The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1184078
40 THE WOLVERINE DECEMBER 2019 M ichigan entered the 2019‑20 season looking for someone to emerge at shooting guard, and Eli Brooks answered the bell in the early going. The junior notched a double‑dou‑ ble with 13 points and 10 rebounds in the 82‑51 exhibition win over Sagi‑ naw Valley State Nov. 1, and then notched 24 points in the regular‑sea‑ son opener four days later. Brooks made 5 of 11 triples and played 37 minutes — 12 more than his previous high — in U‑M's 79‑71 victory over Appalachian State. He also shattered his previous scoring high of nine points. "The kid is talented," head coach Juwan Howard said. "He's a high‑IQ player, knows how to read the game very well. He's like another coach on the floor. "I want him to stay aggressive." Brooks busted the Mountaineers zone defense with a number of cor‑ ner three‑pointers and looked more comfortable than he had in any of his previous games. "My confidence is pretty high," Brooks said. "Just having the oppor‑ tunity to shoot those shots, [senior point guard Zavier Simpson] creat‑ ing those shots for me. Most of my shots were wide open, so you can't get much better than that." Brooks started 12 games as a fresh‑ man, but averaged only 12.9 min‑ utes per game while coming off the bench in all 37 contests last season. His teammates, speaking on media day, predicted a breakout year for him, and he proved them right, at least for one day. "Eli looks so much more comfort‑ able out there," senior center Jon Teske said. "His confidence is so high right now. … He's put in a lot of hard work. He's been through ups and downs his freshman and sophomore year. Give credit to him for sticking with it." "I've been trying to tell people, man, Eli Brooks," junior forward Isa‑ iah Livers added with a grin. "He's under the radar. Eli, he's been great since the first day of practice. He came in with this attitude, and he knew what spot he wanted to come in and get. Obviously, he showed it was his welcoming party." Brooks made only 1 of 7 attempts from the floor in the exhibition opener, but he's no longer afraid to keep shooting when his shot's not fall‑ ing. He's also seeing the game better, something he credited for his success. "It feels like the game has slowed down a lot," Brooks said. "Still little kinks [to work out], but I felt com‑ fortable. I think you just have to trust the work that you put in. "Also, one thing I did was medi‑ tate and try to clear my mind and just focus on the good things I did last year and try to improve on the old." His first impression couldn't have been much better. — Chris Balas FRANZ WAGNER STILL OUT WITH A WRIST INJURY Michigan freshman Franz Wag‑ ner, younger brother of alum Moritz Wagner, was in line to start this sea‑ son, but he'll be sidelined through at least Nov. 22 after suffering a wrist injury. The basketball program reported Oct. 21 that Wagner had a fracture on his shooting hand that wouldn't require surgery. As of Nov. 11, he had missed the exhibition game MICHIGAN BASKETBALL Eli Brooks Impresses Early Brooks posted 13 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals in the exhibition against Saginaw Valley State, and then officially opened the campaign with a team-high 24 points, plus two rebounds, three assists, one block and a steal against Appalachian State Nov. 5. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL