Early morning basketball workouts and Prime Time League observations
Iowa guard Matt Gatens says he enjoys 6 a.m. summer workouts.
North Liberty, Ia. – Workouts start at 6 a.m.
“They’re fun,” point guard Cully Payne said. “Actually, not.”
Lifting, running and doing other conditioning work early in the day is just one way new Iowa basketball coach Fran McCaffery is stressing commitment.
And commitment is something that has been missing from the program, judging by the number of players leaving town in recent seasons.
“It affects your play if you don’t know if you’re in or out,” Iowa guard Matt Gatens said.
Gatens said everyone on the team is all-in now.
“Everyone is completely in, and excited for the season, and buying into the system and believing in it,” Gatens said.
Gatens, for one, doesn’t mind the 6 a.m. workouts.
“I like having the days longer in the summer, because I don’t want the summer to go so fast,” Gatens said.
Gatens has lost nearly 15 pounds from his 6-foot-5 frame. McCaffery pushed for the weight loss, with the idea that Gatens will play second guard and second guard only. He’s played every position but the post over the first two years of his Iowa career.
Gatens does look to play with more fluidity, judging from his performance in the Prime Time League Tuesday at the North Liberty Community Center.
Some other observations:
Melsahn Basabe, an incoming recruit, will be a factor next season. Undersized at 6-feet-7 inches, Basabe knows his way around the basket. He can stand up to the physicality of a Big Ten game but can also run the floor.
“We were playing a scrimmage the other day and and I threw Mel a lob pass from half court,” Payne said. “He runs well.”
Picking a starting lineup as of today would look like this: Payne and Gatens at the guards, Eric May at small forward, Jarryd Cole in the post and Basabe at power forward.
Incoming recuit Zach McCabe reminds some of Jess Settles. He will also see time at power forward. Another rookie, guard Devyn Marble, is an athletic presence missing from last year’s roster. He’s got further to go on defense than offense at this point.
Devon Archie will bring shotblocking and rebounding to the post, but he still needs to polish his offensive skills to get significant time on the floor. Andrew Brommer’s offensive skills look to be improved.
Cole, who had off-season surgery on his knee, is sitting out of PTL action for the second time in three years. He said he’s progressing well and will be ready to go when practice starts. Cole was recruited to Iowa by Steve Alford, played for Todd Lickliter and now Fran McCaffery.
Category: Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball
