LOUDONVILLE – The first preseason Siena men’s basketball practice under new head coach Nevada Smith showed flashes of the fast tempo that Smith promised since his introductory news conference on April 7.
“We’re trying to get comfortable playing in chaos,” Smith said after Tuesday’s workout in the Del Grosso Practice Court.
Advertisement
The Saints scrimmaged briskly in the final half-hour that was open to the media, with shots aplenty. However, Smith said the Saints are only scratching the surface.
“Yeah, it was slower today,” he said. “I thought we did a lot of teaching. You know, I think it’ll go quicker as we move forward.”
The defending Metro Conference champion Saints practiced with 12 of their 13 scholarship players available on Tuesday. Sophomore guard Owen Schlager was sidelined by a rolled ankle.
In fact, they’re all labeled as guards on Siena’s roster, a change that reflects Smith’s expectations of his players, from 6-foot-2 junior Pace Prosser to 7-foot-1 Spanish freshman Andres Amon.
Advertisement
“We’re all guard skill,” Smith, a former Marquette assistant, explained. “We do skill-based stuff. We’re positionless. I wouldn’t put a position on there if I could choose not to put a position. We’d just have nothing. But we train as guards, why not just be guards? I don’t like to pigeonhole guys. They shouldn’t be put in a box. Andres does the same guard workout that Pace does at the beginning (of practice).”
Siena graduate “guard” Brendan Coyle, formerly listed as a forward, went through his fifth opening day of practice. The Niskayuna native is that rarest of players in the era of the transfer portal and name, image and likeness compensation as he begins his fifth season with the same program.
He’s playing for his third head coach, after Carmen Maciariello his first two seasons and Gerry McNamara the last two. He’s the only returning starter from last year’s team. Siena has four returning scholarship players blended with nine newcomers who went through summer workouts together.
“There’s a lot of excitement going into this one,” Coyle said. “I think we’ve got a really special group. The new staff brings a lot of energy, and I think the guys that they’ve brought in to come with the returners has meshed really well so far. Chemistry is really high and I just think we’ve got a lot of talent in the gym right now.”
Advertisement
Near the end of practice, Coyle got whacked in the right thumb and held it in obvious pain. However, he remained in practice and hit a couple of 3-pointers, which are staples of Smith’s offense.
“Coach talks a lot about next-play mentality,” Coyle said. “That’s one thing I’ve been trying to focus on, is just flushing it out and focusing on the next play.”
Coyle observed the obvious change in playing tempo with a “lot of up and down” after the past two seasons in McNamara’s more halfcourt-oriented system.
“But, it’s been really good and we’re just looking to get really efficient shots,” Coyle said.
Advertisement
The Saints also worked on situations based on time and score on Tuesday.
For Prosser, it was his first official Division I practice after playing the past two seasons at Division II Gannon, where he won a national championship this past season.
“Yeah, it’s high pace, high intensity all the time,” Prosser said. “We’re moving all the time. We’re going to play fast, as you guys (the media) saw. We’re just training to get into the best shape possible. We play as fast as possible, but’s it’s been really fun.”
Practice opens earlier than ever now with teams allowed to begin 42 days before the season opener. The Saints open Nov. 2 at Bryant.
Advertisement
“We try to still make it a special day,” Smith said of the first practice. “It is a special day. It’s a holiday for anyone who loves basketball.”
There’s more to Albany with the Times Union. Subscribe today for just 25¢.
This article originally published at Siena men’s basketball hits ground running in first practice under Nevada Smith.
