John Petty Jr.'s Return Ignites Alabama Basketball Over Ole Miss
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — After a one-game suspension, University of Alabama guard John Petty Jr. was back in action and provided a spark off the bench for the Crimson Tide in its 82-64 defeat of Ole Miss on Tuesday night.
The senior finished with 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting to go along with six rebounds, one assist, and one block to open Southeastern Conference play. He also shot 3-of-7 from three-point range.
"It felt great to be back out there with the guys after sitting out last week,” Petty said. “We had a great three days of preparation. We got a lot of shots up, we did a lot of good work, our guys were very locked in and we were just worried about winning. I feel like, like Coach [Oats] always tells us, once we’re about the right things, good things happen."
Petty and Rojas missed the team's Dec. 22 meeting with ETSU due to a coach's decision. Rojas added two points, three boards, and one assist against the Rebels.
Following Petty's return after Christmas, Alabama coach Nate Oats said the Huntsville, Ala. native recorded some of the best practices of his college career according to the team's catapult system.
"His three practices after Christmas were at the top,” Oats said. “Our trainer sent me the three practices after Christmas, the last three he was in before that — it was night and day. He’s going hard, he’s doing exactly what we want him to do and he made shots. He’d been struggling a little bit to shoot, and he goes 3-for-7 from three. When guys are focused on their defensive assignments, just playing hard and getting the win, to me, your shot-making takes care of itself on that stuff. I was really happy with his effort tonight.”
It was the first time that Petty has come off the bench this season for the Crimson Tide as he had started the seven other games he has appeared in.
To him, that's more than okay.
"It was something different," Petty said. "That was Coach's decision. He felt like that was would have been the best lineup to start the game out with, and honestly, I think that was the best lineup to start. They brought a lot of energy, they brought a lot and set the standard for us coming off the bench. I’ll take on whatever role the coach gives me, no matter if I’m a senior or not. That really doesn’t even bother me. I wasn’t even paying attention to that."
Moving forward, the issues that led to the one-game suspension for Petty and Rojas are dead and buried.
"It’s 100 percent in the past,” Oats said. “It was an in-house deal that wasn’t really that major of a deal. I think some people, from what I heard, on social media blew it way out of proportion. Look, he’s a good kid that means well and wants us to win.
"We just had to get him focused in on what he needed to be focused in on, and I think he’s right where he needs to be."
