Things got Krazy: Recapping this year's Kraziness in the Kennel
As 6,000 fans decked in red and blue filed into the McCarthey Athletic Center on Saturday, excitement and anticipation for the upcoming basketball season reached a climax with the annual Kraziness in the Kennel event. Gonzaga basketball fans were treated to an early glimpse at this year’s squad through extravagant player introductions, contests and a quick intrasquad scrimmage that came down to the very last second.
The all-star-caliber event was in full swing following a chilling hype video narrated by assistant coach Roger Powell. With last year’s disappointing end still fresh on everyone’s minds, Powell labeled the loss in the Sweet Sixteen as fuel for fire this season.
Following player introductions and a speech from coach Mark Few, Drew Timme wasted no time in saying what everyone else in The Kennel was feeling.
“Man, it’s good to be back here,” Timme said to the crowd.
The Texas native also took the time to throw a little shade at Kentucky and John Calipari, who the Zags will have to play “down the road” from The Kennel in November.
With the crowd fired up from Timme’s sentiments, Kraziness in the Kennel could officially begin.
Shaking off the rust
Coach Few admitted to the fans that the Zags are still a “work in progress”, and rightfully so given the limited amount of practice time leading up to Saturday’s scrimmage. It’s normal to see some players shake off early jitters while trying to put on an entertaining show for fans, and the individual contests proved Coach Few right to a degree.
Specifically, a couple of airballs from Drew Timme and Julian Strawther in the skills challenge was a clear indicator that even seasoned veterans aren’t prone to feeling the pressure. Anton Watson missed his chance to advance to the final round after bricking a handful of free throws, as Hunter Sallis, Braden Huff and Strawther competed for, well, bragging rights to wrap up the competition.
The Las Vegas native would ultimately come out on top despite the laughable airball.
It was clear everyone was still trying to find their rhythm in the 3-point contest as well. After Rasir Bolton defeated Dominick Harris in the first round, Malachi Smith edged out Nolan Hickman in a back-and-forth battle with neither guard being able to catch fire. Bolton finally got the crowd back into it with a strong finish in the championship round versus Smith, who came up short against the most efficient 3-point shooter in the West Coast Conference from last season.
Drew Timme shines in scrimmage
Some veterans approach intrasquad scrimmages with a laid-back attitude to get back into a groove while avoiding unnecessary injury. Apparently, no one on GU’s staff advised Timme of this, though.
“We’re pretty old now,” Timme said. “So, we’re going to get the pistons firing on all cylinders now. We’re not going to work our tails off just to not perform and do our best.”
And boy did Timme put on a performance in his quick seven minutes on the floor. Instead of banging around down in the post like normal, he sized up Efton Reid III from the top of the key to the short corner near the baseline on multiple occasions. With a few hard dribbles, he was keen on knocking down midrange jumpers over the newcomer, as he racked up nine points in just a few minutes. It was a side of Timme that most fans hadn’t seen live in action before, but according to Few, it was just another day in the office.
Timme finished with nine points on 4-for-5 shooting from the field to lead the White Team, but the senior was given a rest to close out the final seven minutes of the scrimmage.
Battle of the Guards
The crop of guards Few has at his disposal is one of the best problems a coach could ask for. A case could be made for any of the four ballhandlers to start this season, and Saturday’s scrimmage was a chance for each one to stand out above the rest.
With time winding down in a close ballgame, Hickman, Bolton, Smith and Sallis each attempted to take control down the stretch. Hickman blew by Smith at the top of the arc and finished high off the glass for the Blue Team, just before Smith pulled up from deep on the ensuing possession to counter his matchup. Bolton handled the point position for most of the scrimmage for the White Team, a responsibility Few has encouraged his senior to take on in his final year at GU.
“We’ve been playing [Bolton] at the point and he’s done a nice job facilitating,” Few said.
Bolton dished out the game-winning assist to Ben Gregg on a dump-off pass in the paint with less than 10 seconds left on the clock. A heave from Sallis was off the mark as the White Team won 38-36.
Both teams shot over 53% from the floor and had a combined 13 turnovers. Strawther led all scorers with 12, followed by Hickman with 11. Bolton, who only had two points finished with a game-high five assists.
The Zags take on Tennessee in the Legends of Basketball Charity Classic in Frisco, Texas on Oct. 28. The preseason game can be seen on Pay-Per View.
