Freshman Dusty Stromer steps into starting role for Gonzaga: 'He brings energy'
Freshman Dusty Stromer was originally set to begin his collegiate career as most Gonzaga men's basketball players do, coming off the bench and producing when called upon.
Those plans were ditched just days before the season opener after the Zags lost expected starting wing Steele Venters for the entire year with a torn ACL.
Many questioned who would start in place of Venters, but the answer was provided when Stromer was announced with the rest of Gonzaga's starters during the pregame introductions for its first matchup against Yale.
In his debut, Stromer delivered eight points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal in 28 minutes to help the 11th-ranked Zags defeat Yale 86-71.
Getting moved into a bigger role didn't seem to faze Stromer, who nailed a 3-pointer on his first field goal attempt to even up the score at 16-16 at the seven-minute mark.
“He’s pretty unflappable,” Gonzaga head coach Mark Few said of the 4-star recruit from Los Angeles. “He’s got kind of a California cool casualness to him. I’m always teasing him about but it serves him well I think in these instances."
Stromer remained in the starting five for Tuesday's matchup against Eastern Oregon, which saw the Zags (2-0) demolish their NAIA opponents for a 123-57 victory.
The 6-foot-6 guard went 1-for-3 from the field, with his only bucket coming off a fastbreak layup to extend Gonzaga's lead to 97-44 midway through the second half. Stromer also collected two rebounds and one assist in 21 minutes of action.
It was a relatively quiet outing for Stromer in a game where the Zags set a program record with 52 made field goals and finished with the second-highest scoring output in school history.
Stromer's presence on the floor was still impactful, leading the team with a plus-minus of 40.
"Dusty's done a good job," said starting forward Anton Watson. "He's been playing super hard. He brings effort and energy and that's what we need from him every night."
Stromer's skills will be tested during next week's Maui Invitational, with Gonzaga set to play three games against top-tier opponents. The Zags face second-ranked Purdue on Monday at 2 p.m. PST in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
The Boilermakers are the only team with a higher-ranked offense on KenPom than the Zags. Last season, Purdue defeated Gonzaga 84-66 in the semifinals of the Phil Knight Legacy tournament in Portland, Oregon.
As Stromer gets more experience as a starter, he'll only get more comfortable against top-tier teams like the ones competing at the Maui Invitational. The eight-team field includes No. 1 Kansas, No. 4 Marquette, No. 7 Tennessee, UCLA, Syracuse and Chaminade.
"More minutes out of Dusty will be a positive for the program and his development," Few said. "It’s really, really going to help. It kind of forces you into living with a lot of mistakes and things maybe you wouldn’t have to if Steele was out there.”
Even through adversity, Stromer's adjustment to a bigger role has impressed his teammates.
"It’s very overwhelming, especially for a freshman," said Gonzaga junior guard Nolan Hickman. "We all know that, so we all try to help him through the process. He’s been doing really good, though, he’s not your regular freshman. The mistakes he makes aren’t what regular freshmen make. A lot of the stuff, he clears it up with his energy. His effort on the defensive end. I feel like he’s going to fit right in."
Stromer has enjoyed the support of Gonzaga's fan base since being introduced at Kraziness in the Kennel on Oct. 7.
“Obviously, there's no place like the Kennel," Stromer said after the event. "Just to get out here and play for the first time, it was really fun."
Stromer and the Zags will return to the McCarthey Athletic Center on Nov. 28 to play CSU Bakersfield at 6 p.m.
