Saturday morning's basketball practice was an absolute brawl, a bloodbath, just the way Purdue likes it.
Players fought each other for loose balls and rebounds during drills designed to make players fight each other for loose balls and rebounds. There were tie-ups that extended well beyond both players hitting the floor.
Brother turned on brother when Terone Johnson nearly rode Ronnie Johnson into a wall chasing a ball and actually looked for a moment as if he'd injured his younger sibling's knee on the first day of practice.
(Wouldn't that have been the most Purdue thing ever?)
It was only one practice, but it was sign of an edge lost a year ago and seemingly restored. At least for one morning.
It was a tremendously spirited practice, the best first practice Matt Painter says he's presided over at Purdue entering a season when his team needs to practice better than it ever has.
And the best part of it was that it seemed organic, that it came from the players, unprompted by the coaches.
Listen to how Terone Johnson, for example, talks about this season relative to last and you get the impression of a senior leader who's gotten it. Last year was embarrassing and Johnson, for one, seems genuinely eager to make amends.
Saturday's practice made it look like everyone feels the same way.
First off, I saw an hour of practice. Just an hour. So it was a small snapshot.
But here are a couple other snap judgments, based on those 60 minutes.
This team is deep, maybe deeper than any team Painter's had with guys with high-level ability or potential. That's going to help practice as much as anything. The Boilermakers should have backcourt depth, certainly more than last season, and a wealth of not only size, but skilled size.
Jay Simpson - and this isn't hype, just eye-witness reporting - really looks the part right now. He looks in shape and energized and this is coming from someone (me) who's been covering him for like five years now and has never really seen him look either.
At best, he's a player Purdue's not had anyone like, a legit-sized center with tremendous diversity of skill. He can be a real weapon as a high-post threat on offense with his ability to make mid-range jumpers or face and drive. He can be a real inside-out threat against zones, in particular, IMO, if he makes good decisions with the ball up top.
But again, he has to do something in a game before we crown his you-know-what. He practiced with urgency Saturday, but it was just one practice.
Not sure Purdue will need the world from him right away, but Basil Smotherman looks like he can help this team. Saturday, he practiced with energy, rebounded and made spot-up shots. He was really good around the basket.
You've read here 900 times now that if he'll rebound and defend, he'll have a role. Looked Saturday like he'll at least try and when you're as athletic and big as he is now, effort should equal productivity.
Painter thinks this can be a very good defensive team - yes, he said that last year, too - but this year, he has some legitimate pieces, starting with the Big Ten's best shot-blocker.
As importantly, though, is guard depth. The Boilermakers have three guards who can pressure the ball in Ronnie Johnson, Bryson Scott and Sterling Carter, so we'd think Painter would turn back to that as a fundamental staple of his team's defense.
Foul trouble and fatigue shouldn't be the haymakers they were a year ago.
Scott's tenacity can really help Purdue this season, especially on defense, but on offense, he has to be able to make good decisions in the lane when he penetrates.
This is a kid who puts everything he has into everything he does and in high school there were times where it was obvious he put so much into getting to the basket, he had nothing left when got there, so he'd short-arm a layup or get stuck without a pass to make.
At this level, that leads to turnovers and your shots getting sent to the moon by people like A.J. Hammons.
Just something to watch for.
Bear in mind: I only saw an hour of practice, so if someone's not mentioned here, it doesn't mean they're awful and wastes of scholarships. Haha.
Copyright, Boilers, Inc. 2013. All Rights Reserved. Reproducing or using editorial or graphical content, in whole or in part, without permission, is strictly prohibited. E-mail GoldandBlack.com/Boilers, Inc.
Players fought each other for loose balls and rebounds during drills designed to make players fight each other for loose balls and rebounds. There were tie-ups that extended well beyond both players hitting the floor.
Brother turned on brother when Terone Johnson nearly rode Ronnie Johnson into a wall chasing a ball and actually looked for a moment as if he'd injured his younger sibling's knee on the first day of practice.
(Wouldn't that have been the most Purdue thing ever?)
It was only one practice, but it was sign of an edge lost a year ago and seemingly restored. At least for one morning.
It was a tremendously spirited practice, the best first practice Matt Painter says he's presided over at Purdue entering a season when his team needs to practice better than it ever has.
And the best part of it was that it seemed organic, that it came from the players, unprompted by the coaches.
Listen to how Terone Johnson, for example, talks about this season relative to last and you get the impression of a senior leader who's gotten it. Last year was embarrassing and Johnson, for one, seems genuinely eager to make amends.
Saturday's practice made it look like everyone feels the same way.
First off, I saw an hour of practice. Just an hour. So it was a small snapshot.
But here are a couple other snap judgments, based on those 60 minutes.
Jay Simpson - and this isn't hype, just eye-witness reporting - really looks the part right now. He looks in shape and energized and this is coming from someone (me) who's been covering him for like five years now and has never really seen him look either.
At best, he's a player Purdue's not had anyone like, a legit-sized center with tremendous diversity of skill. He can be a real weapon as a high-post threat on offense with his ability to make mid-range jumpers or face and drive. He can be a real inside-out threat against zones, in particular, IMO, if he makes good decisions with the ball up top.
But again, he has to do something in a game before we crown his you-know-what. He practiced with urgency Saturday, but it was just one practice.
You've read here 900 times now that if he'll rebound and defend, he'll have a role. Looked Saturday like he'll at least try and when you're as athletic and big as he is now, effort should equal productivity.
As importantly, though, is guard depth. The Boilermakers have three guards who can pressure the ball in Ronnie Johnson, Bryson Scott and Sterling Carter, so we'd think Painter would turn back to that as a fundamental staple of his team's defense.
Foul trouble and fatigue shouldn't be the haymakers they were a year ago.
This is a kid who puts everything he has into everything he does and in high school there were times where it was obvious he put so much into getting to the basket, he had nothing left when got there, so he'd short-arm a layup or get stuck without a pass to make.
At this level, that leads to turnovers and your shots getting sent to the moon by people like A.J. Hammons.
Just something to watch for.
Bear in mind: I only saw an hour of practice, so if someone's not mentioned here, it doesn't mean they're awful and wastes of scholarships. Haha.
Copyright, Boilers, Inc. 2013. All Rights Reserved. Reproducing or using editorial or graphical content, in whole or in part, without permission, is strictly prohibited. E-mail GoldandBlack.com/Boilers, Inc.
