Solid ball movement lifts Sooners to exhibition win
NORMAN — Oklahoma’s Christian James leapt in front of East Central’s Jeremiah Fleming’s pass and batted it up the court.
Catching up with it after a bounce, James dribbled once before flinging it over to freshman point guard Trae Young who passed right back to James who flung it right back to Young for a finishing layup.
The ball never touched the court again.
The play was indicative of the ball movement the Sooners displayed in the 114-78 exhibition win over East Central on Wednesday night at Lloyd Noble Center.
Young had six assists and Rashard Odomes added four as the Sooners registered assists on 21 of their 44 field goals.
“Throughout high school, I wouldn’t necessarily say I was (just) a scorer,” Young said. “I could really score the ball but coming here, I have a lot of really good scorers around me — a lot of good players around me. I want them to show their talents too. They make me look really well when I keep giving them the ball so why not give it to them?”
Young, the five-star freshman, had a gamehigh 23 points, one of five players in double figures.
The Sooners struggled at times to share the ball much last season, as OU’s offense regularly stagnated as the Sooners relied far too often on winning oneon-one battles.
“We definitely have more weapons — starters and off the bench,” James said. “Anybody can come in and get hot at any point in time. We’re just trusting each other with the ball. I think we’ll be fine.”
James added 18, Khadeem
Lattin and Kameron McGusty 15 and Jamuni McNeace 13 in the win.
James continues to show progress
Wearing a new number and showing off a new-look shot and a slimmed-down look, Oklahoma junior guard James continued to flash his offseason improvement.
He was 5 of 7 from the floor, including 3 of 5 from behind the 3-point line, in the first half as he scored 13 points before the break.
“I’m more confident than ever,” James said. “I feel like whenever I touch it, I feel like it might go in.”
James dropped about 20 pounds recently.
“I started getting my legs back,” he said. “Started getting quicker and faster. I started knocking down more shots, too.”
James was expected to be a breakout player offensively last season but after a solid start, struggled throughout much of the season and his role diminished.
But he excelled during the trip to Australia and New Zealand over the summer and was strong again in the charity scrimmage against Texas-Arlington last week.
After coming off the bench in 16 of the Sooners’ final 17 games last season, James was in the starting lineup against the Tigers.
McGusty, who took over in the starting lineup for James early in Big 12 play last season, came off the bench.
Up next: Omaha
Oklahoma will open the regular season against Omaha at 2 p.m. Sunday at Lloyd Noble Center.
The teams have never met before but the school is the alma mater of Sooners assistant Chris Crutchfield, who was a two-sport star for the Mavericks.
The game will be the 200th as the head coach of the Sooners for Lon Kruger.
Kruger will join Hugh McDermott, Bruce Drake, Billy Tubbs and Kelvin Sampson as the only coaches to coach the Sooners in 200 or more games.
OKLAHOMA 114 EAST CENTRAL 78 East Central 45 33–78 Oklahoma 68 46–114
ECU—King 16, Lytle 14, Talley 9, McKenzie 8, Cannon 7, Woods 6, Fleming 6, Armstrong 4, Hines 4, Arnold 2, Hamilton 2 OU—Young 23, James 18, Lattin 15, McGusty 15, McNeace 13, Freeman 8, Polla 7, Manek 6, Odomes 5, Shepherd 2, Lazenby 2