This was a wild game! Texas had a 23-point lead that was whittled down to just 2, but they managed to hang on. It was an entertaining showdown, with all eyes on Jeremiah Fears and Tre Johnson. These two players are polar opposites on the court, and it was fun to watch them go at it.

Jeremiah Fears is all about attacking the rim. He drove to the basket multiple times, and one sequence that really caught my eye was a right-handed drive that he finished with a left-handed scoop layup—a move that reminded me of Rajon Rondo’s crafty finishes at the rim. Fears is also an excellent ball handler. There was one play where he ball-faked at the three-point line, then went behind his back, leading to another drive to the basket. His mentality to attack the rim is something I really like, but I’d have liked to see him mix it up a bit more.

Fears drove to the basket almost every time, and while that’s his strength, it felt a little one-dimensional at times. There was only one mid-range pull-up that I saw, and it came off a tough turnaround jumper that resulted in a foul. Fears did a good job drawing fouls, but he struggled to convert at the free-throw line during this game.

In terms of his overall game, I felt there were moments when he didn’t show enough urgency, especially on loose balls. There were a couple of instances where he could have grabbed a rebound, but didn’t, which led to extra opportunities for Texas. However, credit where it’s due—Fears was huge for Oklahoma late in the game, hitting a crucial three-pointer with under a minute left and then coming up with a steal to cut the lead to just 2.

Tre Johnson, on the other hand, was the main reason Texas was able to hold onto the lead. He was everywhere and displayed an impressive offensive game. Johnson has incredible range and isn’t shy about using it. He also loves using his floater and is definitely a two-level scorer. Two threes in the first half stood out: one was an impressive side-step three, and the other came from well beyond the arc. What was interesting, though, is that Johnson didn’t get to the basket much.

His game is centered on the three-point shot and mid-range, which is great, but not getting to the rim does raise some questions. One thing I noticed is that Johnson’s handle is a bit shaky. When he drives, it feels like he’s carrying the ball, and his dribble doesn’t seem very strong. This made me wonder if he might be avoiding contact when driving to the basket.

In the second half, Johnson did show he could get to the rim with a ridiculous left-handed layup that was impressive to see. When Oklahoma started to close the gap, Texas turned to Johnson, and he delivered. He hit two consecutive fadeaway jump shots to put Texas back up by 7, which was crucial as Texas fought to hold off Oklahoma’s surge.

All in all, this was an exciting game, and watching these two projected lottery picks go head-to-head was a real treat. Fears brought the aggression, while Johnson showed why he’s such a dangerous scorer.

Key Takeaways:

Fears Pros: Loves attacking the rim and is a great ball handler.
Fears Cons: His game can be one-dimensional at times, and he lacks aggression on loose balls.

Johnson Pros: Has deep range and is an impressive two-level scorer, always around the ball.
Johnson Cons: His dribble can be shaky, sometimes looking like he’s carrying the ball, and he doesn’t get to the rim as much as he should.