Before the Arizona game, Tamar Bates offered this to the media when asked about his production increase.
“It’s about working and spending time,” Bates said. “There are no secret recipes or formulas[there]. Just take your craft seriously and work with purpose.”
Bates looked serious in his craft Saturday night in Las Vegas. It was arguably the most mature performance of his sophomore Indiana career. They scored a career-high 22 points and scored 19 against Nebraska last week, but those points came at home against less competition. His 13 points on 6/10 shooting against Arizona put him against the best team Indiana has played this season in a high-level environment.
And that wasn’t the only time Bates had hot hands.
Take a look at Bates’ work in the latest edition of Film Sessions.
With Indiana starting to show signs of a comeback in the first half, Race Thompson sets up a highball screen near Bates’ left slot. Kerr Kriisa fights high above the screen and Azuolas Tubelis drops to play his coverage. This means there is space in the midrange for Bates to work in. When Bates reaches his left elbow, he gets up and hits the jumper, pulling the Hoosiers within 14 points of him.
Bates’ great job here is taking what the defense gave him and connecting.
In the second half, Thompson and Bates hook up again at the ball screen near the left slot, but this time Bates drives to the right and Creetha goes over the screen again. Once Kriisa recovers, Bates uses his body to hold his Kriisa behind him and Tubelis drops his coverage. As Thompson rolls on his left elbow, Bates drives through the same area, floater up for Bucket and over Tubulis.
High-level pick-and-role play here from the second grade.
In the next play, Xavier Johnson and Malik Reneau team up on the left slot ball screen. Bates is on the weaker wing. When Creetha slips from Bates into the nail area, stopping Johnson’s drive, Johnson dishes it out to him.
Bates stood up and landed a 3-pointer on a recovering Chrysa.
This shows that Bates does not have to be the ball handler in the ball screen action. His improved 3-point shooting makes him a threat if the defense helps stop the ball.
Here, Arizona does to Renault what it did to Trace Jackson-Davis, throwing him a double team with Courtney Ramey guarding Trey Galloway. Galloway then cuts to the basket and Kryisa rotates to dodge the pass.
Renault pulls out of a double team to find Bates on top.
From here, Bates investigates the scene. He does a ball fake and Balu, fed up with a pass to his man (Kopp) in the corner, jumps diagonally to dodge the pass. So Bates drives straight toward his left elbow and attacks all the weak side defenses.
This gives the cup even more room. He makes a pass and Kopp knocks down his 3-pointer.
Bates’ brilliant decision-making here hit the weak corner from the first double-team.
(Photo courtesy of IU Athletics)
Submit to: Arizona Wildcats, Tamar Bates
