Kohler and Cooper, Michigan State’s big men, duel at the Moneyball Pro-Am
HOLT – As young big men Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper took to the court on opposite sides of Thursday’s Moneyball Pro-Am, Michigan State fans had the opportunity to see the side-by-side comparison the duo delivers at every practice.
With the departure of Mady Sissoko, who graduated and transferred to California for a fifth year, Kohler and Cooper will compete for minutes at the center position. MSU brought in Szymon Zapala, a transfer from Longwood, to increase competition, but he is expected to play more of a backup role for the Spartans.
The battle between Kohler and Cooper on Thursday was very exciting. Kohler finished the game with 29 points, sank his first three 3-pointers and showed a number of post moves against Cooper with a soft touch at the basket.
Cooper finished with 26 points, and aside from two three-pointers of his own, his finishing was more impressive, rocking the basket with dunk after dunk.
Kohler’s strength lies on offense, he has a mobile body and plenty of tricks up his sleeve when it comes to his post moves. He finishes well at the basket, is consistent with his fadeaway jump shot and has improved his ability to sink shots from distance.
Cooper is taller – not by much – but his extra length gives him an advantage defensively. Cooper knows his consistency on offense is something the team needs. And for Kohler to earn time on the pitch, he’ll need to strengthen his defense in the box.
“I think you could ask any MSU fan here and they would give you the same answer: Offensively, it’s just about finding the rhythm and composure and finding the confidence in it,” Cooper said. “I want to show that I have confidence in my game so the coaches have confidence in me. That goes for all the bigs on both sides, we need to be a more versatile team with better shot distribution.”
Kohler missed much of last season with a foot injury, but thanks to a new diet and now feeling 100 percent healthy, he could be ready for the big break he envisioned last season.
“Just keep playing even when it’s adversity. When something bad happens, just keep fighting and never give up,” Kohler said. “I don’t see the point in talking about the past. It’s a new year. I’m working on everything. I’ve always felt like I can shoot it, but last year I got thrown in the deep end a little bit. Since I came to MSU, I’ve always felt a sense of urgency in the weight room every summer because I think when I came in, I was lacking in that area.
“Getting stronger, getting faster, getting faster, jumping higher, all of that requires a certain sense of urgency. I’ve given up a lot, but at the next level you have to sacrifice things to get better. All of that, along with my diet, shows how serious I am and how much I’m willing to sacrifice.”
Kohler’s Tri-Star team had the last laugh on Thursday, winning 103-84 to improve its record in Pro-Am to 2-0.
Now the two can wait a few more weeks for their next duel and experience a little variety from their everyday summer routine.
“Sometimes you just want to have fun here,” Cooper said. “We go at each other every day in practice, sometimes it’s better to just let each other do our own thing. It’s still fun to compete and we’re as close as we can be.”
Due to the July 4th holiday, there will be no Moneyball Pro-Am games next week. The schedule is expected to resume on July 11 at Holt High School.
Contact Nathaniel Bott at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @Nathaniel_Bott
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