The evidence is growing that a breakout season for Roddy Gayle Jr. is in the making.

To be clear, he’s not there yet. The Ohio State sophomore guard is occasionally too loose with the ball, and coach Chris Holtmann is looking for more from Gayle in practice on a consistent basis. Three games into the 2023-24 season, though, it’s clear that Gayle is getting there.

Gayle leads Ohio State in minutes played. He’s tops in assists and two-point field goal percentage (62.5%, 15 for 24) and second in rebounding and scoring, three points behind backcourt mate Bruce Thornton.

It’s been a hoped-for step up in every facet of the game, and one that Gayle said wouldn’t have been possible without last year’s experiences, which included coach Chris Holtmann and associate head coach Jake Diebler sticking with him.

“Compared to last year, the game has slowed down tremendous,” he said after tying a career high Wednesday with 20 points in a win against Merrimack. “Coming in as a freshman and playing against such elite level talent, those gaps close faster than you think. Thanks to coach Diebler and coach Holt for putting me in those positions to fail. I’ve learned from my mistakes.

“Now is where my game’s beginning to thrive.”

That much has been evident in his first three games this season. As Oakland threatened to upset the Buckeyes in the season opener, it was Gayle who finally drove into the gaps in the Golden Grizzlies’ zone defense, created opportunities and scored nine straight points to help Ohio State pull away during the second half. Four days later, he led the team with a career-high six assists in a loss to No. 15 Texas A&M.

On Wednesday, Gayle set a tone when he opened the game with consecutive 3-pointers after having gone 0 for 7 to open the season. He finished the night with 20 points on 8 of 12 shooting and added five rebounds, three assists and a steal in a game-high 34:10. His three turnovers also tied for a team high, another sign that he’s still coming into his own.

“He’s playing with great confidence,” Holtmann said. “What’s holding him back right now is consistent motor and effort every single day in practice. That’s what we’re challenging him with. He is a phenomenal kid. Great family. Great kid. Just love him to death, so it’s easy to coach a kid like that.”

Gayle’s ability to elevate his game was pinpointed by Holtmann during the preseason as one of the primary factors that could determine where the Buckeyes end up finishing this season. His growth was evident by the end of his freshman year, when he moved into the starting lineup during the final third of the season and finished the season by scoring 15 and 20 points, respectively, in the final two games.

Now, scoring is not the only way Gayle is contributing. He dished out 32 assists last season and already has 14 this season. Against Merrimack’s zone, Gayle was one of several players able to get behind the first line of defense, take a pass and either score in the paint or quickly distribute the ball to an open teammate.

“He’s really got playmaking ability at 6-4,” Holtmann said. “We’ve always known that about him when we recruited him. It really helps when you put him out there with guys who can shoot it because he’s almost a natural playmaker.”

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According to KenPom.com, he is 147th nationally in assist rate, having assisted on 30.9% of Ohio State’s field goals while he’s on the court.

“I don’t think I need to be the guy to lead the scoring every night,” Gayle said. “I think I do a great job making plays, whether that’s scoring or facilitating for my teammates.”

It’s early, but Gayle showing signs of being able to do both.

ajardy@dispatch.com

@AdamJardy

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Roddy Gayle Jr. showing early signs of breakout year for Ohio State