How Johni Broone’s Injury Can Impact Auburn in a Positive Way?
The Auburn Tigers have looked the odds on favorite to win the National Championship this season. After a successful season last year winning the SEC Championship they look to do even bigger and better things this season. With a record of 15-1 and currently ranked number one in the AP poll. Johni Broome on the season is averaging 17.9 ppg , 10.7 rebounds,3.3 assists and 2.7 blocks while shooting 54.7% from the field. He looked like the front runner for National Player of the Year but with his left ankle injury he will be out indefinitely moving forward. I will break down why this massive injury could be a blessing in disguise for the depth and prospects that Auburn has on their roster.
Outside of Broome the Tigers have been holding it down as a collective unit. Without their go to guy down low they will need to find other go scorers and playmakers. A key player that everyone will be watching to take the next step is Chad Baker-Mazara. The six seven senior has looked like a three level threat on all aspects on offense. I can see his field goals go from seven to at least ten+. I can see him averaging 18 points on good efficiency during this stretch. Giving Auburn a consensus number two go to guy when Broome eventually comes back.
The freshmen are going to step up and get big minutes and show what they're truly capable of. The first freshmen who will most likely dominate the ball especially down the stretch of games will be Tahaad Pettiford. He has been an instant spark plug off the bench this season. His ball handling and deep three point shooting has looked like a top five guard in the nation. His biggest problem has been staying out of foul trouble. If he is able to stay on the court he will produce in ways that could make him a lottery pick in the upcoming draft. The second freshman who should now be in the everyday rotation is Jahki Howard. He had an incident with his teammates in the beginning of the year but since he has returned he has primarily only played garbage time minutes. He has incredible athleticism and a smooth jump shot. He could create real problems on the defensive end and on fast breaks. Look for him to have some monumental performances during the course of the season.
It's never a good thing when your best player goes down with a significant injury. However, in Auburn's case they have so much depth and talent on their roster. Players who aren’t getting consistent minutes right now could develop and become a major contributor during the NCAA tournament. Bruce Pearl is a great coach and will instill his team with the confidence they need to go out there and continue to play freely even without their dominant big man.
