With 10 freshmen and sophomores on the 2014 men’s basketball roster, an opening exhibition game offers an opportunity for young players to get playing time and vie for spots in the starting lineup.\
The Idaho men’s basketball team takes the court for the first time this season against NCAA Division II opponent Simon Fraser at 7 p.m. Friday in Memorial Gym for the first of two preseason exhibition games.
“It’s a chance to put on our uniforms, turn on the lights and see how the guys act underneath the lights,” said Idaho coach Don Verlin. “I am going to get a good read on my guys in game-like situations during these two exhibition games.”
The beginning of the season allows Vandals to step into leadership roles on a team that only has three seniors.
One of those seniors is guard Connor Hill. The three-point wizard was second on the team in scoring last season, averaging 14.2 points per game, and has taken on a more vocal leadership role this season, Hill said.
Along with becoming a more vocal player, Hill has also taken on more of a leadership role, much like former-Vandal Stephen Madison did a year ago.
“I am embracing the role, I am a senior and a four-year player and have been here longer than anyone by far,” Hill said. “I know the system and I have to embrace a bigger role like Steve did last year. He did a great job of it as a senior … I am just trying to follow his example.”
Although the Post Falls native has shown his scoring ability by averaging double figures in each of the last two seasons as a Vandal, he won’t be asked to shoulder the load alone.
“We are going to be a team that has maybe four or five guys in double figures and that is going to be a lot of fun and we will be harder to guard,” Verlin said.
Although the exhibition games will not count on the record books, Verlin and the team are preparing for the game like any other the regular season game, he said. Simon Fraser only returns three players from last year’s team so Verlin said preparing a scouting report is more difficult.
Hill said the two exhibition games would allow the Vandals to see how they stack up against an opponent before the regular season begins.
“Any time you can play against an opponent it helps because they don’t know your plays as well as your teammates,” he said. “It’s been a grind but it is every year playing against each other for so long … So it’s nice to get out and play an opponent who isn’t as familiar with our plays. I am really excited for Friday night.”