Tuesday afternoon’s game began with a BANG!
Pick and roll perfection ๐ @YanicKonan #WeAre | ๐บ: CBS Sports Network pic.twitter.com/B3yGeQvR1u
โ Penn State Menโs Basketball (@PennStateMBB) November 26, 2024
This partnership between Ace Baldwin Jr. and Yanic Konan Niederhauser scored four times throughout the Penn Stateโs 75-67 loss to Clemson.
In the first half, Baldwin was in complete control of the offense, assisting on the first four Penn State buckets, bringing his halftime total to seven.
But the boxscore only captures a part of how good Baldwin was out of pick and rolls.
So after a highlight start was tampered with defeat, what positives come out of this game for PSU?
WORKING AT HIS OWN PACE
Yes, Baldwin recorded his third double-double of the season (tying the most he’s had in a single season), but against Clemson, it was more about how he dropped those dimes.
Baldwin’s handle isn’t flashy, but it’s controlled and tight. Coming off ball screens, he patiently probes in the paint, using subtle fakes and changes of pace to keep the defense off-kilter.
Take the play below for example. Baldwin uses the Kachi Nzeh screen and attacks the retreating big man instead of stopping early and bailing the defense out with a midrange pull-up. This forces Nzeh’s defender to step up for a moment, opening up this beautiful wrap-around pass.
Or how about this pass, where he reads the low man being too far over and whips it to the corner for a Zach Hicks 3.
This command of the defense isn’t just noticeable on the tape, either.
Per Synergy Sports, Baldwin’s 1.3 points per pick-and-roll rank in the 94th percentile across Division I. And it’s not on a small volume either. His 59 pick-and-roll possessions account for half of his offensive game (97th percentile).
Ace is having a career year at Penn State, but among the many things he contributes, his continued growth as a lead guard has been a joy to watch.
NOT IN THIS HAUSE
Niederhauser has shown flashes of what he could blossom into as an offensive weapon, but his immediate impact has been on the defensive side of things.
There are only 20 players in the nation, through a minimum of six games, that are averaging at least 1.8 blocks and posting a 10.6 block percentage (estimating the number of 2-point field goals a player blocks while on the floor).
Penn State’s big man is one of those 20, and against the Tigers, he was a force to be reckoned with.
Not only did Niederhauser send back three shots in Tuesday’s game, but he was pivotal in slowing down star Clemson forward Ian Schieffelin. By halftime, Schieffelin had 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, prompting a change in defensive assignments. Coming out of the locker room, Puff Johnson was relieved of his duty as Niederhauser stepped up.
As is with all great players, all you can hope for is to slow them down, and Niederhauser did just that. Even though Schieffelin impacted the game with his passing and rebounding, he went 2-of-8 in the second half for half a dozen points.
While the Swiss big has treated fans to some early-season offensive highlights, Penn State coach Mike Rhoades knows that he still has a long way to go before he reaches his potential on that side of the floor.
โ[For] Yannick, just him understanding how we’re going to play through him a lot and move him all over the court,” Rhoades said in October, “…[he]ย just needs more game experience and more reps doing it the way we do.โ
In the meantime, the 7-footer should continue to be a presence on the backline for this Penn State defense.
