Nate Oats praises Labaron Philon's recent defensive improvements

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama’s defense has been a work-in-progress this season, but it’s been trending in the right direction lately.

According to KenPom, Alabama has a defensive efficiency rating that ranks No. 32 nationally. That number was in the mid-to-low 40s not too long ago, showing the positive direction this team is headed in on that end of the floor.

One of the biggest aids to team’s overall defense has been the improved individual defensive play of freshman guard Labaron Philon, who moved back into the starting lineup for the final six games of the regular season.

“I think his defense has gotten significantly better over the last few weeks here,” Alabama head coach Nate Oats said. “We’ve kind of challenged him. I thought when we put him in the starting lineup, as a team offensively we’ve gotten better, but he needed to pick his defense up. It had been better earlier in the year, and I think he’s got both sides of the ball going right now. We need it to keep going that way.”

Philon entered the staring lineup for the Crimson Tide’s road game against Missouri, which was one of the team’s worst defensive performances of the year, giving up 110 points in a loss. Since that game, the team has made great strides defensively, even ranking in the top-20 in defensive efficiency the past three weeks, per BartTorvik.

In the team’s road win at No. 1 Auburn on Saturday, Philon made a number of huge defensive plays, including a steal at midcourt and layup to put Alabama up two points late in overtime.

“That was a huge play in that Auburn game. It was a tight game, you take a free point,” Oats said. “I thought Miles Kelly had been coming out of the gate on a tear in a lot of games, not just against us, other teams. I thought (Philon) did a pretty good job on him, and he’s one of those guys who can move well, he’s got size.”

Auburn’s Kelly is a tough cover with his 6-foot-6 size and elite off-ball movement, but Philon more than held his own while defending him in the first half. He also switched it up later in the game, as the aforementioned overtime steal was against 6-foot-1 Tahaad Pettiford, a shifty point guard that’s much more difficult to guard on-ball.

Philon’s defensive versatility and good size for a guard at 6-foot-4 makes him an intriguing one-and-done NBA prospect, especially considering his natural talent on the offensive end of the floor as a driver, finisher and passer.

“He can guard off-guards, wings, run him off screen actions, he can guard point guards and pressure the ball and take it from them,” Oats said. “I think it’s a big reason why NBA teams are really high on him. Just because he’s such a great defensive guard in addition to being really talented on offense.”

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