Jallow, Sueing Use Sideline Time to Prepare for 2020-21
2/5/2020 11:00:20 AM | Men's Basketball
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – A pair of Buckeyes take the court each home game knowing their numbers will not be called to help the Ohio State men’s basketball team win this season.
Though frustrating, each has used the 2019-20 season to either learn the program’s system or gain better perspective of the methods used by Chris Holtmann, head coach of the Buckeyes.
Musa Jallow, a 6-5 guard, left Bloomington North (Ind.) High School a year early to join the Buckeyes soon after Holtmann took over the program in the summer of 2017. He played in 68 games over his first two seasons with 23 starts before a setback derailed the start of his junior year.
Injuries to his right ankle derailed the start of his junior season. He had exploratory surgery Oct. 18, 2019 and then had reconstructive right ankle surgery Jan. 24, ending any chance of playing in 2019-20. Both surgeries were successful and he is expected to make a full recovery and be ready to begin workouts with his teammates this summer in preparation for the 2020-21 campaign.
Justice Sueing, a 6-6 forward, elected to become a Buckeye in May of 2019 as a transfer after playing for two seasons at the University of California from 2018-19. The Honolulu, Hawaii, native averaged 14.3 points and 6.0 rebounds as a sophomore with the Bears. Over two seasons, he appeared in 63 games, starting 61.
Practices simulated games for Sueing as he began a year in residence at Ohio State to satisfy NCAA transfer rules. Things were going well until he suffered an injury in practice to a ligament in his left foot that required surgery Jan. 14. The procedure was a success and will allow him to join his teammates in time to begin preparations for the 2020-21 season this summer. He will be a junior next season.
With 129 games played and 84 starts between both Jallow and Sueing, the duo will provide plenty of additional court experience to the roster next season. The two also will have gained a newfound perspective to their respective games as well.
Watching from the sidelines creates frustration in not being able to contribute at practice and in games, Jallow said.
“When you are not going through the tough times in practice every day with your guys it’s hard to feel like you are going through what they are going through and being a part of the team,” Jallow said. “Even though we are a tight-knit group, there is a separation. You have to go through what your guys are going through to really bond.”
Though viewing from afar has been difficult, it also has allowed Jallow to understand better what’s being asked of the players by the coaching staff.
“I see how the freshmen are going through their freshman years and relate it back to what I was going through,” Jallow said. “I see some of the same things I went through. I can relate to certain guys what my previous two years were like and look back on how I responded to the coaches and their coaching style. I have grown to appreciate the way they coach.
“There comes a belief in the system they are teaching to us,” Jallow said. “I am 100 percent bought in to what they are coaching us to do. Last year sometimes it was hard to adjust. Sitting back and seeing the interaction between the players and coaches allows you to digest what they are saying and then the reaction of the players. I really like getting that perspective.”
That new-found knowledge will help once Jallow returns to the court next year, he said.
“I think the mutual trust between Coach Holtmann and the rest of the coaches is extremely high,” Jallow said. “Next year I know we can go to war together knowing we have each other’s back and are on the same page.”
In addition to learning a different point of view to what’s happening in practice and on the court, Jallow said there are other benefits to missing a year of competition.
“When I reclassified (from the class of 2018 to 2017) it didn’t feel like too much of a jump,” Jallow said. “Obviously going into Division I basketball as a 17-year-old is going to be a jump for anybody. Now that I am back in my true class, I will have matured more and that helps my perception of my game as one of the older guys.
“I plan to take advantage of this situation and step up my classwork,” Jallow said. “It’s a blessing in disguise. I realize that but it’s still kind of hard not to be a basketball player for sure.”
Sueing knew he was going to miss a year of competition following his move from Berkeley to Columbus. What he didn’t foresee was the injury keeping him off the court entirely.
“It was certainly different coming here after last year practicing knowing you would be playing in games,” Sueing said. “I had to adjust my mindset. I need to help get the team right mentally and make sure I do my best replicating whomever they may be guarding to make my teammates the best they can be.”
Like many who sit out a year following a transfer, Sueing practiced as if the competition was an actual game.
“The guys and I would definitely get into it while just trying to push each other to be the best we can,” Sueing said. “They got after me as soon as I got here and I took that with pride as I worked to make them better for their upcoming games.”
Though Sueing was doing his part in practices preparing the Buckeyes for games he suffered a setback with a foot injury that required surgery, ending his ability to contribute on the practice court.
“It has been a rough start to 2020 but fortunately for me I will be able to come back from the injury and be able to play,” Sueing said. “I will still try to help the team as best I can with my leadership skills and just mentally preparing myself for next year by watching film of the teams we’ll play.”
Like Jallow, Sueing, who calculates it will be roughly 580 days between games once he steps on the court for the Buckeyes in a game next season, has been able to view the game through a different lens while sitting out.
“You definitely step outside yourself from playing to sitting out and watching from sidelines,” Sueing said. “I have the opportunity to get adjusted to the system and see a lot of things the way coaches see the game. That will help me contribute next year.”
