HAWK TALK

March 2014

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19 Oglesby Yielding Dividends By Matt Weitzel W hen fans hear the name Josh Oglesby, they need to think of more than a 3-point assassin. He is a complete player. "Fans know that I'm a 3-point shooter but some don't look beyond the numbers," said Oglesby, a junior from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. "I like feeding the post, playing good defense, limiting turnovers, and doing the little things to help the team win." UI assistant coach Kirk Speraw, who oversees Iowa's perimeter players, says Oglesby works hard on his game to get the most out of his ability. "Josh gives us everything he has every day in prac- tice," said Speraw. "You'll always see him in the gym getting extra shots up. He has great intensity and focus." Speraw sees a confident player when Oglesby takes the court, not only with his shooting ability, but his entire game. "Not only is Josh shooting the ball with confi- dence, but he's defending very well." Speraw said. "He doesn't make mistakes defensively, he's mak- ing good plays off the dribble and pass, and he's ready to shoot coming off screens. Josh has great confidence in his stroke, and he's playing his best basketball as a Hawkeye right now." Oglesby's biggest growth has come on the defen- sive end of the floor. "I think my game has improved a lot defensively," said Oglesby. "I'm a junior now, and I know what it takes going against experienced and talented play- ers in the Big Ten. Taking the right approach and playing against elite competition the last couple years has helped my growth." Offensively, Oglesby has found a consistent rhythm and stroke this season, making 48.7 per- cent of his field goal attempts. is shooting guard has expanded his offensive game inside the 3-point arc. Last year, 81 percent of Oglesby's field goals were 3-point buckets, compared to 61 percent this season. Oglesby has been consistent and smart with the basketball since returning from injury Dec. 22 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. He has committed only five turnovers in 263 minutes of conference play, giving the Iowa coaching staff tremendous confidence when he's on the floor. "We trust him to execute what we are doing offen- sively," said Speraw. "Josh has good vision, is one of our better post feeders, hits open receivers and swings the ball well. His floor game is really good." Oglesby missed the first 12 games of the season aer breaking a bone in his right foot two days before the start of the season. Aer surgery and six weeks of rehabilitation, he made a splash in his de- but sinking his first four 3-point attempts against Pine Bluff. Even though Oglesby was back in action in mid- December, Speraw believes he didn't return to 100 percent until Big Ten play began a couple weeks later. "You could tell when he first got back he was a little tentative with his cuts," said Speraw. "At the start of conference play is when I thought he was truly planting and changing directions hard and accelerating, which is what he was doing before injuring his foot." During his first start of the season Feb. 25 at Min- nesota, Oglesby played 30 minutes and scored 16 points with two steals and two assists. In the last two games, Oglesby has averaged 16.5 points while shooting 59 percent from the field with five 3-point field goals.

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