Tamar Bates and Hoosiers Set to Follow Woodson’s Lead
11/2/2021 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Tamar Bates believes. He wouldn't be an Indiana Hoosier if he didn't.
Once a Texas Longhorn in waiting, the 6-5 freshman guard has heard the Mike Woodson message, seen the IU coach's method and can't wait for what's coming.
"He's a great person," Bates says. "Building relationships is probably the most important thing he does.
"On the floor, it's how to guard opponents and test ourselves mentally."
The Bob Knight coaching insight that mental toughness is to physical as four is to one is very much part of Woodson's approach. Add his generation-plus of NBA playing and coaching, and you have something special, Bates says.
"We all have the physical attributes, but we all have to think the game and stay locked in for long periods of time.
"We will follow (Woodson's) lead, everything he preaches. Everything that worked for him in the NBA, I don't see why it can't work here."
Take Woodson's free-flowing offense, which emphasizes good shooting and versatility while spreading the floor.
"With the offense," Bates says, "he wants us to have great spacing, where everybody can operate and play to his strengths. Knowing everyone's strengths, he puts us in the right position to be successful."
Bates' strength is as a shooter, a ball handler and, perhaps most importantly, a winner.
Bates, a top-25 prospect nationally, won plenty during his three seasons at Piper High School in Kansas City, Kan. As a junior he averaged 22.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4. Assists and 2.0 steals for a 23-1 team that might have won a Kansas state championship if Covid hadn't shut down everything in the spring of 2020. Piper did win a state title during his sophomore season.
In his one season at IMG Academy in Florida, Bates averaged 11.4 points and shot 40.0 percent from the field.
In two off-the-bench exhibition appearances during the August trip to the Bahamas, he had 14 points and two rebounds in one game, nine points and six rebounds in the other.
Bates was set to become a Texas Longhorn coming out of IMG Academy, but once coach Shaka Smart left to take over at Marquette, Bates reopened his recruiting.
He closed it after listening to Woodson.
"I feel I'm here at the right time. I'm in the first wave of players Coach Woodson has."
That wave will get its first public game test with the Nov. 9 season opener against Eastern Michigan.
"In practice, we get after it," Bates says. "We compete.
"Coach Woodson brings a positive vibe every day, and with that and the respect we have for him makes us want to play harder. We're playing to win."
The Hoosiers also play for each other.
"We try to have a family atmosphere throughout the entire program," Bates says. "Coach Woodson has pushed that. He did a good job of getting a good group of guys together.
"Spending time together off the court hasn't been an issue. Coming together as a group hasn't been a problem. We all like each other. It will show on the court."
Another freshman set to make a major impact is 6-9 Logan Duncomb out of Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller High School. He helped Moeller win a state title in 2019, and the No. 1 ranking in 2020 before Covid ended the season. He averaged 13.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks as a senior.
Injuries kept Duncomb out of the two August exhibition games in the Bahamas, but he's ready to go now.
"It (stunk) not being able to play in the Bahamas, just watching our team do as well as it did.
"Everyone is doing well in practice. Everyone gets along. We're on the right track."
Duncomb joins Trayce Jackson-Davis, Race Thompson and Michael Durr in the front court.
For him to get significant playing time, he says, "I have to use what I have, which is hustle, being able to play hard as I can, do the little things."
The newcomer with the best perimeter upside is 6-5 guard Parker Stewart. He played a year at Pitt (shooting 42.5 percent from three-point range while averaging 9.1 points and 3.3 rebounds) and a year at Tennessee-Martin (averaging 19.2 points and 3.8 assists) before joining the Hoosiers.
His shooting was off during two starts in the Bahamas. He had five points in one game, three points and five steals in another.
As far as his IU role, Stewart says, "Shooting the ball. Trying to play all around. Do everything."
Adds veteran guard Rob Phinisee: "Everyone knows his scoring ability. He can score at all three levels. He plays super hard. His leadership. He's an older guy. He'll be able to come in right away and contribute."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Tamar Bates believes. He wouldn't be an Indiana Hoosier if he didn't.
