5 takeaways from OSU’s Spanish exhibition trip

Parker Gerl Staff Reporter

OSU got an early look at its 2023-24 men’s basketball team against real competition last week.

The Cowboys traveled overseas to play three exhibition games, defeating the Cape Verde senior national team and falling to the Embassy All-Stars and Barcelona All-Stars, respectively.

Here are some takeaways from OSU’s Spanish exhibition tour.

Quion Williams could have a large role

Coming off a season where he wasn’t consistently a part of the rotation, Williams could see a much larger role in 2023-24. He started every game and had an all-around impressive trip, averaging 11.3 points across the week with a 19-point performance in OSU’s 86-79 win over the Cape Verde senior national team.

Williams finished efficiently around the rim and was effective defensively in passing lanes. His perimeter shot isn’t there right now, but he continued to let the 3s fly. Assistant coach David Cason said the coaching staff loves Williams’ aggressiveness and confidence but wants him to find a balance for it.

Brandon Garrison used as initiator

Albeit just three exhibition games, it seems Cowboys coach Mike Boynton is going to use Garrison as one of the offense’s engines. During the trip, OSU ran sets that started with the freshman big man catching a pass in the high post that turned into dribble handoffs or Garrison hitting a teammate coming off another action.

Garrison’s post game is still a bit raw, but he converted at a decent rate on his inside looks and found some easy buckets off rim-running and offensive rebounds. His most impressive outing was a 12-point,

12-rebound double-double against the Embassy All-Stars.

Boynton got his wish

Following the 2022-23 season, Boynton said OSU needed more playmaking. Well, East Carolina transfer Javon Small is playing right into Boynton’s wish.

In his first look with the Cowboys, Small’s playmaking stood out right away. In the first two games he dished out a combined 11 assists and controlled the pace and half-court offense effectively over the three-game slate.

Freshmen had an impact

Alongside Garrison having a good trip, freshmen Eric Dailey Jr., Justin McBride, Connor Dow and Jamyron Keller also made an impact in their minutes.

Dailey Jr. was the lone Cowboy to average double-digit points (11) over the entire trip and showed early signs of his point-forward skills. Dow drilled four 3s in OSU’s win, McBride dropped 14 and 17 points in the first two games, and Keller showed he can handle both on- and off-ball duties.

Isaiah Miranda is a wildcard for now

Miranda joined OSU after spending a year at NC State in which he didn’t appear in any games. He’s inexperienced, and it showed a bit during the tour. Opposing bigs were able to easily move the 7-footer around, leading to some buckets inside.

Overall, Miranda displayed rim-protection and a comfortability to shoot a 3 and mid-range jumper, but it could be some time before he’s an integral part of the Cowboys’ lineups.

Exhibition tour results

Game 1: OSU 86, Cape Verde 79

Game 2: Embassy All-Stars 82, OSU 78

Game 3: Barcelona All-Stars 85, OSU 73

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