With Jeremiah Fears, 'anything is possible' for OU basketball in NCAA Tournament
Following OU’s emotional one-point loss to Kentucky in the second round of the SEC Tournament, Jeremiah Fears sat dejected in front of his locker at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Sooners’ star freshman point guard nearly willed his team to a miraculous comeback, dropping 28 points and scoring the go-ahead bucket with 5.6 seconds remaining. His disappointment was short-lived, however, as he reflected on the fight OU showed after being down 10 points with 1:20 remaining.
“There’s a lot of basketball left for us,” Fears said then. “We’re taking the next game and approaching it the same way we approached these games.”
When it was announced the Sooners had punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2020-21 season, it came in large part due to Fears’ sensational campaign. As a reclassified true freshman, Fears — who otherwise would be enjoying spring break of his senior year of high school this month — finished the regular season with 29 double-digit scoring appearances.
Outside of Duke’s Cooper Flagg, the projected top overall pick in the NBA draft, Fears is the only freshman nationally to average at least 17 points, four rebounds, four assists and 1.5 steals per game on the season. No. 9-seeded OU faces a tough task matching up with defending back-to-back national champion No. 8-seeded UConn in the first round Friday in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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But there’s a belief guard play defines how teams will perform in March Madness. With Fears, OU has one of the most electric playmakers in the field.
“His growth,” said Sooners coach Porter Moser when asked what impresses him about Fears’ play. “We've talked many times about the journey of his age being thrown into, no question, the No. 1 league of all time. To be thrown in that way, in a league where there are so many older people, all the point guards were old.
“To watch him not get flustered and keep working at it to get better, he's playing his best basketball growth-wise.”
As the madness tips off this week, Fears enters as one of the hottest players in the tournament. Over his last eight games, he’s averaging 22.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists, and has turned in games of 27, 28, 29 and 31 points.
Moser and his staff have figured out ways to use Fears in more screen actions and get him to the free-throw line consistently. He’s averaging nearly 10 free throw attempts per game in March.
“It's been amazing, even in the SEC Tournament to score 57 points in two games and be able to just play at a great pace,” said senior forward Jalon Moore. “His game has matured and he's playing at a high level right now and that's going to continue throughout this tournament. He’s a special talent, he’s a special kid, he comes in here and works his butt off. I'm proud of him, just to see his growth throughout this whole season.”
Fears also tallied four rebounds and game highs of five assists and three steals, while drawing seven fouls against the Wildcats. Fears has played inefficient basketball at times during his freshman season, turning the ball over nearly as much as he records assists.
But the growth Moser talks about has been noticed by his teammates. They praise his late-game decision-making and point out that he finished zero second-half turnovers combined against Georgia and Kentucky in the SEC Tournament.
“Day in, day out, that guy is in the gym, he's working,” said senior forward Glenn Taylor Jr.. “So it doesn't surprise us. It happens in practice every day. It's no surprise. They don't give him enough credit; bro just turned 18. He does some crazy stuff, especially down the stretch, he plays to win and you can see it. It’s so amazing to watch, especially with him being my little brother. I'm just so proud of him.”
When the Sooners’ logo graced the Lloyd Noble Center jumbotron during the program’s Selection Sunday watch party, Fears couldn’t resist his excitement. He’s not only ready to showcase his talents on the grandest college basketball stage but he’s also intent on winning.
The Huskies opened as a 4.5-point favorite led by Dan Hurley, one of the most revered coaches in the sport. UConn has the size advantage with Alex Karaban down low but has struggled at times this season defending athletic guards.
“As long as we stay together and we stay connected throughout the whole 40 minutes and play hard and give everything we’ve got,” Fears said, “I feel like anything is possible.”
OU vs. UConn
TIPOFF: 8:25 p.m. Friday at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina (TNT)
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU basketball's Jeremiah Fears 'playing his best' for NCAA Tournament
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