‘Terrific Approach’ – High Energy Highlights Basketball Preparations
8/4/2025 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Cook Hall rocks with energy, passion, potential.
The Indiana Hoosiers are practicing for this week's three-game Puerto Rico basketball trip, and the upcoming season after that, and first-year head coach Darian DeVries has opened a window into the possibilities.
It's loud, for one thing. Clapping, cheering, shouting, communicating, and encouraging hit with sonic force.
"These guys have got great togetherness, great energy and enthusiasm," DeVries says. "We're two months into it, and they've been terrific in terms of their approach every day. They come with smiles on their faces.
"What you saw (in practice) has been every day these last couple of months. They come with that type of energy and enthusiasm. Their voices are heard. We want a loud gym, and that's something they've done a great job of responding to and bringing every day."
On this day, there is no wasted time, no standing around, no casual jogging, no silence. This is full-throttle, full-communication basketball designed to exploit offensive and defensive weaknesses.
For those seeking a return to sharp-shooting offense critical to 21st Century basketball ...
"They really share the ball well," DeVries says. We have the ability to make shots from a lot of different places."
The only stoppage comes when DeVries briefly pauses the action for quick instruction on off-body defensive positioning before close outs.
"It's a long year," he says. "You've got to approach it every day with energy and enthusiasm. Guys are going to get tired, so it allows other guys to pick you up on those days.
"We put a huge emphasis on that. Creating that type of talk and energy on a daily basis leads to productivity on the floor. And then the pace that we practice, we try to really how we want to play (during a game). Everything we do, there's not a lot of downtime, not a lot of extra talking. We want to play fast, play aggressive and keep things moving. We try to be really efficient in how we utilize our time."
During practice, the Hoosiers hit perimeter defense hard. They push a full-court offensive drill pace that features plenty of 3-point shooting and, crucial given perimeter shooting struggles in recent years, make a lot of 3-point shots. They cut and pass and swarm with a ferocity that suggests good things are coming.
In so many ways, they're already here.
"This group's pure shooting is definitely up there with one of the better ones I've ever been on," says Tucker DeVries, a 6-7 forward and two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year.
While the Hoosiers are far from mid-season form, they show impressive levels of focus and efficiency.
"The guys have really picked it up," Darian DeVries says. "I think we're further along on the offensive end than the defensive end, and I think part of that is because you have some guys maybe were up the line denying and other guys were way back in a drop coverage or up in hedging. Just a lot of different things. So those are things we're working through.
"The guys have been awesome to work with. They've done a great job of being receptive to coaching. They're all trying to do what we ask, and that's all we ask of them.
"They're not going to be perfect. We don't expect them to be perfect. But the progress they've made from June until now has been really good. I've been really happy with it. I think they're going to continue to do that because they want to."
A new 15-player roster (with 13 scholarship players) features guards Jason Drake, Lamar Wilkerson, Tayton Conerway, Conor Enright, Nick Dorn, Aleksa Ristic, Jordan Rayford, and Ian Stephens, along with forwards Reed Bailey, Jasai Miles, Sam Alexis, Josh Harris, Trent Sisley, Tucker DeVries, and Andrej Acimovic.
IU just landed Acimovic from Bosnia. He averaged 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks for Igokea in the U19 ABA League. DeVries praises Acimovic's size and diverse scoring skills, as well as his shot blocking and defensive skills.
The 6-4 Ristic comes from Serbia. He's a late arrival after playing in the FIBA U20 European Championships for the Serbian National Team.
In Puerto Rico, IU will play one game against a Puerto Rican college team, and two against a Serbian pro team.
Darian DeVries says the Hoosiers likely will be without the injured Dorn and Drake. The availability of Ristic and Acimovic also is uncertain.
Still, the potential benefits of the trip for a new team and a new coaching staff are enormous. Darian DeVries says that includes extra time to work on defensive and offensive installs, and overall terminology.
"When you have basically a brand-new roster," he says, "there are so many things you have to cover. The timing to have it this first summer is a tremendous benefit.
"Getting to play three games in Puerto Rico, you don't treat them like you would a regular season game, but it's still an opportunity to play and get a feel for how guys react to opponents that aren't in the same jerseys we've been going against for eight straight weeks. It's a nice luxury for us to have."
The goal is to return IU to national prominence after missing the last two NCAA tourneys.
