Eastern learning, growing in first year for Boilermakers

More: Edwards carries Purdue to hot start, victory

Nojel Eastern is learning the balance.

As a competitor, he’d like to play more minutes.

But the freshman also knew when he chose Purdue, he’d be walking onto a roster loaded with veterans, especially in the backcourt, on a top-25-type team.

So, now, 17 games in to his college career and four games in to Big Ten Conference play, the long, lanky wing is just trying to find his spot.

So far, so good, Coach Matt Painter said.

Eastern was productive in 10 minutes Saturday, grabbing four rebounds, scoring four points, blocking a shot and taking a charge, in Purdue’s 74-62 victory over Nebraska. That followed up a six-point, five-rebound performance in 13 minutes against Rutgers earlier in the week.

“You put back-to-back good games together. That’s what you want. You want to keep building on that,” Painter said. “It’s hard to be in that role and play 8-15 minutes or whatever you are. Obviously, he’s played more in some other non-conference games, to try to get him experience. He’s had a great attitude and a great approach to things.

“I know it bothers him. Any time you have a competitive guy who doesn’t play as much as he wants, it bothers him. But I’ve always thought that was a good thing. Those guys it doesn’t bother, why doesn’t it bother them? He did some really good things for us in the game before last, but (Saturday) I thought he was really good.”

Despite not playing many minutes, Eastern was impactful. He took a first-half charge — prompting Matt Haarms’ demonstrative “charge” fist-ahead motion — and then putback Carsen Edwards’ missed three-pointer.

In the second half, Eastern chased down a defensive rebound away from the basket, a play that maybe didn’t seem special, but it showcased exactly what the freshman is focusing on in his minutes.

“I’m just trying to come in and just bring energy off the bench,” he said, “(and) allow the guards, P.J. (Thompson) to get a rest. Just to keep bringing a spark (and to) try to sustain the confidence level and the pressure from the start of the game. I’m just going to continue to work hard, so I can just come in and compete, allow (players) to rest and keep the spark going.”

He’s provided some of that not just in his pursuit of rebounds, but in learning how to be a relentless-on-ball defender with his uncommon length for a point guard — though that may not be the position in the future — and in trying to work in the flow of the offense.

In the second half, Isaac Haas blocked a shot, Eastern scooped up the rebound and pushed the ball hard down the floor. The intent was to go coast-to-coast, but the defense recovered, so Eastern waited for Haas to get back into the picture, worked off a screen and finished a play with contact. He missed the free throw — he missed both attempts at three-point plays after fouls — but at least gave Purdue a bucket when it was in a stretch that it struggled to get them in the second half.

“That’s an easy play you continue to work on, we continue to do in practice and I do in my off time,” Eastern said. “It just came naturally. It wasn’t forced. It was a big play for us. I allowed myself to help my team get on the higher edge of that play and that possession.

“I just continue to put in the work, outside of practice, so I can come in and just allow me to attack and just play the game I know how to play. When I do that, make good decisions, because I have a great IQ, it just allows the game to open up for me and my teammates. Scoring-wise, I don’t allow myself to force it, I just allow the game to come to me. That helps the team out a lot.”

That’ll continue to be the goal: Maximizing whatever minutes he gets.

Eastern said he’s enjoying the experience of this winning streak — Purdue’s won 11 consecutive now — because he’s seeing how the veteran leadership is handling it. That’s, essentially, like it’s not a big deal. That’s a good lesson for a young player to learn, especially one who is eager to become one of those looked-upon leaders soon.

“I’m pretty young, 18 (years old). I’m just continuing to learn, continuing to improve on the things I need to improve on while learning the system and the aspects of the game, Big Ten Conference play, so I can continue to get better,” Eastern said. “So when next year comes — after we hopefully have a great season this year — I’m much more ready and much more prepared based off this season going into the next.”

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