Still 'wait and see' for timing of Isaac Likekele's return

COLUMBUS — After Ohio State’s emotional overtime loss to North Carolina in the CBS Sports Classic on Dec. 17, sixth-year head coach Chris Holtmann was asked about Oklahoma State graduate transfer Isaac “Ice” Likekele, who had just missed his second straight game after taking a leave to attend to a “family matter” back home in Arlington, Texas.

Likekele was with the team in Madison Square Garden, but he wasn’t suited up.

Holtmann gave an honest and reflective answer about Likekele’s progression and the importance of recognizing student-athletes’ mental health concerns.

 “One of the things I’ve tried to do, and I think I’ve learned in this is there are physical injuries and there are emotional things that players go through,” Holtmann said postgame. “It’s our job as coaches to recognize that there’s both.

“A pulled hamstring is pretty easy to see. A sprained ankle is pretty easy to see. But someone grieving over difficult things, challenging emotional things in their life, needs the support of everybody around them. And it’ll be on his timing, if and when — and we’ll support him regardless.”

Likekele first returned home leading up to Ohio State’s Big Ten opener against Rutgers on Dec. 9. Because the Buckeyes had a nine-day break between their buzzer-beater win over the Scarlet Knights and their trip to New York City, Likekele has now only missed three games, the latest being their runaway home victory against Maine.

Holtmann expanded on his support for player mental health Monday, and how that’s grown throughout his coaching career.

“There’s certainly more awareness,” he said. “There’s more openness with athletes and coaches than there’s ever been. That’s I think a good thing. That’s a really good thing. That’s a healthy thing.”

He continued: “And I think when you go through some of just the traumatic things that have happened with people [Likekele] cares about, that can bring to the surface some things that maybe he’s struggled with. I really want it to be his story. So I want to be careful with what I say and how much I say because it’s really his story.”

In Likekele’s absence, freshman forward Brice Sensabaugh made his third consecutive start Wednesday against Maine. Sensabaugh kept shining like the budding star that he is with 19 points and, more notably, a season-high seven assists, plus seven rebounds.

Sensabaugh has averaged 18 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game in his increased role, not to mention he collected his first Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor. Of course, that’s not to say Ohio State doesn’t miss Likekele.

Likekele started the first eight games of the season, averaging 4.5 points, 3.1 assists and 6.3 rebounds per contest. His impact was far greater than his numbers suggest, however. Along with freshman point guard Bruce Thornton, Likekele has been one of the Buckeyes’ primary ball handlers.

And he is one of Ohio State’s best defenders, which was perhaps best exemplified in the Maui Invitational when he held Cincinnati’s Landers Nolley II — who erupted for nine 3-pointers and 33 points against now-No. 10 Arizona — to just two points.

Likekele, a two-time honorable mention All-Big 12 nominee before making the move to Columbus, piled up 160 steals at Oklahoma State, eighth most in program history.

“Ice is an intangibles guy,” third-year five man Zed Key said after the Rutgers game. “Plays really hard defense. … he’s going to rebound. We definitely missed him out there. But the other guys stepped up and made big plays. So it just shows the depth on this team and guys staying ready.”

As valuable as Likekele is, Holtmann is letting the veteran return on his own time.

“I think right now, it’s kind of wait and see,” Holtmann said postgame Wednesday after the Maine game.

In the meantime, the Buckeyes are hoping to get wing Eugene Brown III back soon. Brown has been in concussion protocol this whole season and dealt with other minor injuries in the offseason, according to Holtmann.

The 6-foot-7 Brown appeared in all but six games last season — during which he also dealt with a concussion — and made 10 starts in the process, although he averaged only 3.5 points and 2.4 rebounds per outing in 2021-22. Brown’s most memorable performances last season were his 10-point, six-rebound, three-steal, two-block stat line in the Buckeyes’ overtime win over Indiana in February, and his game-saving block in regulation that set the stage for an overtime victory against Nebraska in January.

Brown’s versatility, or “switch-ability” three through five as Holtmann says, would assist Ohio State’s rotation.