Getting to see a summer workout

My dad and I had the opportunity to watch the Wofford Men’s Basketball team work out on Friday. I appreciate Coach Jay McAuley for inviting us over.

Yes – it’s July. It isn’t anywhere close to basketball season. The Fall semester is still a ways away. But the NCAA allows a certain amount of time for coaches and players to work together during summer months – including individual workouts and limited team activities. So, on Friday, the team was on the court in the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium, taking part in a fast-paced, highly competitive practice.

For the most of the hour we were there, groups of five players would execute offensive sets against no defense. They’d then run back up court and run things against a group of defenders. There was also a series of 3-on-3 halfcourt contests.

Overall, there was a lot to take in – numerous new players, but also lots of different lineups and stops-and-starts so the coaches could give instruction. Even with 5-on-5 competition, it wasn’t quite the feel of a regular game. Still, it was fun to watch — and an interesting glimpse of the talent on the 2022-2023 squad.

The many new players were joined by star post player BJ Mack and sophomore guard Corey Tripp. Messiah Jones was on hand, but he wasn’t playing. He appeared to be moving around well, and without pain, and reports on his rehab from last December’s season-ending Achilles tendon injury have been positive.

A few observations:

**On the whole, the group looked athletic. They played hard. Competition for playing time will likely be fierce, and everyone looked more than ready to take their best shot at being in the mix in months to come.

**Mack looked about how you would hope:  very, very good! He ran the floor well, made both close-range shots and 3-pointers. He’s about as gifted a scorer as any big man Wofford has had, and it’s conceivable that he will be in the running for SoCon player of the year.

**Tripp appeared really sharp. He played back-up minutes at point guard last season, getting more playing time – and improving – as the conference season went on. But on Friday, he looked far more in command of things. He used his impressive athleticism to attack the defense, he made shots, he looked confident. Coach McAuley has said that Tripp’s off-season has been really outstanding, and that certainly seemed to be the case on Friday.

**Also in the mix for playing time at point guard are freshmen Jackson Paveletzke, Anthony Arrington, and Adam Silas. The young trio played hard and made some nice plays. Arrington, in particular, hit shots and seemed to have a knack for making good things happen. He doesn’t have the prettiest form on his jumper, but he was effective on the offensive side. Paveletzke was aggressive and seemingly confident, too. He’s quick and has a good-looking shot; you could see how he’d been a high-scoring guard as a high schooler in Wisconsin. Silas demonstrated athleticism and toughness, as well, and appeared generally steady — an important quality for a lead ball-handler. All three appear to be really good prospects for minutes at either guard spot.

**Carson McCorkle and Jackson Sivills bring Division 1 experience and considerable talent at the shooting guard and wing spots. They didn’t dominate the competition, but both made shots and looked extremely confident and highly skilled. McCorkle has a smooth shooting stroke and seems like one of those guys who’s deceptively quick. He might not blow past everyone, but seems to have a knack for finding the right spot to take a good shot. Sivills is a little taller and more powerful, but a similarly smooth-looking offensive player.

Though they didn’t play all that much at their previous schools (McCorkle at Virginia, Sivills at Murray State), both guys practiced with very high-level talent over the past two years, and they have been part of well-coached, championship programs. It appears likely that they will provide leadership and a winning mindset – as well as impressive scoring ability.

**Amarri Tice – all I can say is:  Watch out for this guy. He’s 6-foot-7. He’s muscular. He’s athletic. I can’t say whether Tice, a freshman from the state of New York, will be a major force for Wofford this coming season. But on Friday, he was a significant part of the action, showing skill on the perimeter as well as ability and willingness to mix it up in the paint. He’s a pretty unique guy in this group.

**Kyler Filewich is a big man from Canada, by way of Southern Illinois, where he played solid minutes for two seasons. Did I say he’s a big man? He’s 6-9, about 250. Filewich is a big man.

He moves well. Filewich doesn’t exactly glide around like a ballet dancer. But he seems comfortable in his body, willing to take (even pursue) contact, and effective at making things happen around the basket.

At one point during the workout, recently hired assistant coach Tysor Anderson had Filewich and his group in a huddle. He exhorted Filewich:  “Just score the ball!” There might have been a cuss word in there. In any case, Anderson was pretty demonstrative. And, sure enough, next time down the court, Filewich posted up against Mack, received a pass, and made a bucket. He’s a guy who appears to have lots of potential.

**I’ve been excited about guard Tauris Watson since seeing highlight videos of his high school and junior college (Gulf State Coast College) years. He’s quite athletic. On Friday, he didn’t score tons of shots. But he was very active. This is a player who looks to be able to create his own shot – a truly valuable thing over the course of a season – and to go after rebounds and loose balls. And he’s got the athleticism to bring an element of excitement we honestly don’t see all time.

**Chase Martin, a 6-5 freshman from Oklahoma, struggled to hit shots. He seemed frustrated at times. But he regrouped and made several nice, rather crafty plays in the lane. Martin is clearly not afraid of hustle and physical contact – the kind of thing that can make a tall guard really effective.

**Joshua Morissette was wearing a boot and didn’t get to play. He’s a big, strong guard with an impressive high school record. I look forward to seeing him play for the Terriers.

I got to speak with Coach McAuley briefly at the end of the practice. “We’ve got some pieces,” he said. “We’re excited.”