How Shocker coach Isaac Brown determines bench playing time for Wichita State basketball
Early in American Athletic Conference play, Wichita State men’s basketball coach Isaac Brown has seemingly locked down his starting lineup.
Senior point guard Craig Porter, junior wing Jaykwon Walton and sophomore center Kenny Pohto have started every game this season when healthy, while sophomore guard Jaron Pierre Jr. and senior forward James Rojas have recently emerged as fixtures.
While the roles and playing time for WSU’s starters seem to be established entering Wednesday’s 8 p.m. showdown against Tulane at Koch Arena, the roles and playing time for the reserves are anything but consistent.
Brown didn’t seem concerned about the lack of a set bench rotation when asked on Tuesday, as he pointed out WSU is averaging a league-best 22.4 bench points this season.
“We play to win and we put the players in the game that we think can help us win the basketball game,” Brown said. “A lot of that is based on practice and how well you practice. We’re not just going to throw you in the game if you’re not practicing well.”
Here’s a look at how much playing time has varied for the most-used players currently coming off the bench for the Shockers:
Melvion Flanagan averaged 12.7 points in his first three AAC games but has since seen his playing time diminish. He played just seven minutes this past Sunday at SMU, the lowest amount since he became the feel-good story of the season in December.
Gus Okafor was playing 30-plus minutes early in the season and had a 27-point outburst on Nov. 26 against Tarleton State, but he has gone from a midseason starter to almost completely out of the rotation. He has averaged just 5.4 minutes in WSU’s last five games.
Xavier Bell started six games early in the season, but has played 10 minutes or less in seven of WSU’s last 10 games. He did score 10 second-half points off the bench to help WSU rally for a win over Tulsa on Jan. 14.
Shammah Scott started the first four AAC games, including a career-high 19-point performance against East Carolina, then played a total of three minutes the next two games. He did return to the rotation last game, playing 16 minutes in a key role in WSU’s second-half comeback win at SMU.
Isaac Abidde hardly played at all in November and December, logging a total of 17 minutes in a 12-game stretch. He has steadily seen his role increase in AAC play, as he is averaging 11.6 minutes in the last five games and played crunch-time minutes for the first time in the SMU road win.
Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler has been in and out of the rotation all season. He’s had just as many appearances playing at least 10 minutes (7) as times he hasn’t been used at all. After not playing for two straight games, Poor Bear-Chandler played 13 key minutes to help WSU rally for the SMU road win this past Sunday.
The coaching staff might not know which combination of those players will play a key role in the game, but it has worked out this season; usually two or three players from the bench step up to provide meaningful contributions.
By selling the notion that playing time is up for grabs on a game-by-game basis, Brown has said over the course of this season that he wants the players to see that as motivation to work hard in practice.
Didn’t play last game? Don’t worry, you could be playing 15 minutes the next game. The opposite is also true.
“Any given night, your number can be called,” Brown said. “You’ve just got to be ready to go when we call.”
When asked how players can earn a more consistent role in the rotation, Brown said he has a simple response when players ask him that question.
“Be better than the guys in front of you,” Brown said. “The players determine the playing time. It has nothing to do with me. It’s determined by how well you play in practice. You’ve just got to be better than the guys in front of you.”
This story was originally published January 25, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
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