Illinois Basketball: Lessons from Fighting Illini exhibition win over IUP

Cockburn’s pros and cons

A concern every coach has going into a season where their center is their most effective scorer is the fact that few traditional centers create their own shots.  There is no debate that Cockburn can play with his back to the basket and back his man down from the block, Cockburn is also able to take a dribble – even two – with a defender on his shoulder as he gets to the rim.

Both those scenarios, however, require a teammate to feed him the basketball. Fortunately early on – as was demonstrated versus a smaller IUP team – Andre Curbelo and the rest of the backcourt will pound the ball inside to their big man.

Getting the ball into Cockburn may not be an act of pure altruism by the backcourt, however, for it will benefit them in the form of open shots on the perimeter. Coach Underwood had the Fighting Illini in a 4-out offense for large stretches versus IUP, even with Omar Payne playing the post. Illinois’ 4-out offense will consist of Cockburn in the post surrounded by shooters beyond the arc, and shoot beyond the arc is what the Fighting Illini did versus IUP as they went 9-29.

Granted, the undersized Crimson Hawks were not shy about sending three, sometimes four defenders into the key on the Cockburn catch, thus facilitating the kick out, but even off the Cockburn high screen and roll Curbello would get penetration and find a man to kick out to.

The area that Cockburn needs to improve on – especially if he is to get minutes in the NBA – is his perimeter defense. The Crimson Hawks put Cockburn in numerous ball-screens that forced the switch, which resulted in a lot of uncontested three-pointers as Cockburn was unable to close out.

With the Crimson Hawks making under 28 percent of three-pointers, it could have been by design to allow the perimeter shot in lieu of giving up penetration, but it was obvious Cockburn is a liability when it comes to perimeter defense.