For me. Not the Shockers. I crutched to the practice gym to watch WSU basketball for the first time this season (my nightmare headline: Sportswriter’s crutch impales Clemente). WSU coach Gregg Marshall said Thursday turned into one of the more demanding practices to this point. He put together a more experienced team – Ramon Clemente, A.J. Hawkins, J.T. Durley, Clevin Hannah, Reggie Chamberlain – and matched them against a less experienced group and the scrimmage produced the expected result. The Black team dominated the White, and many of the Shocker freshmen got a lesson on adversity. Marshall ended the session by asking if the youngsters were going to be bitter or get better. I remember him saying last season that he enjoys pushing people’s buttons on occasion. He pushed some Thursday.
“We’ve had some pretty good practices and we’ve had some just OK practices,” Marshall said. “There’s a lot of explaining that’s going on. There’s a lot of teaching going on. How quickly they decide they’re going to be able to handle the physical, as well as mental, challenges and rigors that Division I basketball at this level present will determine how quickly they’re prime-time players in this program.”
Gabe Blair, a transfer from East Carolina, will miss his one chance to show off this season. He is sidelined with a stress fracture in his back and won’t play in Saturday’s Shocker Madness. He planned to win the dunk contest with a routine that included 360 windmill, a behind-the-back and between-the-legs dunks. Instead, he will rest for a few weeks until his pain subsides. Thursday’s practice was the first one missed for Blair.
“I was going to win it,” he said. “Next year.”
- Mantas Griskenas sat out due to an infected toenail. He is expected to practice today and play in Saturday’s scrimmage.
- A.J. Hawkins made the biggest impression during the hour or so I watched. He drove the basket and scored several times during the scrimmage.
- Hannah and Chamberlain appear to make a nice combination. They are both quick, good shooters and good penetrators. They’re small, but I think they will play together and give the Shockers some zip they lacked last season in the backcourt. Of course, I’ve only seen one practice, so that opinion isn’t based on a whole lot. Freshman Toure Murry played some point, something I did not expect.
- Brett Steven drained two free throws to end practice – the penalty for missing is sprints for the team. He looked quite relieved and happy as his teammates congratulated him. I imagine it’s been tough for Steven to get caught up to the rest of the players this week. He missed most of WSU’s individual workouts while he waited on the NCAA to clear him. A little victory like that is important for a freshman walk-on.
- Assistant coach Chris Jans welcomed me into the club of people with a ruptured Achilles tendon. His story is much more grim than mine. He tore his in 2004, five days into practice when he was head coach at Chipola (Fla.) Junior College. He took no time off and coached from an easy chair with his foot propped up and iced. Later, he coached from a wheelchair. My story is a breeze compared to that.