The Nations Best - Blake Griffin Leads OU into Battle
by Ian James
A healthy Blake Griffin, immediate impact from freshman guard Willie Warren and improved depth, it all came together and Oklahoma became the first team in the country to reach 20 victories. Griffin has been the best player in the country; it wasn't even much of a debate. He averaged 22 points AND 14 rebounds for the season, which is ridiculous.
Griffin, who had some knee problems last season, came back for his sophomore season despite the likelihood of being a lottery pick, and now he looks like a No. 1 overall selection. In theory, teams could possibly stop the 6'10", 250-pound big man by sending three or four guys at him, but that would be short-sighted. While the Sooners begin with Griffin, they finish the job because of a stellar supporting cast. It's OU's every-which-way ability that makes them a national title contender.
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Warren, who was the leading scorer in last summer's McDonald's All-American game, has been as advertised, the team's second-leading scorer at about 15 points a game. He's solidly built, able to get points inside and outside the 3-point arc. He's a star in his own right. Senior Austin Johnson runs the point again, capable of hitting at above-average rates from 3-point range and the free-throw line. He can score in bunches and when he does, OU is nearly unstoppable. Mostly, the Sooners are happy to see him at his efficient best. Johnson has one of the most sparkling assist-to-turnover ratios in the country.
Junior wing Tony Crocker and senior forward Taylor Griffin (each about 10 points per game) round out the starting lineup, which tends to average heavy minutes. But the bench is not a weakness, especially because junior college transfer Juan Pattillo came out of a redshirt in January. He's a 6'6", 216-pound wing with gobs of athletic ability, and he was just scratching the surface in his early games.
To top it all off, the Sooners don't give an inch on defense, limiting teams to about 38 percent shooting.
So there is more to this OU team than Griffin but without him they are toast. As long as he is healthy, it will take a supreme effort to bump out the Sooners who are ranked second to UNC which would be an epic battle in the elite 8.
