The familiar sound of sneakers squeaking across a freshly waxed wooden floor returned to the Dr. Don Shondell Practice Center as Ball State Men’s Basketball held its first official practice of the season.
While it may be the first week of practice on campus, this season’s team has been practicing and competing with each other since early August. The Cardinals traveled to Central America and defeated the Costa Rica Select team and the University of Ottawa twice, going 3-0 in their time there.
“Playing in Costa Rica really gave us two things,” head coach James Whitford said. “It gives you time together as a team off the court. It helps with the closeness, and it just gives you more practice time. Even though we only played the Canadian team twice, it was good competition, and I thought it helped us in that way too.”
This is the second time in the past five seasons the Cardinals have gone abroad to kick off the season. In 2015, the team traveled to the Bahamas, enjoying the sights of the tropical island and playing various teams. In a letter Whitford wrote Sept. 23, he said the trip was valuable in helping the team pick up a Mid-American Conference West Division Co-Title.
That early season connection and experience has led to a familiarity amongst the team in style of play in competition. Junior guard Ishmael El-Amin said being put against another team and not each other really helped the team find a way to “gel” together.
“It definitely gave us a different perspective after playing against each other all summer,” El-Amin said. “Going to Costa Rica allowed us to play with each other and not against each other for the first time. It put us in some situations that will help us down the road, and it’s definitely an experience we can use when things get tough later on.”
Junior Guard Ishmael EL-Amin lines up a shot during practice Sept. 24, 2019 in the Dr. Don Shondell Practice Center. This is going to be EL-Amin's third year on the Ball State Basketball team. Eric Pritchett, DN
In addition to the gel on the court, El-Amin said he feels the team is closer and more experienced this year than in past seasons. The Cardinals lost three seniors in the offseason but will be returning eight from last season’s roster — three off the bench and three freshmen.
“Everybody is really chill with each other,” El-Amin said. “During my freshman and sophomore year, it wasn’t like that. Having that experience now is better for us, and it’s going to help us down the line.”
Heading into the season, skill up and down the roster has stood out to Whitford. In the team’s annual Chicago Test Day, a handful of players put up NBA-comparable numbers. In ¾ court sprints, redshirt senior guard KJ Walton clocked in with a 3.2 second time. In lane agility, redshirt senior guard Josh Thompson finished with a time of 10.2 seconds. Finally, in max vertical, freshman guard Lucas Kroft recorded a 42-inch jump.
“We’re more skilled this season, especially in shooting,” Whitford said. “The shooting is a really important piece for us, but we have more guys that can shoot the ball. That’s one thing that stands out for sure.”
One player Whitford said has improved a lot in the offseason is El-Amin. In Costa Rica, he averaged 14 points over three games, recording 15 points against Ottawa and the Costa Rica Selects.
“Ish had a really great summer, and that was crystal clear to me,” Whitford said. “He’s in the best shape he’s been in his entire life, and that stood out to me.”
Along with maintaining his body transformation from the summer, El-Amin wants to improve on every aspect of his game and prove himself as a dominant player in the MAC. Last season, he sat out 14 games due to the injury.
“I want to maintain my body and just be better at every part of my game,” El-Amin said. “Personally, I want to be player of the MAC. I feel like I’m overlooked, and I feel like I didn’t have two great years, but I played behind a great player in Tayler Persons. It was humbling for me, but the MAC will see, and everyone will see. I’m coming my own way.”
With tipoff a little over a month away, the team is looking to get back into the flow of things in this first week before jumping into anything major. Whitford said establishing a strong practice culture is key.
“One of the things you’re always locked in on is you’re trying to get your culture right, and you’re practicing the right way,” Whitford said. “We want to practice with the right intensity, attitude and mindset. To me, that’s always where it starts.”
Contact Jack Williams with any comments at jgwilliams@bsu.edu or on Twitter @jackgwilliams.
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