The Florida State Seminoles' basketball team unofficially began the season on October 14 in Birmingham, Alabama, against the Auburn Tigers. For the second year in a row, the Seminoles made the trip to the Ballin in Boutwell preseason event, but the result was different this time around.
Last season, first-year head coach Luke Loucks took his team to Birmingham to face the Alabama Crimson Tide, and the result was a 109-105 loss. This season, Loucks brought a far different team to face Auburn with just three returning players on the roster. Florida State secured an 82-71 win over Auburn, and the star of the show for the Seminoles was one of the new additions to the team.
True freshman Marcis Ponder, a 7-foot, 285-pound center, put his physicality on full display against Auburn in his first bit of collegiate action. Ponder is the new starting center for Florida State, and after dropping a double-double against Auburn, he proved exactly why.
Ponder grabbed 21 rebounds and added 13 points and three blocks against an experienced Tigers' team. 12 of his rebounds were offensive boards as Florida State was able to control the paint for the most part against Auburn, something the team previously struggled with last season. There is still an entire season ahead, but given his physical tools and perfect fit within Loucks' system, Ponder could be a truly special part of the Seminoles' team this season.
Marcis Ponder could blossom into the star of the Florida State basketball team this season
It is just one exhibition, so properly judging anyone ahead of the regular season is difficult, but a 15-rebound half against a very experienced Auburn team is not a fluke. Ponder consistently put himself in the best position to grab the board and displayed his toughness in the paint.
Obviously, there are still things Ponder needs to work on before reaching the next level of his game, like any freshman. The center is still developing a sense of confidence in his offensive abilities, particularly as he gets farther away from the paint. Ponder had multiple opportunities to back down his defender, but chose to pass out of those situations.
Changes can take time to truly stick, but one of the most impressive aspects of Ponder's performance involved the changes he made on the fly. Early in the first half, Ponder grabbed a rebound and hesitated before going back up for a shot. Loucks spoke to Ponder on the sideline briefly afterwards as he was subbed out, and then later in the game, Ponder slammed home to massive dunks for a pair of second-chance baskets.
The emergence of Ponder during the first exhibition of the season is exciting for the fans to see, but nothing surprising to Loucks. When Ponder first joined the team, he weighed well over 300 pounds and had been described as an "animal" on the court by Loucks. Since then, the coach has reigned in the power and physicality of Ponder, and Auburn was his first chance to let him loose.
Ponder has all the physical tools in the world to succeed this season for Florida State, and now it will be Loucks' job to get the most out of the talented center. Florida State will play another exhibition on October 24 against LSU before tipping off the regular season on November 2 against Florida A&M.
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