What Gonzaga's Mark Few said after Kraziness in the Kennel

Bulldogs unofficially tipped off the season with their annual Kraziness in the Kennel event

Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few. | Photo by Mercedes Smith

The return of Gonzaga basketball for the 2025-26 season saw perhaps the first of many dominant performances from its frontcourt tandem, a few cameos from some program legends and the highly-anticipated debut of a transfer player who's waited all offseason for some sort of clearance from the NCAA to join his new team.

Needless to say, the 2025 Kraziness in the Kennel was jam-packed with storylines.

Steele Venters, who missed the past two seasons due to injury, began his comeback tour Saturday by taking home the 3-point contest championship, then proceeded to light it up during an intrasquad scrimmage that came down to the wire for the fifth year in a row.

Despite another high-scoring scrimmage from Braden Huff (17 points), a near double-double from Graham Ike (eight points, 10 rebounds) and three triples from Venters, Team Navy, led by a trio of Bulldogs who'll make their official debut next month in Braeden Smith, Jalen Warley and Adam Miller, hung on for a 41-39 victory over Team White in a highly-competitive scrimmage from the McCarthey Athletic Center.

Tyon Grant-Foster, a transfer from Grand Canyon who waited all summer to receive word from the NCAA regarding his eligibility status, didn't score in the scrimmage but was certainly the focus afterward given his unique situation.

In between the scrimmage and 3-point contest, virtual appearances from Drew Timme, Chet Holmgren and Kelly Olynyk helped fill the gaps in between events.

Here's what Gonzaga head coach Mark Few had to say about Grant-Foster and his team's efforts after Kraziness in the Kennel.

On having Tyon Grant-Foster available for practices and Kraziness

"We weren't planning on playing him today, but he kind of wanted to do it. He's only had two practices, so he's just trying to figure out what we're doing on offense and defense; but yeah, it's definitely been nice to finally get him up here and around the guys. Obviously the timing [of the NCAA granting him a practice waiver] was super frustrating, but it's just kind of the way it goes."

On seeing Steele Venters back on the floor after back-to-back season-ending injuries

"It's great. I mean, everybody's rooting for him; just so heartbreaking the last two years. But he's handled it so well and worked himself back into great shape, and it's looked, basically like he looked tonight, all summer."

On the impact Jalen Warley can have this season

"Jalen's just one of those guys. He really, really impacts the game in just a variety of ways. Some of those plays he makes on defense and his attacks, and he's got a good feel for the game. He's been a very, very good rebounder, or at least getting his hands on balls. But even when you switch him; those last possessions at the end he was on [Braden] Huff, and he's got him in fits down there. So it's quite a luxury to have him and Emmanuel [Innocenti]. Both those two have really, really impacted us with their defensive intensity, physicality and, quite frankly, their size."

On Graham Ike and Braden Huff's development over the offseason

"I mean, they've been working incredibly hard. They've obviously been spending a ton of time on their 3-[point] shots; they got a good synergy together. They play well together. They connected on a couple nice high lows, and they even connected on a couple short passes inside, big-to-big. So I think you'll see a lot of that this year. They're going to get a lot of touches, a lot of opportunities, because I think they're the other best tandem there is in college basketball."

On what he likes about Davis Fogle's game

"He's not afraid. He's physical. Again, the size at the wing is something that is really showing out. He's in there mixing it up on the glass, and his length defensively can make up some ground if he happens to get beat a little bit off the first dribble; very, very good mid range player, and he's been working hard on his 3-point shot."