Manhattan – To say that the relationship between the basketball coach of the state of the Kansas, Jerome Tang and the leader, dug McDaniel took a difficult start, would be an understatement.
McDaniel was a stubborn junior transfer from Michigan, and Tang is known to be both difficult and demanding when it comes to its leaders. At first, while the Wildcats were looking for an identity, it led to tensions and even a bench of a match for McDaniel.
But while McDaniel adapted to tang methods and the coach began to achieve what made his new leader vibrate, things started to come together. McDaniel started the 11 games from the Big 12 k-state, and even after a 1-6 conference, it became clear that they were on something.
So much so that the Wildcats (11-11, 5-6 Big 12) have now won four consecutive games before the Sunflower’s Showdown match of 1 p.m. against Kansas n ° 17 (16-6, 7-4) in Bramlage Coliseum.
In relation: Kansas State Basketball vs Arizona State Recap: Wildcats Hangs for the 4th consecutive victory
In relation: The Kansas State basketball dug McDaniel Rising to meet the expectations of coach Jerome Tang
McDaniel has an average of 10.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game, but more importantly, he plays with more confidence.
“I feel like I am always able to play in this way. I feel like it’s just a question of me and the Tang coach when I saw the eyes,” said McDaniel in an interview post-match radio Saturday after the Wildcats extended their victories sequence with a 71-70 victory on Arizona State. “We did an excellent job to simply file our guard and send everything to the side for the greatest good of the team.
“In the end, we both have the same vision. We both want the same objectives, so why not assemble them and make a great adjustment, and we did it.”
Tang wrote the first struggles against McDaniel simply acclimatizing to a new team, a new city and a new coach.
“It’s as if he had been living in a country for some time, and they spoke a certain language,” said Tang. “And now he is a student in exchange in a different country, and he learns a new language, and sometimes knowing what you mean and how to say that it is two different things.
“He learns to say it as we say and learning to ask questions to get the right answer. And so, it’s just this time process. But he was so good caretaker and there was in our League the latest four or five games, so just super proud of him.
In the recent Wildcats race, McDaniel began to understand what the team needs him and respond accordingly.
During the 80-61 eruption of the state of the Iowa last Saturday, which ended the sequence of losses of 15 Wildcats, he collected 20 points and five assists. On Arizona State, he only scored seven points but contributed nine assists and a career summit of eight rebounds.
“Dug has special legs,” said Tang about the 11 -inch McDaniel. “It is fast, it puts pressure on defense, and what I liked recently is that it used this speed that it must have an impact on the defensive end of speech.
“Because you are not only the attack in attack, but you are also the point of attack on defense. And he really amplified his defensive game, and he became more vocal.”
This was obvious in the match of the state of Arizona, when the Wildcats rallied with a deficit of 18-2 to lead to two figures in the second period, to hang on to expensive life at the end.
“These types of moments are for which I live,” said McDaniel. “(Tang) says that because the guys look at me more, they count on me to take care of the ball and be just this spark.
“And this is a great responsibility for some, but as a leader, that’s what comes from it. So, I was ready for this challenge, and we are four games and we just try to continue.”
Arne Green is based in Salina and covers the sports of Kansas State University for the Gannett network. It can be reached at granted@gannett.com or on x (formerly twitter) at @arnegreen.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: The Kansas state basketball goalkeeper dug McDaniel giving the savages necessary for Spark
(Tagstotranslate) Jerome Tang (T) lasted McDaniel (T) Player (T) Arizona State (T) Kansas State (T) Iowa State (T) Michigan
