Dear Old Gold
Fansided

Iowa Basketball: This is Peter Jok’s Team Now

By Dylan Burn

Mar 20, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Peter Jok (14) controls the ball against Villanova Wildcats guard Ryan Arcidiacono (15) during the first half in the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 20, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Peter Jok (14) controls the ball against Villanova Wildcats guard Ryan Arcidiacono (15) during the first half in the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Iowa Basketball team graduates four senior starters this May.  They’ve been instrumental in turning this program around.  Now it’s Peter Jok‘s turn to keep the Hawkeyes on the right track.

There was a lot of fuss made last season about who would take over the team now that Aaron White was gone.  White did a good job of keeping guys up and giving them some tough love when they needed it.

Everyone turned and looked and Jarrod Uthoff.  We knew he had the ability to score and defend, but was he going to be able to be the guy that got everyone focused and led the team?  People have their own opinion on how Uthoff did in that role and he’s gotten some mixed reviews when I chat with fellow Hawkeye fans.

Some thought he did a hell of a job, while others mentioned that he’d sometimes fade down the stretch in games and not demand the ball like a leader should.  I can see it both ways.

Now it’s time to see if Peter Jok can fill that role.

More from Dear Old Gold

Jok was without a doubt the most improved Hawkeye this past season.  During his sophomore campaign he averaged seven points and three rebounds per contest.  He shot 36 percent from the field and 34 percent from behind the arc.  During his junior season he jumped up to 16 points and four rebounds per contest.  He shot 43 percent from the floor and 40 percent from behind the arc.  That is quite the improvement.

He looked better on the defensive side of the ball and seemed to be slashing towards the hoop more.  We didn’t see as much of the silly mistakes that he made in his first two seasons, but those didn’t go away completely.  There were some occasions that Jok just looked lost and it left you in one of those “what the heck is he doing out there” kind of moods.

Obviously every player makes mistakes, but some of the mistakes Jok made this past season were head scratchers.  I recall one, and I can’t remember what game it was, but he was receiving a pass from a teammate and he just kind of let it go out of bounds.  It’s those kind of mistakes that Jok must eliminate from his game.

He has everything else.  Good size, excellent shooting stroke, and the ability to score at will.  He’ll be seeing what his NBA prospects look like for the upcoming draft, but has not signed an agent yet so he can still come back to Iowa City, which is more than likely going to happen.

He’ll be one of the only seniors on a young team, so he’ll have to really be sharp.  He’s taken part in three NCAA Tournaments and has plenty of experience playing in big games.  He’ll need to buckle down and be very disciplined as he takes the keys to the car.

Next: Hoops: 10 Off-Season Questions

If Iowa is going to do any damage next season, the offense is going to have to go through Jok.  When he is hitting shots, it’ll open up more opportunities for the younger guys to get involved and become more comfortable with their game.

Home/Iowa Basketball