point exclusively in the scrimmage and figures to play both point and shooting guard this season. He hit three of six, all three-pointers, in the scrimmage to finish with nine points, five rebounds, five assists and no turnovers in 21 minutes.
“We’ve got some guys who’ve made some great strides like Elijah and Curran,” Haith said.
The 6-2 Jackson also played 21 minutes, but didn’t score, going zero for two, both on three-pointers. He added a steal and an assist, but had two turnovers. The extremely athletic Jackson must show he can be much improved on offense in his sophomore season if he is to get any extended playing time.
An intriguing newcomer is walk-on George Chistopoulos, an international player from Greece. The point guard only played three minutes, but looked solid in those minutes and hit his only shot, a three-pointer.
“George, he holds his own when he gets out there,” Haith said of Chistopoulos, who has to sit out this season and has three years of eligibility left. “He helps us in practice. He’s a great kid. He works hard in practice.”
The only scholarship player who didn’t play in the scrimmage is 6-6 junior transfer Reggie Jones, who averaged 10.1 points last year for Western Michigan. He sat out the scrimmage due to a minor injury.
A former Tulsa player who is now on the Golden Hurricane coaching staff is Haith’s son, Corey Haith, who is an intern coach this season.
“Corey, he’s done great so far,” said Frank Haith. “He wants to see if he wants to be in this field. I’ve been really, really impressed with his transition as far as going from being on the floor to going into this field. He’s got good respect from the players.”
Frank Haith seems very pleased with the players he has this season and is expecting an improved 2018-19 version of the Golden Hurricane.
“We’ve got a very competitive group,” Haith said. “There are a lot of guys that can compete and play. This is a fun group. Our guys are getting better and better.”
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