Coming into her sophomore season, guard Antonia Bates has an opportunity and an upward trajectory. In her first campaign as a Scarlet Knight, the Notre Dame High School and Rutgers Prep product’s numbers weren’t eye-popping, averaging 2.4 points per game and 1.8 rebounds per game on 28% shooting from the field.
However, even when her shot wasn’t falling Bates provided a defensive spark, averaging roughly a block per game, good for ninth in the Big Ten and second among freshmen. Her tenacity on that end combined with her blend of length and fluidity at the guard spot gives her the ability to be an impact defender on the perimeter and on the interior. With another year under head coach Coquese Washington and adjusting to Big Ten basketball, Bates could be one of the better and more versatile defensive pieces on the team.
Where Bates must improve, however, is on offense. There are a couple of factors that played into Bates’ struggles from the floor. Obviously, being a true freshman tasked with playing big minutes in the Big Ten conference is a daunting task for anyone. Second, pretty much everyone not named Kaylene Smikle had trouble putting the ball in the basket in the 2022-23 campaign. Rutgers finished last in points per game in the Big Ten, and that’s with a system designed to run the ball up and down the floor and create transition opportunities for baskets. On the other side of that coin, the Scarlet Knights only had eight players on the roster, meaning there was almost no time to sit back and adjust to college basketball. Every player on the roster played big minutes out of necessity simply because there was no one else to do it.
Now with reinforcements by way of the transfer portal and high school recruiting, there is reason to believe Bates can excel in a different offensive role. Mya Petticord comes in as the team’s primary point guard, a blindingly bright target for Washington and the coaching staff in the offseason. Destiny Adams, also from New Jersey, comes in to solidify one of the wing spots as a scorer providing post presence and ball handling abilities.
With the additions, Bates can become a strong piece in the offensive system running in transition and as a slasher who can use her size to get to the rim. Her offensive bag becomes deeper if her flashes of a strong jumper - a four-for-six performance from behind the arc against Boston College comes to mind - can be more than just flashes.
An intriguing role could also be a pick-and-roll combination with either Smikle or Petticord, as the former shares a clear bond on and off the court with Bates, given her size and athleticism down low. Especially with Smikle, if Bates’ ballhandling can take another step forward, the offense could create mismatches with a reverse pick-and-roll with Bates serving as the primary ballhandler and Smikle using her interior skills to get in the lane.
A lot of that kind of progression comes with an increase in self-confidence, which also goes hand-in-hand with another year of experience. Both teammates and coaches are encouraged by that increased confidence and what they’re seeing from Bates as the season draws near.
“Antonia, her from last year to this year has taken a huge step,” freshman guard Jillian Huerter said.
“[She] has improved dramatically since last year,” Washington said. “Her confidence is sky-high, [and] she’s playing a lot tougher.”
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