Indiana University Athletics
Leal a Hoosier Spark in So Many Ways
1/2/2024 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana basketball games come and Anthony Leal rarely plays, never pouts.
Yes, it matters.
Leal has played in five of 13 games this season, but the senior guard and former Indiana Mr. Basketball out of Bloomington High School South prepares as if he'll start; he cares because that's what competitors and team players do, because the call from coach Mike Woodson will come, and when it does, perhaps Wednesday night when IU (10-3 overall, 2-0 in the Big Ten) plays at Nebraska (11-2, 1-1) to resume Big Ten action, he will be ready.
Case in point -- Friday night's win over Kennesaw State. In a season-high 13 minutes, the 6-5 Leal he had two points, an assist, and a blocked shot.
Yes, a blocked shot, just the third of his career and his first in two years.
But it was his energy, especially on defense, rather than numbers that helped spark IU's second-half comeback from a four-point deficit. He was a difference-maker when the Hoosiers needed it most.
Woodson noticed.
"He's a senior," Woodson says. "He's ready. I've seen it in practice. He hasn't done anything in terms of me not wanting him to play. He's been really good in practice. And he deserves to probably play a little bit more because he is playing well.
"He gave us the boost that we needed. So, we'll continue to keep our eyes on Anthony and see where we go with him."
Teammates noticed.
"He came in with so much energy, it rejuvenated us," forward Malik Reneau says. "He got us back to what we needed to do, which was get stops."
Leal averages 1.8 points this season, a tick above his career average of 1.4. He has four assists and two rebounds. He is behind seniors Xavier Johnson (when healthy) and Trey Galloway, sophomore CJ Gunn, and freshman Gabe Cupps in the guard rotation.
But Leal continues to practice as if a starting opportunity is coming (it's happened twice in his career, the last time two years ago). He certainly did in the days before the Kennesaw State game.
"After the (Christmas) break," Woodson says, "he came back, and I thought his two days of practice, he deserved to play more. I decided to play him.
"He gave us a hell of a spark from a defensive standpoint. He did a lot of things that we didn't do early in that spot.
"This is a team game, and when guys are called upon, I expect them to play (well). He delivered."
Leal's biggest minutes (232 of them) came as a freshman. Last season, an ankle injury limited him to just 10 games and two points. But his impact has always gone beyond individual concerns, including a 2022 Christmas gift to his sister when he used his NIL money to help pay her college expenses.
Now, his biggest role is to provide leadership and inspiration for freshmen such as Cupps, Mackenzie Mgbako, and Jakai Newton (out with injury).
Doing that, Leal says, means making himself uncomfortable and vulnerable; he needs to talk and get his teammates together as much as possible because that will make IU a better team and, if the Hoosiers have their way, a Big Ten title-contending squad.
So, Leal will play with a chip on his shoulder and a belief that he can do the little things to help deliver victories.
"I can bring toughness and my mental approach to the game," he has said. "I know scouts. I know what other teams are going to do. I know how to play the right way. I know how to make guys around me better. I also know I can make shots.
"I can do things, not always with the ball, that are required to win."
Leal proved it against Kennesaw State.
Expect him to prove it again.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana basketball games come and Anthony Leal rarely plays, never pouts.
Yes, it matters.
Leal has played in five of 13 games this season, but the senior guard and former Indiana Mr. Basketball out of Bloomington High School South prepares as if he'll start; he cares because that's what competitors and team players do, because the call from coach Mike Woodson will come, and when it does, perhaps Wednesday night when IU (10-3 overall, 2-0 in the Big Ten) plays at Nebraska (11-2, 1-1) to resume Big Ten action, he will be ready.
Case in point -- Friday night's win over Kennesaw State. In a season-high 13 minutes, the 6-5 Leal he had two points, an assist, and a blocked shot.
Yes, a blocked shot, just the third of his career and his first in two years.
But it was his energy, especially on defense, rather than numbers that helped spark IU's second-half comeback from a four-point deficit. He was a difference-maker when the Hoosiers needed it most.
Woodson noticed.
"He's a senior," Woodson says. "He's ready. I've seen it in practice. He hasn't done anything in terms of me not wanting him to play. He's been really good in practice. And he deserves to probably play a little bit more because he is playing well.
"He gave us the boost that we needed. So, we'll continue to keep our eyes on Anthony and see where we go with him."
Teammates noticed.
"He came in with so much energy, it rejuvenated us," forward Malik Reneau says. "He got us back to what we needed to do, which was get stops."
Leal averages 1.8 points this season, a tick above his career average of 1.4. He has four assists and two rebounds. He is behind seniors Xavier Johnson (when healthy) and Trey Galloway, sophomore CJ Gunn, and freshman Gabe Cupps in the guard rotation.
But Leal continues to practice as if a starting opportunity is coming (it's happened twice in his career, the last time two years ago). He certainly did in the days before the Kennesaw State game.
"After the (Christmas) break," Woodson says, "he came back, and I thought his two days of practice, he deserved to play more. I decided to play him.
"He gave us a hell of a spark from a defensive standpoint. He did a lot of things that we didn't do early in that spot.
"This is a team game, and when guys are called upon, I expect them to play (well). He delivered."
Leal's biggest minutes (232 of them) came as a freshman. Last season, an ankle injury limited him to just 10 games and two points. But his impact has always gone beyond individual concerns, including a 2022 Christmas gift to his sister when he used his NIL money to help pay her college expenses.
Now, his biggest role is to provide leadership and inspiration for freshmen such as Cupps, Mackenzie Mgbako, and Jakai Newton (out with injury).
Doing that, Leal says, means making himself uncomfortable and vulnerable; he needs to talk and get his teammates together as much as possible because that will make IU a better team and, if the Hoosiers have their way, a Big Ten title-contending squad.
So, Leal will play with a chip on his shoulder and a belief that he can do the little things to help deliver victories.
"I can bring toughness and my mental approach to the game," he has said. "I know scouts. I know what other teams are going to do. I know how to play the right way. I know how to make guys around me better. I also know I can make shots.
"I can do things, not always with the ball, that are required to win."
Leal proved it against Kennesaw State.
Expect him to prove it again.
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
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