Ohio State Guard John Mobley Jr. has been on fire as of late. The Buckeye sharpshooter is heating up at the perfect time. 

The Ohio State Buckeyes men’s basketball team, coached by Jake Diebler are looking to return to March Madness after missing out on the big dance since 2022. Going into the year, there were some questions that were answered early on regarding consistent play from both returning players and transfers.

One of the questions was who would step up behind the Buckeyes point guard and leader Bruce Thornton. Thornton has been and will continue to be a top point guard in the entire country, but can’t do it alone in what has been a very good year for the Big Ten conference.

There have been contributions from a variety of guys, such as veteran Devin Royal, transfer Christoph Tilly, and freshman Amare Bynum. However, the biggest difference as of late has been the massive improvement by sophomore shooting guard John Mobley Jr.

The man they call “Juni” has been lights out over the past four games, displaying some shooting we haven’t seen as Buckeyes basketball fans in a hot minute. His play has the Buckeyes sitting at 14-6 and 6-4 in conference play, with everything in front of them down the stretch. Let’s take a look at and appreciate what we are seeing from the young guard in his second season in Columbus.

Taking Better Shots With Efficiency

From the first game Mobley played with the Buckeyes last season against the Texas Longhorns, it was evident this kid was special. He was pulling up beyond NBA range in his collegiate debut and had the belief he would take and make big shots. One of the issues with Mobley has simply been his shot selection, part of which is due to questionable coaching.

His four-game run over the last four games has proven that smarter shots and maybe some better coaching can really get the most out of a player. Mobley was and will continue to be a guy fans look for to step up alongside Bruce Thornton, and he has done just that for the better part of the season.

After two losses in three games, including a bad loss at Washington, Mobley started to turn it on. First came a decent UCLA team that visited Columbuson  January 17th, where Mobley went 6/12 from three-point range and finished with a career-high 28 points. After beating the Bruins, the Buckeyes hosted a scrappy Minnesota side that ended up being an overtime win. Mobley’s shot-making continued as he went 5/11 from three and dropped in 26 points, which is tied for his second-best scoring output.

Jake Diebler’s side then traveled to Ann Arbor to face No. 3 Michigan, a game the Buckeyes showed a lot of fight and hung around in, but ultimately fell to a better team. Mobley went down swinging, as he shot 4/9 from three and again had 20-plus points, finishing with 22 in the game. After returning home to play Penn State this past Monday, the scarlett and gray looked like they were going to return to solid form with a blowout win.

However, this wasn’t the case, as Penn State erased an 18-point halftime deficit rather quickly. Ohio State came out victorious 84-78, thanks in part to Mobley’s continued brilliance. The sharpshooter went 5/11 from three and poured in 25 points, all of which were needed down the stretch. The Reynoldsburg, Ohio, product has 101 points in the last four games, which has resulted in three important conference wins.

Doing A Little Bit Of Everything

As previously mentioned, it was evident from the start of his collegiate career, when he went 4/4 from three against Texas, that Mobley had a special talent. What has been fascinating is seeing real growth and maturity from a young player for the betterment of the team.

Mobley has been using his scoring output to also help teammates get better shots when he can. In the previous four games, Mobley has totaled 12 assists, nine rebounds, six steals, and a block. He has become a playmaker alongside Thornton for a team that could definitely use guys who can get their own shot, as well as help get other players open.

The 6’1 shooting guard has been a conscious effort in all phases, as he has secured some rebounds and stepped up on defense as well. With tournament hopes and bigger games in the near future, it will be vital for Mobley and the entire team to keep this consistency and smart play going for the talented hooper.

Another significant development we have observed is the trust from Diebler and the coaching staff. Mobley always feels like he can take and make big shots, even though sometimes it might not be the optimal decision. Injuries have played a part in his playing most of the game, but over the last four games, he has played 38, 35, 43, and 38 minutes. This is a testament to his conditioning and early-morning work that has been mentioned on broadcasts.

Next Up For The Buckeyes

Ohio State will close out the month of January with a big game against the Wisconsin Badgers at 2:00 pm on Saturday on Fox. They will then travel to Maryland before a four-game stretch that features three home games against No. 3 Michigan, USC, and Wisconsin, as well as a trip to Nashville to face No. 17 Virginia.

It is a pretty tough stretch coming up for this team, but with players like Mobley, Bynum, and Royal stepping up, it’s a team that can beat anyone on any given night. This team has the pieces to make the tournament, and potentially make a little noise come March.