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Basketball Practice starts soon.

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mtgrizrule

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Oct. 2, 2014

2014-15 Numerical Roster Get Acrobat Reader

The University of Montana Grizzly men's basketball team begins practice for the 2014-15 season Monday, Oct. 6.

The Griz are coming off a 17-13 season and were 12-8 in the Big Sky Conference, which put them in a thee-way tie for second place (with North Dakota and Northern Arizona).

First-year head coach Travis DeCuire returns two-plus starters (one full-time starter and two players who started in at least half of the games) and seven letterman in his initial season as the mentor at his alma mater (1994).

"During the first week of practice we will be looking to set the tone, in terms of play and execution," DeCuire said. "We will be introducing a lot of new information. Our ability to retain it on the fly will be challenged."

The starters lost by the Griz are guard-forward Kareem Jamar (30 starts), guard Keron DeShields (28 starts), and center Eric Hutchison (21 starts). Jamar led UM in scoring and rebounding at 18.8 points a game, and was a first team all-conference selection for the third year in a row last season. DeShields was third on the team in scoring (11.8 ppg) and an honorable mention all-league pick a year ago, while Hutchison averaged 3.8 points per game.

Starters back are guards Jordan Gregory (29 starts) and Mario Dunn (16 starts), and forward Mike Weisner (15 starts).

Lettermen returning are 6-2 sophomore guards Riley Bradshaw (played in 20 games) and 6-4 Brandon Gfeller (27 games/two starts), 6-6 senior center Chris Kemp (29 games), and 6-5 sophomore forward Jack Lopez (16 games).

Gregory, a 6-2, 185-pound senior from Pueblo, Colo., was Montana's third leading scorer last season, averaging 13.8 points a game, and he was named honorable mention All-Big Sky. He was ranked third in the Big Sky in free throw percentage (85/8%) and 11th in scoring.

"Jordan has been a steady leader through the transition (of having a new head coach)," DeCuire said. "He's been preparing himself to have a great senior season."

A 6-7 senior from Walla Walla, Wash., Weisner was fourth on the squad in scoring, averaging 8.1 points per game a year ago. He was ranked second in the league in three-point percentage (46.6%) and tied for 13th in treys made per game (1.6). He was 36-of-38 (94.7%) from the line.

Dunn, a 6-0 sophomore from Oakland, Calif., started in 16 of UM's 20 Big Sky games. He was fifth on the team in scoring (6.3 ppg).

"Mario is one of the most competitive players I have had," DeCuire said. "I look forward to going to battle with him on the floor."

None of Montana's four returning lettermen, Bradshaw, Gfeller, Kemp, and Lopez, averaged more than 2.8 points per game. Kemp tied for sixth on the squad in rebounds (2.1 pg).

A key returnee is 6-8 junior forward Marin Breunig who was in the program last year, but came to UM via the University of Washington and had to redshirt due to NCAA transfer rules.

"Breunig has been working hard," DeCuire said. "We expect this year to be a breakout season for Martin." Montana has two players from the junior college ranks in sophomore guard/forward Jermaine Edmonds Jr. and sophomore guard Daniel Nwosu.

The 6-5 Edmonds Jr., from Richmond, Calif., averaged 14.5 points per game at Diablo Valley College a year ago. Nwosu, 6-2, is from Ottawa, Ontario, and averaged 13.2 points per game at Casper College in Wyoming last season.

The Griz added three players from the high school ranks. That trio included Bryden Boehning, a 6-10 center from Glendive, Mont.; 6-6 forward Gavin DeJong from Manhattan, Mont., and 6-8 forward Fabijan Krslovic, who hails from Abbotsbury, NSW, Australia.

Boehning (pronounced BAY-ning), averaged 15.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game as a senior. DeJong missed his senior season in hoops because of a football injury, but averaged 18.0 points and 12.0 rebounds per game as a junior. Krslovic represented his country in the 2013 U19 World Championships, and he also played on Australia's Under 17 National Team.

The Grizzlies' practice schedule varies from day-to-day. Their first practice on Oct. 4 is slated from 10 a.m. to noon in the West Auxiliary Gym (WAG).

The team will make its public debut at the annual Silver-Maroon scrimmage, Wednesday, Oct. 29, starting at 5:30 p.m. in Dahlberg Arena.
 
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Picture a 5-year-old on Christmas Eve.

That’s the kind of anticipation first-year Montana men’s basketball coach Travis DeCuire is feeling on the eve of his first official practice as a head coach.

“I can’t wait,” DeCuire said. “I’ve been thinking about it all week. We had our last small group workout (Friday) morning. It was pretty intense. We kind of went into it as if it were our first practice. Everybody else in the country is pretty much starting this weekend. We’re excited, we’re ready to go.”

DeCuire takes over from Wayne Tinkle, who accepted the head job at Oregon State in May after eight successful seasons at Montana, including three trips to the NCAA tournament in the last five seasons.

The cupboard is hardly bare, however. The Griz return three starters – guards Jordan Gregory (13.6 points per game) and Mario Dunn (6.6 ppg), and forward Mike Weisner (8.1 ppg) – from a team that finished 17-13 last season.

