HOLT – As junior big men Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper took the floor on opposite sides during Thursday’s Moneyball Pro-Am, it was a chance for Michigan State fans to look at the head-to-head competition that the duo wages in every practice.
With the departure of Mady Sissoko, who graduated and transferred to play a fifth year at California, Kohler and Cooper will be battling for minutes at the center position. MSU did bring in a transfer from Longwood in Szymon Zapala to add to the competition, but he is expected to fill more of a depth role for the Spartans.
The Kohler-Cooper battle on Thursday had plenty of sizzle. Kohler finished with 29 points, knocking down his first three 3-pointers, and showcasing an array of post moves against Cooper with a soft touch around the rim.
Cooper finished with 26 points, and outside of two made 3-pointers of his own, his finishes were more emphatic — rocking the rim on one dunk after another.
The strength of Kohler’s game is on the offensive end, with an agile body and plenty of tricks in his bag of post moves. He finishes well around the rim, is consistent with his fadeaway jump shot, and has improved his ability to knock down shots from deep.