It’s that time of year again for the Oregon men’s basketball team.
A time wrought with challenges from the opposing team …
Oh wait, that’s the regular season. On Sunday, the Ducks will participate in their first exhibition game of the season against the Basketball Travelers at McArthur Court. The game starts at 6 p.m.
“I want to caution people that a lot of people are talking about basketball season and we’ve got a football season to complete yet,” Oregon head coach Ernie Kent said. “We’ve got to get ready yet and we’re not ready yet. We’re going to open up the season probably with a freshman point guard, and a freshmen four-man out there on the floor. But they don’t play like freshmen. Understand there’s going to be some growing pains and there’s work to be done.”
That freshman point guard is Seattle native Aaron Brooks, one of the top recruits in the West Coast this season. He has shown flashes of brilliance in practice and will share time with sophomore Brandon Lincoln early in the season.
“It’s kind of the same thing we ran in high school,” Brooks said. “It’s just a little faster and with more talented people.”
The rest of the starting five for Sunday should include:
* Center Ian Crosswhite: The Australian averaged 9.3 points per game with the Ducks last season. In Oregon’s scrimmage Wednesday, he pounced on rebounds and sank shots from inside.
“I challenged him to play better,” Kent said. “I thought he didn’t show what he was capable of in our first scrimmage that we had. He stepped up and answered the bell. He did a wonderful job today.”
* Forward Mitch Platt: The freshman is expected to see extended time against the Travelers, especially with Matt Short still injured and Luke Jackson questionable for the game. At the team’s scrimmage Wednesday, Platt posted 14 points in 20 minutes.
Platt said he doesn’t think he’ll be too nervous in his first game at McArthur Court.
“I’m just anxious to see what the place is like when it’s loud,” Platt said. “I don’t think it’s going to be too much different as long as we stick with the system.”
* Guard Andre Joseph: The senior was a key threat on the outside for the Ducks last season and has shown the same hot hand this season in practice. With James Davis possibly favoring an ankle — he landed on a teammate at the scrimmage — Joseph could get a nice amount of shots in Oregon’s run-and-gun offense.
The game will be a good indication of Joseph’s offensive presence.
* Davis: The guard is a long-range threat, but like a number of his teammates, he may see limited — if any — action against the Basketball Travelers. After draining a three-pointer in the scrimmage, he went down clutching his ankle.
The Ducks won’t have the services of Short and freshman Jordan Kent and most likely won’t play Jackson, who stubbed his big toe, according to Ernie Kent. Oregon wants to be careful with the forward’s health.
As for the rest of the team, the Ducks will have to focus against an opponent that they don’t know much about. It is an opponent that won’t factor into the standings, and most likely, the team won’t dwell on the results, regardless of what they are.
“I don’t know what to expect,” Brooks said. “I really don’t. It will be a nice gauge to see where our team’s at. You get kind of tired playing the same people all the time. It’ll feel good to play someone different.”