Gonzaga coach Mark Few uses 9-player rotation in scrimmage vs. Baylor
Not much was reported from Gonzaga's closed-door scrimmage against Baylor, but the statistics that were released Monday provide a glimpse at the potential rotations of both teams.
Zags head coach Mark Few utilized a nine-player lineup in the team's 81-78 win over the Bears in Phoenix. Baylor's Scott Drew used 10 players in the contest.
Nothing was unexpected about Gonzaga's starting five, which featured Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman, Steele Venters, Anton Watson and Graham Ike.
Nembhard was the only player from either team to play all 40 minutes of the game, possibly reflecting Few's confidence in the younger sibling of former Gonzaga standout Andrew Nembhard.
Ryan Nembhard made the most of his extended run, finishing with 12 points, seven assists, three rebounds and five steals. The transfer from Creighton had a team-high six turnovers, but that's not concerning for a player who served as the primary distributor for an entire contest.
Few relied heavily on his starting backcourt, granting Hickman the second-highest playing time at 34 minutes. Hickman tied Anton Watson as Gonzaga's leading scorer with 17 points.
Gonzaga's best teams have traditionally used two ball-handlers, a luxury Few has this season with Nembhard and Hickman in the starting lineup.
The only guard to come off the bench for the Zags was 6-foot-6 freshman Dusty Stromer, who missed his only shot in 16 minutes. It was a relatively quite showing for the former 4-star recruit, but his run on the court indicates Few's trust in the 20-year-old to compete against top-tier programs.
Venters, who transferred from Eastern Washington, filled in former Zag Julian Strawther's role as the starting wing. The graduate student scored 12 points and went 2-for-5 from 3-point range in 24 minutes.
Venters got less time on the court than Gonzaga's other two starting guards, with Few also using Stromer and sophomore Jun Seok Yeo at the wing spot. Yeo missed his lone field goal attempt in five minutes.
Noticeably absent from Gonzaga's rotation of perimeter players was Luka Krajnovic, who did not play in the scrimmage after his 11-point outing at last month's Kraziness in the Kennel. Krajnovic has the tools to create shots for himself and others, but the Zags have plenty of players who can do that on a more consistent basis.
Few has historically given regular minutes to eight or nine players, which means Krajnovic could be just short of cracking the rotation. Regardless of his current role, Krajnovic should get the opportunity to prove himself at some point this season.
In the frontcourt, Few paired Watson and Ike together as many expected. Watson saw the court more often, registering 31 minutes compared to Ike's 20-minute showing. Ike is still coming back after injuring the same right leg that kept him sidelined for the entire 2022-23 season.
Watson contributed in a multitude of ways, finishing with 17 points, six rebounds, three assists, five steals and two blocks. The Zags benefitted from the physicality of Watson, who drew eight fouls in the scrimmage. He shot 7-for-11 from the free-throw line.
Ike made the most of his limited action, tallying 11 points and three rebounds. After missing Kraziness in the Kennel, Ike's appearance in the scrimmage is an encouraging sign that he's progressing in his recovery.
Off the bench, Few called upon Ben Gregg and Braden Huff to play valuable minutes. Gregg, who averaged 11.9 minutes per game last season, led the second unit with 16 minutes against Baylor.
Gregg sunk both of his 3-point attempts and two free throws to end with eight points, while also corralling a team-high seven rebounds. The 6-foot-10 junior appears ready to serve as Gonzaga's top bench contributor this season.
Huff, who redshirted last year, posted four points, two rebounds and one block in 15 minutes. Even if Huff doesn't receive this much playing time in the regular season, his presence bolsters the depth of Gonzaga's frontcourt.
Based on how Few managed the scrimmage, the Zags seem to have a reliable top six, with the starting five and Gregg off the bench. After those players, the rotation becomes harder to predict.
Stromer, Yeo and Huff are worthy candidates to round out Few's lineup, but Krajnovic, Pavle Stosic and Colby Brooks also have a case for playing time.
Gonzaga will host Lewis-Clark State in an exhibition on Friday at 6 p.m. before its season opener against Yale on Nov. 10.
