The RoundHouse | 11/1/2021 9:38:00 PM

 
Six points from Monday's 90-58 exhibition win over NCAA Division II Missouri Southern State, one for each Shocker who scored nine or more points.
 
No. 1 – Balance, as the first paragraph suggests. Ricky Council IV came off the bench to score 15 points. Morris Udeze and Qua Grant each added 11, with Tyson Etienne (10), Craig Porter Jr. (nine) and Kenny Pohto (nine) also hitting that mark.
 
As Etienne said, there are going to be nights when defenses take away No. 1 (Etienne). Are there Shockers prepared to score big?
 
"We've got to have other people step up and score baskets," Etienne said. "We showed that tonight. Everybody was able to touch the basketball, get great looks."
 
Council, after a rough start, found his flow with fast-break baskets and drives into the lane. He made 5 of 6 shots and all four of his free throws. Grant super-charged the offense with his quickness and power getting into the lane and scoring.
 
Coach Isaac Brown looked at the stat sheet and enjoyed the foul shooting – Wichita State made 15 of 18. Last season, the Shockers shot 68 percent from the line, its lowest percentage since 2013-14.
 
Exhibitions can be sloppy and the Shockers turned the ball over 15 times. The balanced, deep scoring and good shooting made the game a great start on offense.
 
No. 2 – Pohto is Wichita State's backup center, a tough spot for a freshman.
 
Fortunately, Pohto comes to Wichita State with international experience representing Sweden and three seasons at Sunrise Christian Academy. He is more mature and polished than most freshmen.
 
On Monday, he scored nine points on 3 of 5 shooting. He made a three, dunked and didn't commit a turnover. On defense, he blocked two shots and rarely looked out of position when helping teammates and directing traffic.
 
He possesses impressive shooting skills. Brown said it is his defense that earned him almost 18 minutes of playing time.
 
"Love Kenny Pohto," Brown said. "He's playing a lot of minutes because he can defend. That's what I try to tell all the young guys. If you can defend, play smart and you can gain the coaching staff's trust, you will play."
 
No. 3 – The Shockers turned the game with a press midway through the first half. Brown said he preferred not to use it. Soon after the Lions went ahead 19-18, he changed his mind.
 
The Shockers finished the half on a 28-9 run to lead 46-28. Brown threw a fearsome lineup of rangy, aggressive Shockers for most of that time – Council, Grant, Pohto, Clarence Jackson and Chaunce Jenkins played most of the final four minutes and that group pushed the lead to 20.
 
"We were active, getting deflections," Council said.  "When we get in transition, we're hard to stop."
 
The Shockers have long used presses as surgical weapons to change the tempo. This team appears well-suited to continue that with a deep bench of quick, agile defenders.
 
No. 4 – Wichita State's backcourt is again stocked with point-guard skills.
 
Grant made 5 of 7 shots and handed out four assists. Etienne's skills need no introduction. Craig Porter Jr., despite four turnovers, made all four of his shots, one from three-point range, and grabbed six rebounds. Last season, Porter made two threes in 19 games.
 
 Grant, a transfer from NCAA Division II West Texas A&M, is probably the Shocker who most excited fans.
 
"He made a difference," Brown said. "He is able to create shots off the bounce. That opened everything up for us, the fact he kept getting in the lane. He did a tremendous job off the bench and that's why we recruited him."
 
No. 5 – The Shockers gave up 11 offensive rebounds and out-rebounded the Lions 47-34. Rebounding remains a point of emphasis after last season's team often gave up too many second shots.
 
It will take a team effort, the Shockers know, with guards and wings boxing out and crashing to grab rebounds to help the big men.
 
"I don't know how many times Coach Brown has talked about rebounding," Council said. "He's said that over and over. It's kind of annoying, but it's true."
 
No. 6 – Council shook off a rocky start, including a long jumper that banged off the side of the backboard, to score 11 points in the second half.
 
The press and fast breaks got him going. That kind of game takes advantage of his driving and scoring on the run.
 
"I had to lock in," he said. "First half, I shot on the side of the backboard and that almost threw me for the rest of the game. I think I had two turnovers early in the second half, but I felt a lot more comfortable and after that I took off."
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.