Basketball: Freshman mettle to be tested in Jays’ first practice

The long wait ends today for Creighton freshmen Andrew Bock and Ethan Wragge.

They’ve been on campus since early June, preparing for the start of their first collegiate season. It formally begins at 5 p.m. with the season’s first practice at the Vinardi Athletic Center.

Naturally both players are excited, as well as a bit wary.

“Everyone has been talking about how everything is going to get a lot more intense,’’ said Wragge, a 6-foot-7 sharpshooter from Eden Prairie, Minn. “It’s been a long preseason, and I’m excited to get going.’’

So is Bock, a 6-foot-1 point guard from Rialto, Calif., who has added about 20 pounds of muscle since he arrived on campus in early June along with junior-college transfer Wayne Runnels. Another junior-college player, Darryl Ashford, showed up in late July after finishing academic requirements.

The four new players will get their first taste of coach Dana Altman’s practice routine today. Their teammates have been filling their heads with the idea that tonight’s opening drill won’t be for the faint of heart.

“They’ve been telling us how tough it’s going to be,’’ Bock said. “It’s just going to be nice to finally get started with the season. I think I’ve done the things in the weight room to get ready for this.

“The last couple of weeks, I’ve been running a lot and trying to get in better shape. For the most part, I think I’m ready.’’

The development of Bock and Wragge will be worth watching over the weeks leading up to Creighton’s Nov. 14 opener at Dayton. The Bluejays expect Runnels and Ashford, with two years of junior-college experience, to provide some immediate assistance up front and on the wing.

Bock and Wragge could, too, but one never knows how quickly freshmen are going to pick up Altman’s complex offense or show they are willing to put in the effort on defense that the coach demands. Both players have held their own in offseason pick-up games, but those are played without coaches ready to critique each and every move.

Bock figures to challenge Antoine Young and Cavel Witter for playing time at the point. He has shown he possesses the natural instincts for the position that can’t always be taught.

“I’m starting to get comfortable with the offense, and they’ve thrown a lot of plays at me this last week or so,’’ Bock said. “Every once in awhile, I’ll forget a spot, but I think that’s all going to come for me.

“Whatever they want me to do, I’m willing to do it.’’

So is Wragge, who has showcased a smooth shooting stroke from the perimeter since he’s been on campus. On a team lacking in height, though, Wragge is going to have to show he’s tough enough to handle himself inside.

Wragge said he believes five months of work in the weight room has allowed him to gain the strength he needs to hold his own in the paint.

“I was excited when I learned my strength results,’’ Wragge said. “They were good.’’

As it does each season, today’s opening practice coincides with the start of fall break. That will allow Altman to double up on practices on a number of days before school resumes on Oct. 26.

By then, Altman hopes to have the basics installed on both ends of the court.

“You have to make sure you have enough in so that you can start working defensively on your principles and offensively on your principles,’’ he said.

Other first-week priorities?

“We have to make sure conditioning-wise that we’re ready to go,’’ he said. “And we want to make sure no one gets hurt. That’s about as important as anything.

“Guys don’t realize that the conditioning we’ve done these past six weeks is to make sure everybody is in shape not to get hurt.’’

Altman would also like to see the seeds of leadership start to blossom. Josh Dotzler’s departure leaves the Bluejays short in that area, as the point guard was the undisputed team leader the past two seasons.

After a recent workout, Altman stressed that it is vitally important that the void gets filled.

“We haven’t established the leadership yet like I had hoped we would, having three, four or five guys stepping up and leading drills and being positive and getting everyone fired up,’’ Altman said. “We haven’t had that, and that leaves us with a big hole that needs to be filled.

“There is a group of guys that I think can do that, and it’s going to be interesting to see how it goes this first week or so. When you start to get a little tired and the practices all start to run together, it’s a great opportunity for someone to establish himself as a leader. You find out if you have guys that are unselfish and not worried about being tired to step up and lead the team.’’

Contact the writer:

679-2298, steve.pivovar@owh.com

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