The point guard position will be a key battle to watch as the season unfolds for Iowa basketball. With star forward Kris Murray graduating to the NBA, selected in the first round by the Portland Trail Blazers, the Hawkeyes will have to forge a new identity on offense. All of that starts at point guard.
Incumbent starter Tony Perkins is back for his senior season in Iowa City. In his first full season as a starter, Perkins showed some promise. The Indianapolis native averaged 12.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game on 44.0% field goal shooting.
He will be heavily pushed for playing time by some hungry underclassmen, namely sophomore Dasonte Bowen. Bowen, out of Boston, Mass., averaged 3.1 points in just 9.4 minutes of average floor time.
When asked about the point guard situation, head coach Fran McCaffery boasted about all four of his potential options at the position.
“We do have a lot of options at that position. I think we’ll see Tony there at times. I think Dasonte and Brock (Harding) and Josh Dix can all play that position. Normally you don’t have that many options,” McCaffery said.
Bowen is the player expected by most to really make a push for the starting role this season. He showed some great flashes in limited playing time at the end of last season.
Coach McCaffery talks a lot about pushing the pace, and Bowen is one of the most dynamic threats the Hawkeyes have running downhill. The 6-foot-2, 183 pound guard showed some special athleticism last season and can add a new element to the offense. The ability to hit shots from outside and be more than just a slasher will be huge for the Brewster Academy product.
It’s exciting to hear that true freshman Brock Harding will push for some playing time. He’s a really exciting prospect, we’ll just have to see if that’s just preseason coach talk, though.
As a youngster, he might not get his chance quite yet. Word around Iowa City is that he has made a seamless transition to college, though.
Josh Dix is an interesting name to see thrown in at point guard. With his height and shooting ability, most would project him as a shooting guard. However, if Iowa is looking to surround new star transfer big man Ben Krikke with shooters, Dix at the one is something they can definitely tinker with.
The 6-foot-5, 200 pound guard from Council Bluffs, Iowa, averaged 2.0 points per game in 9.2 minutes of average floor time last season.
However, the most interesting option may not come from one of these new faces. It’s important to keep an eye on returning starter Perkins and how his game has progressed this offseason.
In what Perkins expects to be his last season at Iowa, he likely morphs into the leader of this team. He’s talked about gunning for Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and with his athletic profile, that’s certainly attainable.
If he can find more consistency in his game, and maybe hit some more shots from deep, Perkins could be an invaluable member of this starting rotation.
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