Antonio Campbell has become one of the most consistent Bobcats this season, because of his growth and ability to post up and also shoot 3-pointers.
Antonio Campbell made the decision not to be in Ohio’s starting lineup to begin the year.
The sophomore forward from Cincinnati, who goes by Tony or “Big Tone,” thought it would serve him best to come off the bench because he didn’t see much action last year. As a freshman, he started just nine games and didn’t play his best until March.
Ohio struggled out of the gate this season, but after Campbell began consistently making an impact off the bench, he and coach Saul Phillips mutually decided to tweak the starting five.
“I noticed that when we played a little better earlier in the season and I picked up a couple double-doubles off the bench and things like that,” Campbell said. “I had to look at it from a team perspective. We were getting off to slow starts and things like that, so I thought that — and the team thought that — I should be in the starting lineup and see if we can get a different start.”
Campbell was visibly frustrated during Ohio’s rocky early-season streak, which included four-straight losses to begin Mid-American Conference play. He tends to tell it how it is by showing aggravation after a loss and pride after a win.
After Ohio’s loss to Bowling Green in January, Campbell said he was irritated because he had never been part of a losing team.
Amid the team struggles, he’s produced and has become arguably the most consistent player for the Bobcats this season. After scoring 11 points and grabbing 12 rebounds during Ohio’s win against Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Campbell has recorded five double-doubles this season.
He credits his consistency by making shots, but Phillips has been amazed with how much progress Campbell has made, especially because he’s a sophomore.
“Tony’s got a chance to be a really big player in this league,” Phillips said. “His play in particular this year, it’s night-and-day when he’s in there in terms of how efficient we are offensively. It’s huge.”
Despite being a 6-foot-8 big man who constantly competes with opponents who exceed 6-foot-10, Campbell has been difficult to defend because of his versatility. He’s shooting 38.5 percent (20 for 52) from beyond the arc, which ranks second on the team. In conference play, he’s made 43.5 percent (10 of 23) of his 3-point attempts, which is the third-best in the MAC.
Outside shooting was one of his strong suits during high school, but his change to also become dominant in the post has boosted his transition into being a successful collegiate basketball player.
“(Jim) Christian actually recruited me because I could shoot the three-ball and I didn’t even do a lot of posting up in AAU or things like that,” Campbell said of the Bobcats’ former coach, who took a job leading Boston College last spring. “When I got here my freshman year, I got on the block and he said, ‘Oh shit, kid can play on the block too.’ ”
In addition to developing his offense in the paint, Campbell has caused frustrations defensively.
He has grabbed 146 rebounds this season, which is second on the team to Maurice Ndour’s 179. Campbell has recorded double-digit rebounds in five games this season. He also ranks seventh in the MAC in rebounding, averaging seven per game.
Ndour, a senior forward, said Campbell is tough to play against on the defensive end because of his wingspan. When Campbell is in the post, Ndour said it’s “game over” for the opponent who matches up with him.
Phillips said Campbell is “showing some signs of becoming a real pain in the butt to deal with.”
“A trait that’s underrated on the defensive end is being able to grab the rebound that ends the possession. Our offensive rebounding percentage has gotten better this year and that’s in no small part due to ‘Big Tone’ in there,” Phillips said. “When I look at a kid and what their future development can be, I look at, ‘Have they been able to take something they weren’t good at and become good at it?’ He has done that.”
Although shutting Ndour down has become a point of emphasis for opposing teams this season, Campbell has found a way to use that to his advantage in finding open space. He’s used ball screens to get open from beyond the arc.
Ndour has always been confident throughout the season that when he is being heavily covered, Campbell will be able to compensate with increased offensive output.
“He embraces his role, he’s executing, he’s doing exactly what we need him to do on the court,” Ndour said. “I’m proud of him, man. It’s a work in progress but little by little he’ll get there.”
@Alex_Busch91
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