Hoosier Roundtable Podcast (vol. 1): Daniel Flick Breaks Down Puerto Rico Trip

Indiana Hoosiers On SI publisher Tom Brew and beat reporter Daniel Flick share takeaways from Indiana basketball's three-game exhibition series in Puerto Rico.

Indiana basketball guard Lamar Wilkerson dribbles in front of Mega Superbet and Milwaukee Bucks forward Bogoljub Marković. | Photo Courtesy of Indiana Athletics

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana basketball went 3-0 in its exhibition games in Puerto Rico and bonded during the balance of the week, be it kayaking, jet skiing or playing beach volleyball.

The Hoosiers topped Universidad de Bayamon, a local college team, 98-47 on Aug. 6 and erased 20-point deficits twice against Serbian professional team Mega Superbet, winning 93-71 on Aug. 9 and 81-80 on Aug. 11.

Indiana Hoosiers On SI reporter Daniel Flick was in Puerto Rico covering the games, and he discussed takeaways with publisher Tom Brew on Tuesday.

Tom Brew: What does Darian DeVries' Indiana team look like offensively and defensively?

Daniel Flick: "Offensively, it's kind of a culture shock. They are playing fast, they play up-tempo. When this team is rolling and when they're clicking, they're going to play modern basketball at a rate that will be incredibly enjoyable to watch.

"They didn't shoot it incredibly well, and part of it, the ball they used was smaller than average, it felt weird, it kind of felt heavier. But they were not afraid, and they were seeking and hunting threes. And it was kind of neat to watch, because they just spaced the floor so well, they're running. They did a really good job of on-ball pressure and turning that into steals and then running in transition.

"Defensively, they're still growing. They're kind of raw, I feel like. They allowed a lot of open looks, they allowed a lot of penetration at times as well. But when they were clicking defensively, they're quick-footed, lanky. They've got a lot of wings with really good length and quick feet. And when you've got that, it's hard to drive.

"I think as they grow comfortable in how they want to play and learn more and talk more, it'll all kind of click."

TB: Name three players who stood out and why?

DF: "We'll start with Lamar Wilkerson, who had 18 on Saturday against Mega and had 17 Monday, all in the last 20 minutes. This guy arrived, he's known as a shooter, and he went 3-for-13 from three in Game 1. DeVries said if he's going 2-for-20, all that tells me is he'll go 18-for-20 the next day. He's going to average out to where they think he'll be around 50% from three this year.

"He's a guy I think will probably end up leading Indiana in scoring.

"Tayton Conerway primarily handled the ball, and he is incredibly quick. He's a pest on the ball. The shot is the question mark -- I think he shot 27% from three last year at Troy -- and you can tell he's gotten better. He's shot it well throughout the whole summer in their live periods.

"He drew nine fouls Monday. This is a guy who's aggressive, he will attack and he plays hard."

"Sam Alexis, the 6-foot-9, 238-pound forward from Florida, did not have a lot of buzz coming in, but he had 10 and 12 in Game 1, he had 15 on Monday. He can protect the rim. He's Indiana's one, true back-to-the-basket type of player, but he also can shoot it a little bit."

Indiana Hoosiers On SI publisher Tom Brew and reporter Daniel Flick Aug. 12, 2025, on the Hoosier Roundtable Podcast. | Indiana Hoosiers On SI

TB: What did you see from Trent Sisley?

DF: "His whole summer has been really impressive to me. He had a drive in the open practice July 30 where he attacked the rim, jump stopped and had a really tough lay-up through contact. And he's out there hitting threes.

"In Puerto Rico, he had a play Monday where there was a loose ball on the opposite end of the floor and he's running. He took a big dive for it. He didn't get it, but it was right in front of the bench, and the whole bench stood up and was pumped.

"The part about Trent, a lot of people knew he could shoot and knew he was a talented player who could score. And he's still a little behind the 8 ball on the other end of the floor -- I think he's still trying to adapt, the whole speed of college hoops is a real adjustment. But he looks like he belongs.

"He was competing. He was not afraid. He was aggressive. And then you factor that part into, he shot it at a very high level. He was 5 for 6 from three in Indiana's first two Puerto Rico games. He can stretch the floor, he's going to play hard and he's been very impressive.

"I think there's a good chance he ends up playing around 15 minutes per game this year, and that's quite impressive on a very old roster as a young player."

Want to hear more about Indiana's trip to Puerto Rico?

To listen to the rest of the podcast and hear about Indiana's size, character and more, CLICK HERE.

Related stories on Indiana basketball

WILKERSON RESPONDS TO CHALLENGE, LEADS IU TO WIN: Lamar Wilkerson scored 17 points, all in the second half, to lead Indiana basketball past Mega Superbet and finish its Puerto Rico exhibition trip undefeated. CLICK HERE.

STATS, OBSERVATIONS FROM PUERTO RICO FINALE: From Tayton Conerway's first-half brilliance to Lamar Wilkerson's second-half heat-up, here's what to know about each Indiana basketball player's outing Monday. CLICK HERE.

DEVRIES TALKS: Indiana basketball coach Darian DeVries met with the media after Monday's 81-80 victory over Mega Superbet at Coliseo Guillermo Angulo in Carolina, Puerto Rico. CLICK HERE.