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Two phrases to explain Indiana basketball’s win on Saturday over Ohio State? Gunn present.
CJ Gunn has at all times been a assured man. He carries himself as somebody who is aware of what he’s able to and understands it could simply be a matter of time earlier than everybody else realizes it, too. All through his time at Indiana, Gunn has proven flashes of his potential, however by no means fairly to the extent the place he may very well be described as somebody who may very well be a game-changer.
He had by no means heard the Simon Skjodt Meeting Corridor crowd cheer when he got here off the bench or roar as he ran down the courtroom celebrating a 3-pointer. He had by no means placed on a present earlier than.
Then, he did, and he helped Indiana win a recreation it desperately wanted to.
The sophomore performed arguably the most effective recreation of his faculty profession on January 6, scoring 10 factors and enjoying for a career-high 24 minutes. Gunn did a bit little bit of all the things, coming by means of on offense and staying lively and pesky on protection.
Nevertheless, his best attribute didn’t seem on the stat sheet. They not often do.
“Your psychological method needs to be on par,” Mike Woodson stated Saturday. “If I don’t see that, then how can I’ve confidence in enjoying you? I assumed these final two days he was proper on par, man, by way of what we needed.”
For Woodson, having the right mentality is simply as essential as understanding the sport. To earn the belief of IU’s third-year head coach, it takes a mixture of the 2 and, maybe above all, a willingness to proceed to place the work in.
Gunn embraced what Woodson needed, and labored arduous to fulfill his head coach. Woodson seen his dedication in follow and determined to see if it will switch to a recreation. It did, and Gunn’s diligence is beginning to repay.
“He had two good days, man, and I assumed he deserved to play,” Woodson stated. “I assumed he responded, which was type of good.”
Gunn didn’t simply put his all into follow, although. He did — and continues to do — all the things potential to get higher on and off the courtroom.
“It’s simply how a lot I watch the sport and examine the sport,” Gunn stated about his elevated confidence. “Coach made an emphasis that I should be extra in tune with what we’re doing on each side of the ground. Being upstairs with Walsh and Jordy, going over movie constantly, that clearly brings me extra consolation within the recreation.”
Gunn is the type of participant who, when he’s snug, can flip a recreation round with a number of performs. He confirmed his capability to do exactly that within the second half of Indiana’s recreation towards Ohio State, enjoying for 19 minutes and scoring 5 momentum-shifting factors to propel the Hoosiers to a 71-65 victory.
All 5 of his factors got here between the 9 and six-minute marks, simply when Indiana settled into its groove and began constructing a lead over the Buckeyes.
Gunn’s confidence and understanding of the sport have been obligatory in a recreation the place Indiana was out-toughed on the glass, getting out-rebounded 49-27. He didn’t essentially support in Indiana’s battle below the basket, however he introduced a prompt the bench and held the mentality of doing no matter he wanted to present his group some vitality.
So, when Gunn turned to the group with double finger weapons — get it? — after sinking a 3-pointer, it’s no shock the whole Indiana bench stood in celebration and the group went wild. A house crowd does wonders for a group’s vitality, and Gunn knew how one can get the Hoosier devoted fired up.
Oh My GOODNESS CJ GUNN! ? @CJ_Gunn22 x @IndianaMBB pic.twitter.com/ENYB2HuLUk
— FOX School Hoops (@CBBonFOX) January 7, 2024
“He’s a man that has excessive confidence in himself and fears nothing,” Xavier Johnson stated.
Fearlessness and tenacity are two intangibles that any coach could be completely satisfied to have in a participant coming off the bench. Gunn has proven he possesses these qualities and that he can change the movement of a recreation. Now, can he proceed to be the participant he was on Saturday?
Filed to: C.J. Gunn
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