"Did you say practice? We're talking about practice.......practice.......we're talking about practice!"

Those were the infamous words of Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers when he was playing for Larry Brown.

I happen to love practice and that is what we are getting to do this week before we leave Sunday for Senegal. Our young men have worked extremely hard on the court and have grown as players in a few short months since the conclusion of the season. Here is the breakdown:

Seniors:

Bamba Fall - has improved his strength. He is more comfortable using his right hand in the post! This is exciting. I am encouraging him to catch and shoot the face up jumper quicker. He is becoming more physical with his post defense, too.

Juniors:

Mo Faye - he is extremely long and skilled. Mo has a very good feel of the game as he can "see and deliver" a good pass. At 6-9 he is a long wing player who can score and defend.

Sophomores:

Papa Dia - his shot is much improved as his "release point" is higher and more over his left eye. His balance is better and Pap is running the floor really well.

Alex Malone - his strength has improved and his "sense of urgency" is much better. He is competing in practice, esp on the defensive end. When he gets more consistent with his jump shot he will be really good.

Ryan Harp - he is still in great condition and plays extremely hard! Defensively, he is one of our best players! The arc on his shot has improved, too. This will help his shooting percentages a great deal.

Mike Walker - he is doing a very good job of handling the ball and making good decisions. He seems much more confident. His leadership skills are surfacing, too.

Robert Nyakundi - he is one of the best shooters I have ever coached. His key is on the defensive end. Once he grasps that, he will play an important role. Robert's conditioning has improved greatly.

Tomasz Kwiatkowski - he is improving before our eyes. TK can run the floor and catch very well. He has a big body and he likes to bang. His ability to pick-and-roll is very good.

Pony Up!

Coach Doh