Aggies looking to Obaseki for a late spark
COLLEGE STATION — One of Texas A&M’S lone bright spots during the Aggies’ fifth consecutive loss in SEC play goes by “Mo.”
“I thought Mo was as good as Mo has been all year long,” A&M coach Buzz Williams said of junior guard Manny Obaseki following the Aggies’ 70-68 home loss to No. 18 South Carolina on Wednesday night. “He’s kind of been on that trajectory …”
The Aggies also could use some more “Big Mo” — positive momentum — courtesy of Obaseki and with a heavy dose from his teammates following the current losing streak, their longest in two years, that has all but knocked them out of NCAA Tournament consideration. A&M (15-13, 6-9) plays at fellow struggling SEC team Georgia (1513, 5-10) at 5 p.m. Saturday.
The Aggies close out their regular season Wednesday at home against Mississippi and then at Mississippi on March 9. The SEC tournament begins March 13 in Nashville, Tenn., and at this rate, A&M will need to win the tournament title to earn the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
Obaseki only played 15 minutes against the Gamecocks but provided quite a boost off the bench in making 3-of-4 shots from the field and all five of his free throws. Obaseki was one of three A&M players in double digits (11 points) despite his limited minutes. His energy level typically is unparalleled on the court, as well, especially in driving to the basket.
“He’s very gifted at getting fouled,” Williams said. “But sometimes in the process of that, too many of us, including me at times, aren’t exactly sure what he’s doing. That’s calmed down … which is very encouraging, and we’ll try to keep that going.”
A little more than a year ago, Obaseki was providing the Aggies plenty of spark off the bench when he broke his hand early in SEC play. He wound up playing in only 20 of the Aggies’ 35 games last season.
“I missed an important chunk of the season and wasn’t sure I was going to be myself again,” Obaseki said. “… I had never broken a bone in my body, ever, and I had never been away from the game that long. It did a (number) on me mentally, but I was able to get through it, and here I am now.”
A year ago, the vigorous Obaseki, a four-star recruit in the class of 2021 out of John Paul II High School near Dallas, had to truly learn patience in his life for the first time — and he said he learned plenty from the experience.
“It’s so easy in this day and age for kids my age, 18 to 23, to get so caught up in, ‘What’s next, what’s next, what’s next,’ and always want to get that instant result instead of being steadfast in the process and taking it slowly,” Obaseki said. “(Williams) has talked to me a lot about being where my feet are and being in the moment, because me and Buzz are similar in that our minds are always going.
“He understands that, and he’s always told me I need to slow down, and I need to just be where I’m at right now. To enjoy the moment — and do the best I can in that moment.”
The Aggies likely would need to win their final three regular-season games to reach .500 in league play and then win a couple of games in the SEC tournament to reach the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive season. They lost in the opening round of the NCAA tourney to Penn State a year ago and are now against the odds in making the tournament after being picked to finish second in the SEC before the season.