Alabama Basketball: What we learned from Tide’s 4-0 start

Alabama basketball is off to a hot start

Alabama basketball has one of the toughest schedules in recent memory. They will play through the stacked SEC, but they also have games scheduled against some of the best non-conference teams in the country. Even the so-called “cupcake” games are against teams favored to win their conferences.

Still, the Crimson Tide are 4-0 to start the year. Despite some injuries and suspensions, Alabama basketball is off to a hot start. Alabama has already eclipsed 100 points once this season, and they bring balance to the equation with scrappy defense. Despite losing tons of top-level talent from last year’s roster, Alabama appears to be ready to repeat as conference champions.

We’ll learn more as the season progresses, but a few things are blatantly clear after just four games. Here’s what we’ve learned so far.

Keon Ellis is a baller

Last year, Herb Jones was the glue guy that went beyond the box score to impact games. This year, that man is Keon Ellis. Ellis can truly do it all as a 6’6″ guard. He’s a potent scorer who remains efficient with his shot selection. He can attack the rim and get to the line. He leads the team in rebounds despite being a guard, and his +/- is insane. He makes plays on both sides of the court and raises the floor for this team.

The offense is balanced

You would expect Alabama basketball to focus on one or two stars to take over the offense, but they distribute the ball well. Shackelford leads the team in points, but Ellis is close behind him. Jahvon Quinerly is a smooth scorer and distributor. Charles Bediako can win in the paint. Darius Miles has been another bright spot this year as he currently averages double-digit scoring for the Tide.

Many expected JD Davison to be the star of this team. He is a bench player, but he still produces and brings energy. As the season progresses, he should be another weapon that dominates.

Turnovers are a weakness

Alabama basketball tries to be efficient, but turnovers have been a concern. They were what kept the game against South Alabama so close. As the season progresses, this needs to be fixed.

Since Alabama plays so fast, turnovers become more likely. Still, they need to limit them if they want to beat teams like Gonzaga and Kentucky later in the year.