In addition, Washington transfer Martin Breunig, a 6-foot-8, 217-pound junior forward, is eligible after sitting out a season. Senior forward Chris Kemp and sophomore guard Brandon Gfeller also played in nearly every game. The key loss was four-year starter and two-time Big Sky tournament MVP Kareem Jamar.

The returning players have helped DeCuire and his staff with the coaching transition.

“Definitely,” DeCuire said. “(Gregory) has probably been the most vocal. (Breunig) and (Dunn) are guys who tend to lead by example, but when they do say something, everyone listens. Michael Weisner has stepped up as someone who has a really great feel and IQ for the game, playing both positions at the forward spots. He’s helped us with depth and has been vocal at the right times.

“Our upper class right now is doing a good job with that. (Dunn) isn’t an upperclassman, but he’s kind of been pushed into that role.”

DeCuire has been able to work with the team during summer and fall conditioning, calling those workouts productive.

“We’ve gotten a lot out of them, a lot of player development since June,” he said. “I think we were able to throw a lot of new information at the team. We’re executing a few things right now a lot better than I would have thought. I think we’re headed in the right direction.”

Of the returners, you’d be surprised to hear who has looked the best so far.

“Coach Jones, his play has jumped out,” DeCuire said with a chuckle of Griz assistant Jono Metzger-Jones. “He’s stepped on the floor and practiced for us a little bit. He’s making open shots, diving on the floor for loose balls and demanding that guys make the extra pass when he’s open. He’ stood out the most at this point.”

Of the five newcomers to the program, DeCuire said junior college transfer Jermaine Edmonds, a 6-4 wing, and 6-10 freshman Bryden Boehning of Glendive have started figuring things out recently, DeCuire said.

“They got off to fairly slow starts and are completely different guys today than they were two months ago,” DeCuire said. “I think a lot of it is that I’ve thrown a lot of new information at guys and they’re expected to do things they’ve never done before, so you’re a little tentative sometimes while learning. They’re getting a little more comfortable with where they are, who they are at this level and have made practices more competitive here the last week or two.”

DeCuire said his practices will be “intense, competitive, but always productive.

“We’ll find creative ways to keep the intensity high, but always maintain a learning atmosphere. There will be a lot of communication from the staff and myself in terms of demanding perfection. You don’t always get perfection, but you always want to shoot for it. We’re big on execution. Everything we do is going to require guys to be in the right place at the right time so that we can trust each other.”

NOTES: Leaving the program during the offseason were guard Keron DeShields, forward Nick Emerson, center Andy Martin, and walk-on Morgan Young. ... DeCuire said a few of the players have nagging injuries, but that everybody should practice on Monday. ... The Maroon-Silver scrimmage is scheduled for Oct. 29. ... The Griz have exhibition games against Whitworth on Nov. 3 and Saint Martin’s on Nov. 8. ... The season opener is Nov. 15 at Colorado State.

Sports editor Bob Meseroll can be reached at 523-5265 or at [email protected].


Sports editor Bob Meseroll can be reached at 523-5265 or at [email protected].
 
I'm trying hard to dampen my enthusiasm for this team and it is not easy. It is not going to be easy replacing Kareem, but I get the impression that this coach knows a lot more going into the season than we ever expected. Somehow, I think Griz basketball just kicked it up a notch or two. I hope this season is a good one....
 
GrizLA said:
I'm trying hard to dampen my enthusiasm for this team and it is not easy. It is not going to be easy replacing Kareem, but I get the impression that this coach knows a lot more going into the season than we ever expected. Somehow, I think Griz basketball just kicked it up a notch or two. I hope this season is a good one....
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+1
 
+1 to the above two posts!

Let me just add an exclamation point with today's straightforward comments by coach DeCuire (sometimes realistically blunt; sometimes very revealing about how he expects the Griz to "get after it" this season) after his team's first practice of the year.

I'm ready. Go Griz.

http://www.gogriz.com/collegesportslive/?media=467168" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
Great to hear Travis speak about the team. I am excited for this season. Good to hear in his focus on rebounding better. I liked all his answers. I sure hope Andy Martin is happier not playing. Then again, I have not heard anything on either side of it since July. Sounds like whatever rough waters or bad feeling may be behind both sides. Andy and his family are great people.

GO GRIZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I wonder what the projected starting line-up will be. It'll be interesting to see the development of Gavin DeJong; the way they were bemoaning their loss of him over on bobcatnation.com you'd think they were missing out on another small school player like they had in Doug Hashley, or something.
 
Interesting to hear him say he's concerned more with depth in the backcourt than the frontcourt. I would perceive it to be the opposite.
 
MtTarheel said:
Interesting to hear him say he's concerned more with depth in the backcourt than the frontcourt. I would perceive it to be the opposite.
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Agreed. That's one of the things that's so intriguing about this transition. I'm interested to see how this former point guard approaches the game.
 
WyomingGrizFan said:
I wonder what the projected starting line-up will be. It'll be interesting to see the development of Gavin DeJong; the way they were bemoaning their loss of him over on bobcatnation.com you'd think they were missing out on another small school player like they had in Doug Hashley, or something.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing starters will be Breunig, Kemp, Gregory, Dunn, and ? I suppose it could be Edmonds, or Weisner. Don't know much about the new frosh.
 
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