Trick or Treat!
In less than 24 hours, the beginning of a new era of basketball begins at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
And this time around, I think we’re in for a treat. And here’s a few reasons why:
Coach Devries has been a winner everywhere he’s been.
Coach Devries instantly turned around a West Virginia program decimated by the dismissal of Bob Huggins. They would have easily been in the field of 68 had it not been for a crucial injury to his son. There’s no reason for him not to succeed at another Power 5 conference school with the resources and fan base behind him.
Personally, I have been extremely impressed with the approach Coach Devries has taken with connecting to the fan base. I give him a lot of props for that. I first met him at the annual event at Huber’s Orchard & Winery and felt he was extremely humble, sociable, and genuinely excited to be there. A totally different vibe from Archie Miller — and not once did he talk about himself in the third person. I wasn’t able to attend the “Hoops on Kirkwood” or the scrimmage, but hosting multiple events to build engagement with the fans is a smart move — and appreciated.
If you attended the “Haunted Hall of Hoops” event, you would have seen every player and coach in the program simply taking a break from the grind, having fun with kiddos in costumes along with all of the adult kids, including myself. Coach Devries was standing smack dab in the center of south concourse of Assembly Hall. Accessible. Smiling, shaking hands, talking to fans, posing for pictures with families, signing posters and basketballs. By the way, I thought the little gal dressed up as Martha the Mop Lady was hands down the best costume of the night. I digress…all I’m trying to say is I see someone taking a blue-collar approach to running a program and building the kind of culture that will resonate with the fan base.
More on culture — how many players do you see giving back to the school that gave then a platform for greater success? Enter Lamar Wilkerson, who should vault to the top of your list as a fan favorite. He’s on mine. An incredible gesture from that young man, indeed. That’s the type of player I’d want in my basketball program.
The games played in Puerto Rico and the neutral site exhibition against Baylor will prove to be pivotal in preparation for key games in the pre-conference and conference schedule.
The team is resilient — and doesn’t give up. That was on display in Puerto Rico and against Baylor. Down considerably at the half, but responding in a positive way after the break.
We’re going to see a more modern style of basketball. Hard-nosed, man-to-man defense, offensive schemes that emphasize floor spacing, high volume three-point shooting, and getting out quickly in transition.
I get it…little of this has anything to do with X’s and O’s, and we haven’t seen an official game recorded in the books yet. Still, I believe that establishing a strong culture is the cornerstone of future success. And by the looks of it, I think we’re seeing the beginning of something special.
By the way, I couldn’t be more stoked to get an entire set of signatures at the Haunted Hall of Hoops event — including assistant coaches — on my annual team basketball featured here!
Go IU!