Once a Texas Longhorn in waiting, the 6-5 freshman guard has heard the Mike Woodson message, seen the IU coach's method and can't wait for what's coming.
"He's a great person," Bates says. "Building relationships is probably the most important thing he does.
"On the floor, it's how to guard opponents and test ourselves mentally."
The Bob Knight coaching insight that mental toughness is to physical as four is to one is very much part of Woodson's approach. Add his generation-plus of NBA playing and coaching, and you have something special, Bates says.
"We all have the physical attributes, but we all have to think the game and stay locked in for long periods of time.
"We will follow (Woodson's) lead, everything he preaches. Everything that worked for him in the NBA, I don't see why it can't work here."
Take Woodson's free-flowing offense, which emphasizes good shooting and versatility while spreading the floor.
"With the offense," Bates says, "he wants us to have great spacing, where everybody can operate and play to his strengths. Knowing everyone's strengths, he puts us in the right position to be successful."
Bates' strength is as a shooter, a ball handler and, perhaps most importantly, a winner.
Bates, a top-25 prospect nationally, won plenty during his three seasons at Piper High School in Kansas City, Kan. As a junior he averaged 22.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4. Assists and 2.0 steals for a 23-1 team that might have won a Kansas state championship if Covid hadn't shut down everything in the spring of 2020. Piper did win a state title during his sophomore season.
In his one season at IMG Academy in Florida, Bates averaged 11.4 points and shot 40.0 percent from the field.
In two off-the-bench exhibition appearances during the August trip to the Bahamas, he had 14 points and two rebounds in one game, nine points and six rebounds in the other.
Bates was set to become a Texas Longhorn coming out of IMG Academy, but once coach Shaka Smart left to take over at Marquette, Bates reopened his recruiting.
He closed it after listening to Woodson.
"I feel I'm here at the right time. I'm in the first wave of players Coach Woodson has."
That wave will get its first public game test with the Nov. 9 season opener against Eastern Michigan.
"In practice, we get after it," Bates says. "We compete.
"Coach Woodson brings a positive vibe every day, and with that and the respect we have for him makes us want to play harder. We're playing to win."
The Hoosiers also play for each other.
"We try to have a family atmosphere throughout the entire program," Bates says. "Coach Woodson has pushed that. He did a good job of getting a good group of guys together.
"Spending time together off the court hasn't been an issue. Coming together as a group hasn't been a problem. We all like each other. It will show on the court."
Another freshman set to make a major impact is 6-9 Logan Duncomb out of Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller High School. He helped Moeller win a state title in 2019, and the No. 1 ranking in 2020 before Covid ended the season. He averaged 13.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks as a senior.
Injuries kept Duncomb out of the two August exhibition games in the Bahamas, but he's ready to go now.
"It (stunk) not being able to play in the Bahamas, just watching our team do as well as it did.
"Everyone is doing well in practice. Everyone gets along. We're on the right track."
Duncomb joins Trayce Jackson-Davis, Race Thompson and Michael Durr in the front court.
For him to get significant playing time, he says, "I have to use what I have, which is hustle, being able to play hard as I can, do the little things."
The newcomer with the best perimeter upside is 6-5 guard Parker Stewart. He played a year at Pitt (shooting 42.5 percent from three-point range while averaging 9.1 points and 3.3 rebounds) and a year at Tennessee-Martin (averaging 19.2 points and 3.8 assists) before joining the Hoosiers.
His shooting was off during two starts in the Bahamas. He had five points in one game, three points and five steals in another.
As far as his IU role, Stewart says, "Shooting the ball. Trying to play all around. Do everything."
Adds veteran guard Rob Phinisee: "Everyone knows his scoring ability. He can score at all three levels. He plays super hard. His leadership. He's an older guy. He'll be able to come in right away and contribute."
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