Auburn Basketball: Recap of Sharife Cooper’s first two games of 2020-21

How impressive have Sharife Cooper’s first two games been for Auburn Basketball in the past week?

There have been numerous insiders like myself who have anticipated for Sharife Cooper to be eligible to play. Even though the chances seemed pretty slim, he made his way onto the floor for Auburn Basketball on January 9. In his two games played for the Tigers, Cooper has shown great effort and tenacity as the point guard on the team.

vs. Alabama

Let’s start with the first matchup against Alabama. A team who has gotten off to a terrific start in the SEC, it was a challenge to watch how Cooper would manage to fight through the defense. To begin the game, it was obvious that Cooper was trying to get into the flow early. Turnovers and missed opportunities at the rim forced him to begin the game 3-9 shooting. But after a while, Cooper found his mark in the scoring column.

The most impressive aspect of Cooper’s game was his awareness of the floor past halfcourt. While penetrating through traffic, Cooper was able to spot open teammates and find them in the right spot. Teammates in JT Thor, Allen Flanigan, and others were able to benefit from Cooper’s playmaking ability. In only one game, Cooper was able to possess a lot of chemistry and feel for the areas and positions his teammates were comfortable in.

vs. Georgia

Fast forward to the next matchup against Georgia. It was once again another poor shooting night for Cooper, but he still searched for ways to get openings around the basket for high percentage shots. He also continued to control the game with his playmaking once again and continued to put guys in perfect positions. Cooper’s strong play in the second half was a huge contribution for the Tigers extending their lead. It was an impressive performance, to say the least, and another step into Cooper creating the chemistry on the floor with his teammates.

For his first two collegiate games, I’m sure no one will complain about the numbers that Cooper has displayed so far. He’s averaging 27 points per game while dishing out 10 assists in the meantime. The one flaw that Cooper has in his game is perimeter shooting. The form and release are just not as consistent, which forces him to not shoot a high percentage.

Luckily, Cooper’s ability to attack the paint for layups and ability to get to the line makes up for his lack of perimeter scoring. Although it’s only been two games, Cooper has shown to be a phenomenal playmaking talent.