Kansas basketball: Jalen Wilson, Christian Braun impress in first win
Some young Jayhawk talent helped secure Kansas basketball’s first win of the season as they closed out their final game in Fort Myers.
Kansas basketball found its first win on Friday, staving off St. Joesph’s 94-72 to close out their time at the Rocket Mortgage Tip-Off in Fort Myers, FL.
Heading into the season we had our eyes on two young names, Jalen Wilson and Christian Braun. These two found an excellent showing against St. Joesph’s and helped snag the first win of the year for Kansas.
Wilson, while not starting, chipped in an impressive 14 points and was very active on offense. This is good to see, considering the praise he received during fall boot camp. It’s something we’ll watch improve with time. I can’t make up my mind whether or not he’ll find his way into the starting five right away, but by all means, he will get there at some point this season.
St. Joesph’s had their hands full on defense today, as the Jayhawks built up momentum after the first half, outscoring the opposing Hawks by 14 points in the final act of the game. The “baby-faced assassin” had the SJU defense on their toes, leading the Jayhawks with 30 points and going 5-8 from the 3-point line. Christian Braun is going to be quite the weapon for this Kansas offense going forward.
The sophomore guard came up big on defense, securing the most rebounds of any Jayhawk on the court (9). This was an excellent sign, as having Braun showing more physicality at the basket is going to play into Kansas’ favor in the Big 12.
We got some solid looks from our young talent yesterday, and it’s even better that we’re getting a good sense of their talent this early in the year. Gonzaga was quite the test for the Jayhawks, and hopefully, we sustain the high-scoring, fast-paced offense we saw in Fort Myers.
The Jayhawk’s young talent will have quite a test coming up, as the Champion’s Classic is approaching on December 1st. Squaring off with Kentucky, it’s sure to be a heavy road test for the Jayhawks. We’re going to need consistent play from guys like Wilson and Braun to help keep our cool against the nation’s 10th ranked Kentucky Wildcats.