5 Takeaways from Texas Basketball Win vs Incarnate Word
By Tyler Brett
It wasn’t all bad news, of course. Lost in the tight finish was a historic performance from freshman James Banks. In his collegiate debut, Banks set a Texas record with five blocked shots. That’s great news for Texas’ interior defense moving forward.
Banks came off the bench in this game spelling Cleare who got himself into foul trouble. While he didn’t provide much on the offensive side, scoring just two points, he was a force on the defensive end. The young center finished with nine rebounds to go along with his five blocks in 24 minutes. Paired up with Allen, Texas has a dominant front-court pairing on their hands.
Banks understands his role on this team is to “defend the rim,” as he said after the game, while he develops his offensive game. Texas benefits greatly from having an eraser in the paint like Banks to clean up any drives into the lane. If a team breaks the press, they aren’t going to have an easy bucket thanks to Banks protecting the rim.
As he develops, Banks’ defensive ability will help him find steady minutes in this rotation. While Cleare has the experience and a more balanced game, Banks has the potential to be a phenomenal post presence for the Horns this season and beyond.