De’Andre Ayton and Arizona defeat Robert Williams and Texas A&M in Valley of the Sun Shootout

De’Andre Ayton looked every bit a top NBA Draft prospect last night, taking it to Robert Williams and Texas A&M.

In a battle of lottery prospects at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Tuesday night, De’Andre Ayton further cemented himself in the draft’s top tier by leading his Wildcats to victory over Texas A&M and Robert Williams, 67-64.

In the first half, things definitely funneled outward from each team’s frontcourt, but for the most part it was not Robert Williams or De’Andre Ayton who set the tone. Instead, it was the interior defense of each team that forced the game plan to change on both sides.

It was difficult even to notice Williams for much of the early part of the game, until two blocks in which his incredible leaping ability was on full display. He also managed a rebound before the half to salvage what had been an unproductive evening for him to that point.

Ayton struggled, along with the entire Arizona offense, to beat the Aggies’ defense early on. He rebounded well, helping the Wildcats push the pace, but could not gather himself in the post without seeing a swarm of Aggies.

Eventually he too was able to showcase the athleticism that guarantees he’ll be a lottery pick in June, with a volleyball spike of a block in transition halfway through the first half and a couple monster dunks. Yet as familiar a sight as those plays were, we also saw the lack of defensive energy that is becoming just as much an Ayton trademark as incredible offensive performances.

The Wildcats played their best defense without Ayton on the floor in the first half.

Arizona’s ability to control tempo and find open shots while playing fast was the key throughout the game, and Allonzo Trier, another first-round prospect, was the primary benefactor to open the second period. He was consistently able to make the most of penetration in transition, and allowed his team to stay in control.

Their first-half 3-point shooting was never going to keep up for Arizona (they shot 4-of-11, with three makes coming from Dylan Smith), so it was important to find holes in the Aggie defense early. The problem was that Ayton hardly fit into that plan, and couldn’t find a way to get easy shots playing that way; Williams looked much better within chaos.

Truly it was junior Tyler Austin, the Texas A&M center, who controlled the game. He’s a nice complement to Williams, and a much more consistent source of offense. His nine points were the Aggies’ only hope on offense for most of the second half.

Close games end with clutch situations, where stars are supposed to shine.

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Ayton is on his way to being an offensive star —  after an assist from the post, he tipped an offensive rebound that eventually led to a Parker Jackson-Cartwright 3-pointer late in the game that essentially sealed Arizona’s lead. Williams was off the court for some of crunch time in favor of better offensive lineups featuring Tonny Morelos. Creating offense (or the inability to do so) is the difference that shined through most in this battle between two lottery bigs.