All hands on deck for Oklahoma to replace De'Vion Harmon
The Oklahoma Sooners will be down a major piece ahead of the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
In a video press conference on Wednesday, OU head coach Lon Kruger announced the Sooners would be without sophomore guard De’Vion Harmon, who tested positive for COVID-19 upon entering the tournament bubble.
Harmon did a little bit of everything for Oklahoma this season, averaging 12.9 points per game (good enough for second best on the team), as well as 3.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game. The sophomore was named an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection for his play this year.
“So sad for De’Vion,” Kruger said. “He’s had a great year, made tremendous progress. Players have this as a goal to play in the NCAA Tournament… Just heartbroken that he’s not going to have that opportunity this first weekend.”
Kruger said the Sooners would have to replace Harmon’s production by committee, relying on Jalen Hill, Alondes Williams and Victor Iwuakor.
Jalen Hill
Pool photo / Ty Russell
“As we’ve done on other occasions, other guys have to step up,” Kruger said. “We’ve had two or three other occasions where we’ve been without players and guys have needed to respond and they get it, it’s COVID. We’ve got that challenge again before us for Saturday.”
Previously, Brady Manek and Hill missed time together, as well as Austin Reaves and Williams. In the four games where Oklahoma had players missing, they went 2-2, beating then No. 9 Alabama without All Big-12 First Team selection Reaves, and dominating TCU without Manek. OU dropped contests against No. 6 Kansas and No. 13 Texas Tech while shorthanded.
“We’ve been hit by it three times I think, and in those three stretches you’ve got to just find different ways to win basketball games,” Reaves said. “I feel like that’s a big think in postseason play as well, just grinding out wins. It don’t matter how it looks at this point of the year. As long as you get the win, that’s all that really matters.”
When Manek went down, Oklahoma was able to reinvent their team identity. Elijah Harkless was forced into the starting lineup, and Oklahoma’s newfound emphasis on defense with Harkless spurred the Sooners to upend three straight top 15-ranked opponents.
Elijah Harkless
Texas Tech Athletics
Sans Harmon however, there will be no grand reinvention of OU’s defense Kruger said.
“We may have a little more size out there defensively, but De’Vion, he’s pretty solid out there defensively as well. He works hard keeping the ball pressured out front and is a pretty physical defender,” he said. “I think Jalen and Alondes both, Jalen, he’s got that feel for instinct. Defensively he’s really really sound, but again, I don’t know if there’s going to be— we’d rather have De’Vion than not, but we’re going to have more size on the floor.”
The added size may help the Sooners rebound, an area in which they’ve struggled all year. Added emphasis on the boards would play into Kruger’s consistent message that Oklahoma must do a better job of valuing each possession as the stakes are raised come tournament time.
Offensively, other players will have to pick up the slack. Known for his fast starts, Harmon can not only get his own shot, but he has the ability to set up his teammates for open shooting opportunities.
Reaves said he’s confident in the team’s ability to handle the basketball, and that he won’t be the lone point guard on the floor against the Missouri Tigers come Saturday.
“I just know we’ve got a couple of guys that can step into that role and be successful, so it’s not really the point of not having another point guard because we’ve got a lot of guys that can handle the ball and make plays for other people,” he said.
Experienced faces will have to turn out to score for Oklahoma as well if they want to advance and take their shot at No. 1-overall seed Gonzaga. Umoja Gibson has shown the ability to heat up from deep, and Harkless showed he could be a third scoring option in the second half against Kansas in the Big 12 Tournament.
And then there’s the senior, Manek.
His rhythm once derailed this year, he joins Reaves as the only current Sooners with NCAA Tournament experience. Manek burned Ole Miss for 18 points in the eight-nine game two years ago, and he could once again play a key role in deciding OU’s tournament fate this year.
Reaves also highlighted the intangibles Harmon brings to the court, specifically the passion and energy he brings to the Oklahoma sideline.
“De’Vion just plays with a lot of energy and a lot of passion for the game and I feel like we’ve got a lot of guys that do that as well and that’ll be one of the biggest things that Alondes can step in and do, Jalen can step in and do, (Iwuakor) can step in and do,” he said. “Really just come with the passion that they have and really just do whatever it takes to help us win basketball games.”
If Oklahoma could win their first round game and somehow upset Gonzaga, there is a possibility Harmon could return for the Sweet 16 if he clears protocols, Kruger said, but it’ll be all hands on deck for Oklahoma to replace his production in their biggest game of the year.
Tipoff against the Missouri Tigers is scheduled for 6:25 p.m. central time on Saturday from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
For now, Reaves said the Sooners are just focusing on doing whatever it takes to win.
“On the basketball court, there’s a lot of things that (Harmon) does to help win basketball games. We’re just going to have to get that from different guys, and we just really need people to step up in the role that he played,” he said.
“We’ve been affected by it a couple of times and you really just got to keep pushing forward.”
