Birmingham, Alabama witnessed an exciting event on Wednesday as the No. 8 Alabama basketball program bounced back. They achieved a significant victory by defeating the highly ranked No. 25 Illinois Fighting Illini with a score of 100 - 87. This victory marked a turning point in the team's season and showcased their potential. Alabama is in the midst of getting to know its new personnel, having welcomed eight new scholarship players for the 2024 - 25 season. This infusion of talent has added a new dimension to the team.

Surprising Performances and Rising Stars

The Crimson Tide faithful were filled with excitement as they witnessed the return of talented players and the arrival of a highly rated recruiting class. Among them, one of the team's best players has been the freshman guard LaBaron Philon. Hailing from Baker High School and Link Academy in Missouri, Philon has made a significant impact in his short college career. In his fourth college game against Illinois, he tied for third on the team in points with 16. Alongside his scoring prowess, he contributed nine assists, seven rebounds, two steals, and a block. His all-round performance has left everyone in awe.Illinois head coach Brad Underwood had high praise for Philon, stating, "Philon showed why he’s a pro and moving up everybody’s draft board. That’s a bad boy right there." His ability to perform at such a high level so early in his college career has been a pleasant surprise.

Quick Adaptation and Mindset

There has been a lot of speculation about whether Philon's ability to assimilate to the college game so quickly has surprised Alabama's head coach Nate Oats. Oats reflected on this, saying, "Go back to last spring when he opened his recruitment up and we took him. Yes, I’m surprised from then, but if you’d have asked me after the summer after watching what he did in June, July, August. He came in and established himself as one of the best guards in the program right out of the gate in the month of June." Oats believes that Philon's success can be attributed to his right mindset. He came in with the determination to work hard and earn his place on the team. "I think he came in and competed. He had the right mindset coming in. When he opened up his recruitment he made the point, ‘If I’m not going to play much, because Kansas took a lot of transfer guards, that’s where he’d signed. ‘If i’m not going to play much I’d rather be home in Alabama at Alabama, if I’m not going to play much’. I just said ‘Look, just come in and work hard and we’ll see what you can earn’. So he kind of just came in expecting nothing, had to earn everything. When you feel like you’ve got to earn everything, that’s when I feel like you starting playing your best. That’s why we don’t ever promise anybody minutes, starting spots, really anything around here. I think you make everybody come in and earn it. All of the sudden you get guys like Labaron that blossom."

NBA Interest and Early Success

Oats also mentioned in his Tuesday press conference that he is already hearing from NBA scouts about his freshman sensation. Philon is currently third on the team in scoring through five games and has been awarded a hard hat award for his efforts against the Fighting Illini. He attributes his quick start to the year to his preparation and a calm mindset. "Really just being in the moment. As a young guy you probably get nervous or a lot of butterflies. I just try to stay calm in every moment and confident. Once you get in the gym, once you get on the court it’s all confidence then." His ability to handle the pressure and perform at a high level is a testament to his talent and work ethic.Alabama's recent victory and Philon's emergence as a key player have brought a new level of excitement to the team. With the addition of new talent and the continued growth of their existing players, the future looks bright for the Crimson Tide.