On Wednesday, Pittsburgh Sports Now got the chance to check out Robert Morris basketball’s practice from inside the UPMC Events Center practice facility.
Throughout practice, the Colonials worked on shooting, defending, and everything in between, with an emphasis on having mental urgency, blocking cuts on inbound plays, and much more.
Here are some news and notes regarding the Colonials’ practice.
Two Scrimmages Went O.K.
Andy Toole was happy about some things that he saw in the team’s two pre-season scrimmages so far. While no stats are available from the scrimmage, PSN heard that Rasheem Dunn, Michael Green, and Kahliel Spear all stood out in both games, and Justin Winston did in one, but showed some inconsistency in the other.
Kam Farris Knows the System
Farris, out of just about everyone on the team, looked the most comfortable in all of the drills and scrimmage play. A year after shooting 46% from three-point land, Farris still looks like the same knockdown shooter, as he hit some deep threes during practice.
Don’t Mess With Kahliel Spear
Spear, one of the only returning players for the Colonials, has a clear competitiveness and toughness to him that makes him stand out. Spear looked confident on the boards, following his own shots for aggressive put-backs and also shooting from the outside. Every time he made a tough bucket, he let the other team know. Afterwards, he challenged them at the other end of the floor. He had a stretch of multiple plays in a row of easy buckets due to his long reach and his touch in the paint.
Pleasantly Surprised by Mattia Acunzo
Acunzo, the Toledo transfer, was one of the loudest players on the team throughout the entirety of practice. He defended the other bigs well, and although he did not necessarily over power them on offense, he stepped outside and shot the ball better than expected from deep.
Michael Green Will Give Opposing Coaches Headaches
The 5-foot-11 point guard caused havoc on the defensive end with active feet and was a pest during the scrimmage. He directed traffic on offense and showed solid leadership ability, especially for one of the new guys on the team.
Matt Mayers Taking JuCo-to-D1 Transition Well
Mayers looked comfortable down low during practice, mixing in strong finishes with some soft touch on floaters in the paint. The 6-foot-8 forward played taller than 6-foot-8 and ran the floor well.
Multiple Colonials Sidelined
Ferron Flavors (undisclosed, was at doctor) and Brandon Stone (ankle) were both out for practice Wednesday.