Takeaways from FSU’s second hoops exhibition vs. UWF

The Florida State males’s basketball group showcased its protection and athleticism, cruising to a exhibition win over West Florida on Thursday afternoon within the last tune-up for the 2024-25 season.

Taylor Bol Bowen scored 14 factors, pulled down eight rebounds and had seven of the Seminoles’ 19 steals in a 100-56 victory over the Argonauts.

Jamir Watkins additionally had 14 factors, six assists, 4 rebounds and 4 steals in a well-rounded 20-minute efficiency.

Exhibition opponents are sometimes shorter and skinny on depth. FSU produced 28 factors off turnovers, received the rebounding battle 41-27 and unfold the minutes from the beginning 5 by the bench.

Bowen had six steals within the first half and had 10 factors on the break. His athleticism is spectacular, and he had a trifecta of kinds with a tomahawk dunk, windmill dunk and two-handed dunk — with the final two approaching the quick break as his steals become fast offense.

The 6-foot-10, 195-pound Bowen completed 7 of 11 from the ground on Thursday.

He may use some added weight for ACC play. And it will likely be attention-grabbing to see how he appears to be like in opposition to greater, taller Division I packages.

He averaged simply 3.1 factors in 11 minutes as a freshman, however Bowen is making fairly the assertion for extra enjoying time and could possibly be impactful in his sophomore season.

Watkins is clearly making an attempt to refine his jumper, and he got here up empty (0 for 3) within the first half. However he was 4 of 6 from contained in the arc within the first 20 minutes and had 9 factors, three rebounds and two steals.

He completed 6 of 12 from the ground — 1 of 4 from deep, however 5 of 8 from pictures contained in the arc.

Watkins’ weak spot is his soar taking pictures, and it is among the many explanation why he examined the NBA waters earlier than returning to FSU. It isn’t a constant jumper but however clearly a spotlight.

His passing continues to be professional high quality, with Watkins feeding teammates usually on a quick break. In an offense that values defensive rebounds and permits them to run the purpose or produce outlet passes, Watkins continues to be growing as a soar shooter however is an All-ACC-caliber participant who makes others round him higher.

Freshman guard Daquan Davis had 12 factors on 4 of 6 taking pictures, making a 3-pointer and displaying a fairly drive, step-back, mid-range jumper. He performed 20 minutes.

Bostyn Holt began and had 10 factors on 3 of 4 taking pictures and 5 assists in 18 minutes.

Jerry Deng had 10 factors and 5 rebounds in 12 minutes.

AJ Swinton had 5 factors however on 2 of 8 taking pictures. He added six rebounds.

Christian Nitu and Anastasios Rozakeas performed extensively within the first half. Nitu completed with 9 factors and 4 rebounds, whereas Rozakeas had 5 factors and three rebounds.

Hamilton used some uncommon rotations within the first half, conserving Malique Ewin, Justin Thomas, Jerry Deng and Chandler Jackson on the bench. Ewin, Thomas and Deng every performed within the second half. Jackson didn’t.

Ewin scored FSU’s first factors within the second half on an alley-oop dunk off a feed from Watkins.

There is no actual readability if Jackson is injured or within the doghouse. Do not forget that Jackson served a brief suspension final summer time.

We’ll see what occurs when FSU opens the season on Monday in opposition to Northern Kentucky at 7 p.m. (dwell stream on ACC Community Additional).