MANHATTAN — At different times during a 98-71 win over Bellarmine, Kansas State basketball coach Jerome Tang found himself more disappointed than he should have been.
For a defensive-minded head coach, the Wildcats gave up way too many easy looks to Bellarmine inside. He felt some disappointment inside and noted that his facial expressions weren’t as joyous as they probably should have been.
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“I have some growing up that I need to do,” Tang said Saturday, Nov. 8, after the Wildcats’ win at Bramlage Coliseum. “This is very unusual for me, like I have to embrace that we’re gonna outscore people.
“‘Cause we have some dudes that can shoot that thing.”
Kansas State (2-0) emerged from its first week of the season averaging 95.5 points per game, led by the explosive play from All-American point guard PJ Haggerty and a handful of other capable scorers who are destined to fill the stat sheet every time the Wildcats take the floor.
After Akron transfer Nate Johnson served as Haggerty’s partner-in-crime in the season-opening win over UNC Greensboro, the Wildcats got a career-high 19 points from David Castillo off the bench as he went 5-for-5 from beyond the arc, and 16 points from Khamari McGriff, who was also perfect from the field.
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The Wildcats, at 62.3% shooting, had their best field goal percentage since 2019 and are starting to show that they can have one of the more explosive offenses in the country. Their 191 points through two games are the program’s most since 1991-92.
They’re also doing so unselfishly, with 72.7% of their makes on Saturday night coming off an assist, 11 of which came off a career-high from Haggerty.
“We have a great offensive scheme and great shooters,” Haggerty said. “I just have to find them in the right spots and get my teammates involved, while also trying to be myself.”
Haggerty is averaging 25 points through two games after finishing third in the nation last season at 21.7 points per night, and 15th in the country in 2022-23 at a 21.1 average. Saturday night was the first of his career in which he finished with a double-double that included points and assists.
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Tang still believes his starting point guard, whom he labeled as the best in the country entering the season, still has another level to reach.
“I still don’t think PJ has played well,” Tang said, challenging his best player. “It seems just OK. Eleven assists are good and all that, but there’s a whole n’other level he can get to, and he’ll get there. This is like an average PJ, right? Special PJ is going to come.”
Tang would also like to see his defense reach another level. The Wildcats gave up too many open looks at the rim, although he was pleased with the team’s 3-point defense after the game’s first time out. Bellarmine shot 50% in the second half and were within 11 with 7:07 left, before the Wildcats put the game away.
But there might be something special brewing with the Wildcats’ offense, and it might be enough to carry them to victory some nights.
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And Tang might have to find a way to get over it.
“I feel like I haven’t given them all the love, joy and freedom they deserve right now,” Tang said. “I’m going to get better at that.”
Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State basketball’s Jerome Tang getting used to explosive offense
