ISU's Demarion Watson is "stronger" and "smarter" while playing key role off the bench

[The Rob Gray]

ISU's Demarion Watson is "stronger" and "smarter" while playing key role off the bench

Iowa State Cyclones guard Demarion Watson (4) dunks the ball around Florida A&M Rattlers forward Chase Barrs (10) during the second half of a NCAA college basketball at Hilton Coliseum on Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023, in Ames, Iowa. © Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK AMES — Dema

cyclonefanatic.com

 

[0u812]

Great article. It seems to be a very positive indicator that a player as good as Demarion is fighting for minutes on a D1 squad. He is nearly always in the right place at the right time, especially on defense!

 

[ZRF]

Weird article considering Pavs was getting insane minutes while Watson generally rotted on the bench during non-con play. I always knew once we got into conference play, with real competition and athletes, Watson was the more pivotal player to our success.

Instead of these fluff pieces I'd rather have someone ask Otz why Watson wasn't played MORE than he was.

Most important part is Watson sounds content and happy as I thought he could be someone looking at the portal in the offseason (given his usage).

 

[coolerifyoudid]

Weird article considering Pavs was getting insane minutes while Watson generally rotted on the bench during non-con play. I always knew once we got into conference play, with real competition and athletes, Watson was the more pivotal player to our success.

Instead of these fluff pieces I'd rather have someone ask Otz why Watson wasn't played MORE than he was.

Most important part is Watson sounds content and happy as I thought he could be someone looking at the portal in the offseason (given his usage).

Do you ever drink a full glass of anything or do you just toss it when it gets half empty?

 

[Malty Flannel]

If Watson and Omaha both stick around next year and take a step forward, that will be huge for our frontcourt after losing the 3 seniors

 

[ZRF]

Do you ever drink a full glass of anything or do you just toss it when it gets half empty?

I'm not sure how this really constitutes a glass half full or empty situation.

I'm a big fan of what Watson brings. He's flawed (offensively) for sure, but as the article says he's an amazing on ball defender and needs to learn how to bring that intensity without picking up the cheap fouls he did last year. I just don't think it's a very defensible position to have played Pavs 20+ minutes a game while Watson had less than 5 minutes a game against scrubs.

That's why I don't understand the article. So you want to write a fluff piece when Watson starts to get closer to the minutes he should have been getting the entire season? Alrighty then.

 

[0u812]

I have found myself saying "Why isnt Demarion in right now" even in the non conference. No offense to Omaha, but he has been out there a lot, when I thought Demarion would be a better fit.

We must be patient with the squad, as Coach Otz and his team know what they are doing. We will need and use the depth as the Big 12 season goes on. The future is bright!

 

[bizzle]

I'm not sure how this really constitutes a glass half full or empty situation.

I'm a big fan of what Watson brings. He's flawed (offensively) for sure, but as the article says he's an amazing on ball defender and needs to learn how to bring that intensity without picking up the cheap fouls he did last year. I just don't think it's a very defensible position to have played Pavs 20+ minutes a game while Watson had less than 5 minutes a game against scrubs.

That's why I don't understand the article. So you want to write a fluff piece when Watson starts to get closer to the minutes he should have been getting the entire season? Alrighty then.

He has a very real ceiling of how much he can play due to his nonexistent offense. Playing teams like Houston he'll get more minutes. Games where we need to score a lot he's not gonna play much and Pav will be more useful.

 

[Cyclonepride]

I assume that the staff had their reasons for the lack of minutes, but to me, it is clear that we are a better defensive and rebounding team with him on the floor. Whatever it was, I am glad it seems to be working itself out now.

 

[madguy30]

I assume that the staff had their reasons for the lack of minutes, but to me, it is clear that we are a better defensive and rebounding team with him on the floor. Whatever it was, I am glad it seems to be working itself out now.

Injury, needing time for some reason, matchups, whatever.

It looks calculated and othing indicates it was a problem for Watson.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Injury, needing time for some reason, matchups, whatever.

It looks calculated and othing indicates it was a problem for Watson.

I thought injury too, but TJ didn't mention anything about that when asked about Watson after the Houston game. Just sounded like he was meeting some things that they have been expecting of him (and that's less vague than what TJ actually said).

 

[WastedTalent]

I assume that the staff had their reasons for the lack of minutes, but to me, it is clear that we are a better defensive and rebounding team with him on the floor. Whatever it was, I am glad it seems to be working itself out now.

But, depending on the opponent, we're better offensively with Pav playing. I think there's no doubt TJ recognizes that we need to be better offensively to take that next step, especially compared to his last two seasons.

Intense defense is an identity, but it in previous seasons it was also a necessity.

 

[FLYINGCYCLONE]

Watson was here last year, right, got some good minutes. Pav is new here, he needed minutes so Coach got him minutes to help bring him up to speed. We need minutes out of both, depending on situations. Getter done.
Go Cyclones.

 

[HFCS]

Watson was here last year, right, got some good minutes. Pav is new here, he needed minutes so Coach got him minutes to help bring him up to speed. We need minutes out of both, depending on situations. Getter done.
Go Cyclones.

Makes total sense.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

The dude honestly needs to develop a few offensive moves or demonstrate that he can shoot mid range or corner 3's or something, because offensively he provides just about nothing and has been that way for 1.5 years now. Great athlete I'm just not sure how you can justify more minutes until he proves he can be a better basketball player

 

[madguy30]

Watson was here last year, right, got some good minutes. Pav is new here, he needed minutes so Coach got him minutes to help bring him up to speed. We need minutes out of both, depending on situations. Getter done.
Go Cyclones.

Pav has looked overmatched at first but still got off a couple of good looks and was crafty with the ball the other night.

I think he'll hit a shot or two that are really needed for energy/momentum as the season goes on.

 

[isufbcurt]

I have found myself saying "Why isnt Demarion in right now" even in the non conference. No offense to Omaha, but he has been out there a lot, when I thought Demarion would be a better fit.

We must be patient with the squad, as Coach Otz and his team know what they are doing. We will need and use the depth as the Big 12 season goes on. The future is bright!

Probably because the non-con is for trying new thing, such as giving Pav a chance to see what he can do. By all accounts the coaches know what DWat brings.

 

[madguy30]

I thought injury too, but TJ didn't mention anything about that when asked about Watson after the Houston game. Just sounded like he was meeting some things that they have been expecting of him (and that's less vague than what TJ actually said).

Yeah I'm just giving out general reasons that could be possible.

Basically people look too deeply into this stuff haha.

 

[EvilBetty]

Weird article considering Pavs was getting insane minutes while Watson generally rotted on the bench during non-con play. I always knew once we got into conference play, with real competition and athletes, Watson was the more pivotal player to our success.

Instead of these fluff pieces I'd rather have someone ask Otz why Watson wasn't played MORE than he was.

Most important part is Watson sounds content and happy as I thought he could be someone looking at the portal in the offseason (given his usage).

perhaps Otz was giving pav the opportunity to get up to speed, while knowing full well that watson was ready for minutes once big 12 began. Just giving some reps the the new guy that needed them more than a guy already in the system against teams that had no real shot at beating ISU.

 

[NENick]

Both Watson and Pav are role players. Both have value and will have impact.
One thing we can be sure of, TJ and the rest of the staff know more about how each fit and when to use them than ZRF.