Mason-Griffin makes his move
Published: 1/29/2010 12:00 AM
Last Modified: 1/29/2010 12:00 AM
A funny thing happened on the way to Willie Warren replacing Blake Griffin as Oklahoma basketball poster boy -- Tommy Mason-Griffin replaced Warren.
So it is in the minds of several OU followers who have watched Mason-Griffin explode over the past three games. His numbers: 85 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists, 6 turnovers and 119 out of a possible 120 minutes.
I'm not ready to take that leap just yet. Warren has missed the last two games with a spained ankle. When he played alongside Mason-Griffin at Texas A&M two days before the injury, he was just as valuable to the Sooners' second-half rally as the freshman point guard.
Let's see what happens when Warren returns. Also, with or without Warren, let's see if Mason-Griffin can give coach Jeff Capel a little more in terms of both defensive effort and leadership quality.
I will say this: Forget about any notion of moving Mason-Griffin off the point and letting Warren run the offense. That was a recent idea hatched when Mason-Griffin was the only guard making outside shots, and Warren went into a 3-point funk.
Those two trends haven't changed, actually. But you can't take the ball from a player with the command Mason-Griffin showed against A&M, Texas Tech and Iowa State.
About a year and a half ago, after Mason-Griffin committed to OU, recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons called him "a strong, compact, spark plug lead guard... He will be an outstanding future floor leader for the Sooners."
That future is right now.
After Mason-Griffin zapped Iowa State for 38 points Wednesday night, teammate Cade Davis said: "He's our captain out there on the floor. He gets us in our stuff. Hr runs things. He takes control of the ball and takes care of it really well. He's played lights out the last two games (without Warren) and we don't expect anything less out of him."
Assuming Warren returns for Saturday's game at Nebraska, it will be very interesting to read OU's backcourt dynamic. It's entirely possible that Mason-Griffin's newfound rhythm will make it easier for Warren to get more open shots and a more open floor. That's what should happen, really, provided the two playmakers show a willingness to share in the production.
Maybe what everyone needs to discover is that it doesn't have to be Warren's team, or Mason-Griffin's. Why not take joint ownership and turn OU's season around while there's still time?
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
