The IUS men’s basketball team has only one remaining starting player from last season, Jake Simpson, sophomore guard.
Simpson said the new team is practicing, and, with hard work and determination, they should be able to continue to lead on the IUS men’s basketball legacy.
“We are going to have to pick up on a lot of things because we’re young,” Simpson said. “We have a whole new system and a lot of players from different schools.”
Simpson said it is a slow process, but they are progressing well.
“Coach Brown has to explain and go over stuff more because we have a lot of new people,” Simpson said. “Only a few of us have ever even done anything like this before.”
Wiley Brown, IUS men’s basketball head coach, said they have a lot of talented men, but their weakness is being a whole new team.
“They have to get to know each other, and that comes from practice,” Brown said. “They have to stay with each other on and off the court and be like brothers to each other, but, most of all, they have to have fun.”
Brown said students can expect to see a team that is going to go out and play hard each and every game.
“It’s going to be exciting and very athletic,” Brown said. “When you do come out and see these young men, you’ll definitely see the fight come out in them. You’ll see the energy of them playing hard.”
Simpson said one of their new players, Matt Trimnell, junior guard, came from IU East and should bring a lot to the team this season.
“He is one of the best shooters on our team,” Simpson said. “I can already tell.”
Trimnell said he thinks he can bring a good outside game.
“We have a lot of offensive threats this year, and that’s why I got recruited,” Trimnell said. “Our main focus right now is on the defensive side.”
Cameron Mitchell, point and shooting guard, said students can expect a lot of fast-pace shooting, running and pressure defense from the team this season.
“I’m really a team kind of guy, but I can bring shooting, defense and scoring to the team,” Cameron said. “I just do everything the coach and everyone asks of me.”
Kevin Mitchell, point guard, said he will bring leadership to the team.
“As a team, we’re going to come together,” Kevin said. “It isn’t going to be any one person team this year. It’s going to be everybody.”
Simpson said he loves his team this season because they are like one big family.
“That’s the difference between last year and this year,” Simpson said. “This year’s team is a lot closer. Last year’s team, we all had our separate groups, but, this year, we are a lot closer. We’re like family.”
Kevin said the team has a strong brotherhood, and that should win them a lot of games.
“We all bond and stick together,” Kevin said. “We’re all brothers.”
By AYSIA HOGLE
Staff
ahogle@umail.iu.edu
