UNLV makes final preparations for Bahamas
As practice was about to begin Monday, Centennial High School star Troy Brown Jr. walked into Mendenhall Center on an unofficial visit.
UNLV certainly would love to land Brown, the nation’s No. 28 prospect according to ESPN.com, but if that happens it would be help for the 2017-18 basketball season.
The Rebels are hard at work preparing for the upcoming season with the players currently on the roster, and before Monday’s workout had put in a full week of practices.
“To have these practices is invaluable,” first-year coach Marvin Menzies said before Monday’s drills. “We’re five practices in now. It’s evident because we’re going to be able to have some things in place when Sept. 30 rolls around (for the beginning of preseason practices). The guys will feel comfortable and the staff will feel comfortable, so we’re going to be ready to roll.”
UNLV is practicing again this week and will head to the Bahamas on Saturday for a weeklong trip that includes three exhibition games against the University of Toronto and two teams from the islands. A team is allowed one international trip every four years and 10 practices leading up to such a visit.
The Rebels need the extra time because only three players are back from last season.
“The first week of practices was getting to know each other better,” said Christian Jones, a 6-foot-7-inch graduate transfer from St. John’s. “So it’s really to get a feel for each other’s game and who’s going to be doing what.”
Jones said he has been particularly impressed by some of the freshmen, naming 6-11 Cheikna Dembele, 6-10 Djordjije Slijivancanin and 6-7 Ben Coupet.
“We’ve got a few young players that are going to come in and have an effect on the game right away,” Jones said. “But as far as coming coming in together, we still need to build more chemistry and things like that. This Bahamas trip is definitely going to help out.”
Another graduate transfer, 6-4 Uche Ofoegbu from the University of San Francisco, agreed this trip will help the team start to develop some answers.
“There’s no definite role yet, but it’s starting to get there,” Ofoegbu said. “The Bahamas, I feel, after the trip, we’ll know a little more.”
Menzies has said these two weeks of practices are more valuable than the games themselves next week, and he has been pleased by what he’s seen, noting in particular that 6-4 sophomore point guard Jalen Poyser has effectively run the team.
“The balance (of the team) is good,” Menzies said. “When you have them on paper, it’s one thing, but to see them on the floor is a different deal. It’s starting to come together a little bit at a time.”
Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow on Twitter: @markanderson65
UNLV Bahamas Schedule
- Aug. 14 vs. Univ. of Toronto (Noon PT)
- Aug 16 vs. CTG Knights (2 p.m. PT)
- Aug 18 vs. Providence Storm (2 p.m. PT)
