The Missouri game was the strangest. In addition, Alabama striker Alex Reese has had “three very good games in the last four,” according to coach Nate Oats.
“We just need him to give his effort against South Carolina every night,” said Oats of the Crimson Tide veteran. “Make good moves when your feet are firm and he’s going in and making three, get back on the offensive boards like you did against South Carolina. Just do all of those things. If he does all of that, he is very good to us, and we are much better when he is in the game. That’s what I hope he does from now on.
“He and I had very good conversations. I am very proud of his attitude throughout the year. I can’t say enough about what he meant as a veteran, what he’s doing. Hopefully, we will get the Reese that we have in South Carolina moving forward from now on. “
The Pelham, Alabama, senior has averaged 5.7 points and 3.0 rebounds per game this season, but has scored 40 of his 119 points in the last four games. With Jordan Bruner out due to a meniscus injury, Reese started seven straight games before leaving the bench during Alabama’s recent victory over the Gamecocks, in which he produced nine points in 20 minutes.
With Juwan Gary, who broke Reese’s streak of appearing as a starter, hampered by a shoulder injury, the latter should return to the court for the first match. However, in addition to playing well lately, Reese has also selflessly approached his senior year.
“I like to leave the bank,” said Reese. “I told the coach this earlier in the year. So, when Jordan fell, I knew I had to change my role and move forward a little bit and bring more things to the table. I crashed a few games, but I have to get it back, just keep playing hard and doing everything to help the team win. “
MORE MINUTES FOR FRESHMEN?
With Bruner and Gary out and Herbert Jones still playing due to a back injury, Alabama needs players other than Reese to take the bottom. How about a pair of freshmen in Keon Ambrose-Hylton and Darius Miles? Could they be prepared to buy more game time?
“I was trying to get a few minutes for those guys,” said Oats. “When you don’t build trust with the team, you get a little bit shorter. Come in and screw it up, you might not be ready to play. But Darius has been on the scouting team practically all year. We took him out of the scouting team the last few days and transferred him with the other guys just to get a few reps, and I thought he had a great practice. Hopefully, we can get some for him.
“Keon Ambrose, he comes every morning at 6 am every day and just exercises. He is a boy who will be very good. He needs to feel a little better, he needs to get a little stronger, a little more skilled, a little better at many things. But I think he is capable of playing. … If we can, we would like to get them (minutes), but the course of the game sometimes requires you to rely a little more on the game’s situations throughout the year. “
KEEP THE ROLLER WHEEL
Georgia does not have a Jeremiah Tilmon like Missouri, but it has the attention of Oats.
The Bulldogs are coming out of a loss to Tennessee, which broke a three-game winning streak. With 12-7 overall and 5-7 in the SEC game, Georgia has won five of its last eight games and has three players averaging double digits per game. One of them is guard Sahvir Wheeler, the Bulldogs’ top scorer (13.5 ppg) and the SEC’s assists leader (7.3 apg), who scored 24 points out of 9 out of 16 shots in last year’s overtime defeat for Crimson Tide, 105-102.
Keeping Wheeler out of the game will be a key point of emphasis for Alabama this time around.
“I think Georgia has improved a lot in many areas since last year,” said Oats. “It is a better defensive team. They move the ball better. They play together more as a team. They have a very good plan. They are very well trained. Wheeler is in another year. I thought he was really good last year. He caused us all kinds of problems last year, but now he has that extra year of experience. They are good. I thought Tennessee did a great job dealing with Wheeler.
“I think Wheeler will be very motivated after fighting Tennessee a bit to come back and play well against us. Our guards have to do a good job with him. “
12th MAN UP OR DOWN?
The Texas A & M-Florida game scheduled for today was postponed due to the problems of COVID-19 for the Aggies. Last played on January 30, this was A & M’s fourth consecutive postponed game.
After today’s game against Georgia (14:30 CT on the SEC Network), Alabama is scheduled to play against the Aggies in College Station, Texas, on Wednesday, February 17th. During Saturday’s preview of the match, Oats was asked about the chances of Wednesday’s game being played.
“Our managers said they spoke to their managers and, as of now, they thought they would be back next week,” said Oats. “We are planning to play. … It will be two weeks, I think, Tuesday, so it will be a little over two. It seems that two weeks is more the default. My guess is that their two weeks would end there and they would be playing on Wednesday. That would be my guess. That’s what we hear from your administration, at least. ”
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