Injuries and inexperience have limited the Indiana backcourt at times this season. Sophomore point guard Rob Phinisee has dealt with a number of ailments himself but is finally making his way back to full strength.
His leadership and poise was an aspect of the team that the Hoosiers missed, and the need for a primary ball handler was reflected in Phinisee's season-high 16 points in an overtime victory against Nebraska.
Without a player to manage the floor, basketball teams are sure to become subject to inconsistencies — whether it’s on offense or defense. Indiana has dominated the paint and often relied on inside scoring.
To say the least, the Hoosiers’ guard play hasn’t yet matched that of their forwards and centers. Injuries are the epicenter of that struggle.
Sophomore point guard Rob Phinisee is slowly working his way back to form after dealing with a slew of ailments to start the season. He’s missed games due to an abdominal injury, illness and, most recently, a tweaked ankle sustained in practice.
When he has seen the floor, he’s received high praise from his teammates, coaches and opponents. He made all the plays necessary to escape with a 96-90 overtime victory against Nebraska on Friday.
“His ability to guard. His ability to make the right play. Getting him back in the lineup was huge for Indiana,” Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg said after the game. “As long as he’s in the run of the show, there’s bright days ahead.”
Phinisee has only played in six games this season, culminating in a total of 116 minutes on the floor. Only senior forward De’Ron Davis has played less of the team’s 11 scholarship players. After Indiana's win over Connecticut in New York, Miller said Phinisee's 13 minutes was "more than he's practiced all year."
Without their primary ball handler, the Hoosiers looked to junior Al Durham and freshman Armaan Franklin to step up in the backcourt. They’re the only two guards that have played in all 11 games this season.
Franklin is getting more playing time than expected as a freshman but doesn’t have the same experience as Phinisee, despite just a one-year difference. As for Durham, he has excelled as an excellent scorer in transition. He pushes the pace for Indiana but also leads the team in turnovers with 23 on the year.
And even when senior Devonte Green made his way back to the court after dealing with a hamstring injury, he’s been a polarizing player at the guard position. Green is a shot creator and an aggressive passer. Though he, too, has been subject to his fair share of giveaways — boasting a team-high turnover rate per game.
Phinisee himself has turned the basketball over on an average of twice per game, but he’s slowly cut down on those mistakes. In the last two games, he’s had just one turnover in each. Green has given the ball up four times in three different games this season.
Phinisee is the team’s floor general. He doesn’t force shots or look to make plays on his own. He’s posted 23 assists in the six games he’s played, trailing only Durham and Franklin while coming off the bench. Now that he’s beginning to get healthy — having played in the team’s last two games — he’ll continue to work his way back to the starting lineup.
When he walks onto the court and gets a handle on the basketball, the game appears to slow down. Green and Durham create their own forms of controlled chaos that can sometimes lead to risky decisions.
“He's about as a team guy as you get,” Indiana head coach Archie Miller said of his point guard. “He's stepped up and he's ready. He's been paying attention and maybe with some reps and other things to get under his belt he'll continue to find himself back into the rhythm. But it won't take him long to get back. He's a guy that's engaged you can tell out there he's got his bounce back.”
Phinisee had his best game of the year against Nebraska as he finished with a season-high 16 points. Seven of those came in the overtime period following regulation.
He showed poise no matter how close the Cornhuskers came to upsetting the Hoosiers at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The calmness in his play radiated in the game’s five extra minutes as he hit his second 3-pointer of the night.
With the shot clock winding down, Phinisee found himself behind the arc and a defender closing in. Rather than rushing the shot, he gave a convincing ball fake and then elevated after his defender was behind him. The basketball rotated away from his outstretched fingers with one second left before a violation.
He nailed it.
Phinisee said after the game it was satisfying to make shots and create plays when the team needed it. What separates him from the other Indiana guards is his control. The level-headedness he portrays in his demeanor and in his play translates to the rest of the team. With a facilitator such as Phinisee on the floor, there's a noticeable difference compared to others leading the charge.
“You can see that he’s the heart and soul in this thing with that team,” Hoiberg said. “With that poise and the way he plays, having the patience to get that thing down to the one and shot fake and rise up and knock it down. It’s a big-time shot.”
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