With Trace Jackson Davis and Race Thompson back on board the promising five-star freshman Maricle Nau, it’s not easy to get the minutes on the Indiana front court.
Junior forward Jordan Jeronimo has been patiently waiting for his chance. His minutes increased from 8.1 per contest as a freshman in 2020-21 to 12.6 last season.
However, being eligible for one year meant that Thompson could return, and his decision to do so made many doubts about whether Jeronimo would look for opportunities elsewhere.
He did — around.
Geronimo announced his decision to return to the program in late April after Thompson’s announcement and Reneau’s commitment. His choice to stay in Bloomington was underpinned by the opportunity to play in a 6’6 spot, a small forward position that would sooner or later need to be drawn if he wanted to play at the next level.
“I’m working on guard skills,” Geronimo said. At the popular IU show Crimson cast.. “I want to be three people this year, so I can expand my role as a player. This offseason, I’m working on improving the steering wheel and I’m reading the situation from three. Of course. , My jump shot too (too). “
His athletic talent is undeniable, but Jeronimo struggled to get the ball out of the basket. He frequently made bad passes and had a turnover rate of 21.3 percent. This is the best forward of the team. Geronimo also had the lowest assist rate on the team.
“For him, I think it’s about getting better at making decisions and handling the ball,” Thompson said last week about Jeronimo. “He’s an elite defender. Everyone knows it. It doesn’t matter. I think he really can handle the ball and make good decisions.
“He’s doing well in practice and improving every day. It’s fun to see him move, defender, pump fake and wand dribble from someone who doesn’t actually handle the ball. It’s very impressive to be able to pull up and do it in just one summer, and hopefully he can continue to build on it and will greatly help us. “
Geronimo says he’s starting from a good place out of the sophomore campaign. He scored 10 points in 13 minutes in the second half of the season in Minnesota, averaging 12 points and 6.5 rebounds in two NCAA tournament games. Jeronimo also had two blocks and was on the floor as part of the defense of the elite team that IU counterattacked. Big tent tournament Michigan.
“My confidence was higher than ever and I was able to help my teammates do as much as they could to win,” Jeronimo said of his surge in the second half of the season. “It’s great to be able to finish the season knowing that I helped the team move forward. I’m just trying to use it to motivate me to keep getting better. “
Geronimo is watching a movie to prepare for the transition to the border.
“I watch a lot of movies with my (assistant) Kenyan hunter coach, watch the practice we did, learn what I shouldn’t do, and learn about new roles. As a person. “
Since high school, Jeronimo has always liked to see one player who has grown into a player around him, especially to complement his size and athletic performance.
“When I was in high school, I saw De’Andre Hunter graduating from UVA (Virginia) and playing for the Atlanta Hawks. I love his games,” Geronimo said. “I think what he’s doing at the NBA level is what he can do by putting himself in that position. I love his games.”
The hunters led Virginia to the 2019 National Championship before leaving for the NBA.
Geronimo isn’t ready to make a national title forecast for 2022-23 Hoosiers, but you can see it directly. This year the level of talent is different.
“We play a lot of pick-up games on this team. Just seeing us playing makes us feel like we’re crazy about the potential of this team,” Geronimo said. I did.
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