Player-by-player observations from IU basketball’s scrimmage on Friday

• Ian Plaskoff

• 16m ago

 

IU basketball hosted fans for an open scrimmage on Friday night. The Hoosiers played four 10-minute “quarters” and rotated players between teams each quarter. All four quarters were scored separately. No stats were recorded and the scrimmage was not televised.

I was in attendance and did my best to observe as many players as possible. I don’t have all the numbers to back up my observations, but here are my takeaways on each player.

Aiden Sherrell

I, along with many fans in attendance, was eager to see Sherrell for the first time. We were not disappointed. The talented big man made an impact all evening long on both ends of the floor and showed what kind of player he can be at Indiana.

The biggest standout element of his game is his shooting. His jumper caught my attention in warmups because it looked so smooth and comfortable. That carried over into the scrimmage. He hit (I believe) five 3-pointers and was a major floor spacer.

He also was active on the glass and showed prowess as a physical rebounder and shot blocker. We didn’t see much paint work from Sherrell, but with Samet Yigitolu on the floor, he didn’t need it.

Sherrell reminded me a lot of Kel’el Ware. He was a very fun watch.

Samet Yigitolu

Yigitolu was everything I expected. He is a traditional back-to-the-basket center who can also operate in high ball screen actions, dominate the boards and be an effective shot blocker.

He showed he can be a player you can give the ball to when you need a basket and let him go to work to get it. At 7-foot-2, 270 pounds, he has a frame much larger than any big Indiana had last season.

Defensively, he is everything a Big Ten team needs. He is physical, knows how to use his massive frame and can block shots. He has to limit his fouling tendencies.

Bryce Lindsay

Lindsay had a strong night and was impressive throughout. He is not discussed nearly as much as the other guards on this team, but he made the case to enter those conversations on Friday.

He was extremely aggressive throughout the entire scrimmage. When he had the ball, he knew exactly what he was going to do, and nobody could stop him. He showed visible poise and confidence when he had the ball.

Lindsay’s shooting really took the spotlight in the second half of the scrimmage. He had five or six 3-pointers, with most of them coming in a few-minute span in the second half. He showed he can be a microwave scorer, and when he gets hot, he isn’t afraid to shoot from anywhere.

Markus Burton

Burton took on more of a facilitator role offensively. He was much more of a distributor than a shooter or shot creator. He did make two 3-pointers, but both were off the catch. When he led the offense, his first move was to pass and orchestrate. He did a great job, with no turnovers on my stat sheet.

Jaeden Mustaf

The biggest standout element of Mustaf’s game was his physicality. He used his shoulders to clear space multiple times, absorbing contact and getting shots up in traffic. He jumped in passing lanes defensively, was aggressive in transition and hit a 3-pointer as well.

Right now, Mustaf looks like a perfect sixth man to me with the way Lindsay played. Plenty of time remains to figure out his role.

Sam Alexis

Alexis was the starting center for much of Indiana’s season last year. This scrimmage showed that he will be taking on a much different role. With Yigitolu and Sherrell on the roster, Alexis will likely be a primary backup power forward and backup center.

He rarely, if ever, went back to the basket on Friday and was most impactful in the shallow midrange game. His shot-blocking ability was noticeable as well. Alexis was not originally going to be part of this team. With the new eligibility ruling, he will have to keep finding his role.

Drew Snively

To many’s surprise, Snively didn’t look like a walk-on. The second-year guard made fantastic cuts to the rim, shot the ball well from deep and looked just like his scholarship teammates. At times, he looked like the best player on the floor.

He took over in the second segment of play, scoring 11 points in the 10-minute span, mostly against future starters.

Darren Harris

The advertised element of Harris’ game was his deep shooting. We didn’t see much of that, but we did see him draw fouls on 3-point attempts and knock down free throws. It happened twice.

Harris knocked down a couple midrange jumpers and made some nice transition plays. He did not look like a star by any means, but that is not his role on this team. He looked like a solid role player, which is what Indiana needs.

Trevor Manhertz

I didn’t notice much from Manhertz on the offensive end, but his 3-point shots in warmups looked smooth. He was a really impactful rebounder and altered a few shots defensively. He had one of the plays of the game, denying Alexis at the rim on a dunk attempt.

He is not the strongest or most physical player on the floor, but he uses his frame well.

Trent Sisley

Sisley didn’t stand out much. He had a breakaway dunk in transition and a putback layup, but it is hard to remember any other moments of impact in the scrimmage.

Prince-Alexander Moody

Moody showcased his shooting ability, making two 3-pointers. I noticed how much he wants to be coached and how intently he takes it. That is a good trait to have.

Clemens Sokolov

Sokolov is far from being ready for competition, to be frank. His decisions felt late and incorrect, and he looked a step behind the rest of the team. He was blocked a couple of times, missed some passes and lacked touch around the rim.

(Photo credit: IU Athletics)

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