"I like the potential of this group," Darian DeVries says. "They'll continue to work. There are certainly some possibilities on what they can achieve."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Cook Hall rocks with energy, passion, potential.
The Indiana Hoosiers are practicing for this week's three-game Puerto Rico basketball trip, and the upcoming season after that, and first-year head coach Darian DeVries has opened a window into the possibilities.
It's loud, for one thing. Clapping, cheering, shouting, communicating, and encouraging hit with sonic force.
"These guys have got great togetherness, great energy and enthusiasm," DeVries says. "We're two months into it, and they've been terrific in terms of their approach every day. They come with smiles on their faces.
"What you saw (in practice) has been every day these last couple of months. They come with that type of energy and enthusiasm. Their voices are heard. We want a loud gym, and that's something they've done a great job of responding to and bringing every day."
On this day, there is no wasted time, no standing around, no casual jogging, no silence. This is full-throttle, full-communication basketball designed to exploit offensive and defensive weaknesses.
For those seeking a return to sharp-shooting offense critical to 21st Century basketball ...
"They really share the ball well," DeVries says. We have the ability to make shots from a lot of different places."
The only stoppage comes when DeVries briefly pauses the action for quick instruction on off-body defensive positioning before close outs.
"It's a long year," he says. "You've got to approach it every day with energy and enthusiasm. Guys are going to get tired, so it allows other guys to pick you up on those days.
"We put a huge emphasis on that. Creating that type of talk and energy on a daily basis leads to productivity on the floor. And then the pace that we practice, we try to really how we want to play (during a game). Everything we do, there's not a lot of downtime, not a lot of extra talking. We want to play fast, play aggressive and keep things moving. We try to be really efficient in how we utilize our time."
During practice, the Hoosiers hit perimeter defense hard. They push a full-court offensive drill pace that features plenty of 3-point shooting and, crucial given perimeter shooting struggles in recent years, make a lot of 3-point shots. They cut and pass and swarm with a ferocity that suggests good things are coming.
In so many ways, they're already here.
"This group's pure shooting is definitely up there with one of the better ones I've ever been on," says Tucker DeVries, a 6-7 forward and two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year.
While the Hoosiers are far from mid-season form, they show impressive levels of focus and efficiency.
"The guys have really picked it up," Darian DeVries says. "I think we're further along on the offensive end than the defensive end, and I think part of that is because you have some guys maybe were up the line denying and other guys were way back in a drop coverage or up in hedging. Just a lot of different things. So those are things we're working through.
"The guys have been awesome to work with. They've done a great job of being receptive to coaching. They're all trying to do what we ask, and that's all we ask of them.
"They're not going to be perfect. We don't expect them to be perfect. But the progress they've made from June until now has been really good. I've been really happy with it. I think they're going to continue to do that because they want to."
A new 15-player roster (with 13 scholarship players) features guards Jason Drake, Lamar Wilkerson, Tayton Conerway, Conor Enright, Nick Dorn, Aleksa Ristic, Jordan Rayford, and Ian Stephens, along with forwards Reed Bailey, Jasai Miles, Sam Alexis, Josh Harris, Trent Sisley, Tucker DeVries, and Andrej Acimovic.
IU just landed Acimovic from Bosnia. He averaged 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks for Igokea in the U19 ABA League. DeVries praises Acimovic's size and diverse scoring skills, as well as his shot blocking and defensive skills.
The 6-4 Ristic comes from Serbia. He's a late arrival after playing in the FIBA U20 European Championships for the Serbian National Team.
In Puerto Rico, IU will play one game against a Puerto Rican college team, and two against a Serbian pro team.
Darian DeVries says the Hoosiers likely will be without the injured Dorn and Drake. The availability of Ristic and Acimovic also is uncertain.
Still, the potential benefits of the trip for a new team and a new coaching staff are enormous. Darian DeVries says that includes extra time to work on defensive and offensive installs, and overall terminology.
"When you have basically a brand-new roster," he says, "there are so many things you have to cover. The timing to have it this first summer is a tremendous benefit.
"Getting to play three games in Puerto Rico, you don't treat them like you would a regular season game, but it's still an opportunity to play and get a feel for how guys react to opponents that aren't in the same jerseys we've been going against for eight straight weeks. It's a nice luxury for us to have."
The goal is to return IU to national prominence after missing the last two NCAA tourneys.
"I like the potential of this group," Darian DeVries says. "They'll continue to work. There are certainly some possibilities on what they can achieve."
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