Ailing deep shooters Creek, Roth recover from lost season

Every game, sophomore guard Matt Roth dressed for warmups, hoping his foot would respond well and result in some playing time after his season ended in practice only two games into 2009-10.

While he tried to cut on the court and find balance with a screw in the outside of his foot, freshman guard Maurice Creek stood on the sidelines with a clipboard.

A season-ending knee injury had his season transition from scoring 16 points per game to taking notes. Although Roth didn’t play more than 11 minutes before being injured, he too was set to shoot from outside and spread the court for the Hoosiers.

Without its two best shooters, IU struggled with turnovers and spacing. As the Hoosiers try to overcome the shooting woes of last season, Roth and Creek will try to shed the weight of a trying year.

This offseason, both Roth and Creek will continue to rehab and attempt to return at full strength next season, something that will bode well for a young and still learning IU team next year.

At one point, next year wasn’t the goal for Roth. He was hoping to return to the court by February.

“As a competitor, I was scratching, and I just wanted to get back out there,” Roth said.
“When they told me that I was far enough along that I could try to warmup, I could try to do some shooting drills and see how it was, I was thrilled to be able to go back out there.”

Though given an opportunity, Roth said he knew it was going to be tough for him to play.

He had pushed himself to return, but he was hindered by tenderness in his foot and the constant need to jump and use your legs in basketball.

“Those were some of the things that prohibited me from getting back out there, but my love for the game kept pushing me,” Roth said.

Through all of this, the simple walk to class on a cold morning had become rough for him at times.

His absence also made it tough for his teammates who were on the court fighting to stay afloat in the Big Ten.

Defenders sagged in on players such as junior guard Jeremiah Rivers, sophomore guard Verdell Jones and freshman guard Jordan Hulls, who were either not capable of or unwilling to take the outside shot at times.

Roth said it sometimes became bothersome to sit on the sidelines knowing he could have helped the team.

“It’s been frustrating,” Roth said. “There were a lot of days where you sit around and ask ‘Why?’”

The team collectively shot 34 percent from 3-point territory on the season, but that number was somewhat inflated by the 44 percent shooting of Creek through the first 12 games.

IU depended on Creek for outside scoring, but he also provided a driver and willing passer.

When he went down against Bryant on Dec. 28, IU’s season tone changed.
Other players were charged with taking the big shot and sustaining IU in tough slides during a game.

Most of all, other teams didn’t have to worry about a player capable of putting in 30 points.

That they didn’t have to be aware of Creek allowed defenses to hone in on the guards outside and help down without fear of a 3-point conversion when post players got opportunities at the basket.

Chances are that will be different to some degree next season. Creek has been in rehab throughout the year to return next season and has never stopped shooting the basketball.

IU coach Tom Crean chimed in on his interviews, adding that he had hit 31 3-pointers in a row during a shoot around.

The bulk of up his development came through a pad and paper.

“I lost my freshman year,” Creek said. “But, at the same time, I’m getting stronger and stronger every day. I get to see the game as a coach.”

Creek took stats and kept an eye on what players’ tendencies were from a seat near the assistant coaches.

Creek said the process helped his view of the game. He talked to players when they came toward the bench about what he saw from the sidelines.

More than anything, though, a simple clipboard reserved his spot within the loop of his teammates and coaches.

“It kept me intact with the team,” Creek said. “It’s better to do that than to stay on the backside and sitting with the team. It’s a privilege to do that, and he gave me the opportunity and I took it.”

Only next year will tell what Creek and Roth will do when given the opportunity to play once again.