Aggie basketball back in action
After witnessing back-to-back 28-win seasons and Big West Conference Championships, Aggie fans were able to see the 2001-2002 USU men’s basketball team for the first time as the team hosted Hoops Fest 2001 on Friday in the Spectrum.
A modified version of what other schools call “Midnight Madness,” among the events Hoops Fest featured was a controlled scrimmage, three-point contest, slam-dunk contest and opportunities for fans to win prizes.
“Just to get in front of some people is a positive for us,” head coach Stew Morrill said. “All in all, it was definitely good for us.”
Friday’s event gave Aggie fans a chance to see a squad featuring several newcomers as more than half the players were not in the program last season.
Among the newcomers who played well for the Aggies was power forward Desmond Penigar. A two-time runner-up as junior college Player of the Year in the state of California while at Ventura Junior College, the junior scored 18 points and pulled down nine rebounds.
Penigar also showed his range as a shooter, hitting shots from the perimeter to go along with several turnaround jumpers.
Sophomore forwards Spencer Nelson and Chad Evans also had solid nights with Nelson scoring 18 points and Evans chipping in with 14 points and a scrimmage-high 11 rebounds.
The Aggies shot a respectable 48 percent on the night, dishing out 33 assists in the process. However, the scrimmage also featured 31 turnovers, something Morrill said he expects as the team gets used to one another.
“What this team is going to have to do is take a bunch of baby steps,” he said.
Penigar said, “We have a lot to work on. We’re far from what we were able to accomplish the last two years.”
While the team may have plenty of things to work on in preparation for its preseason opener against EA Sports on Friday, Hoops Fest also gave players a chance to have some fun.
Senior center Jeremy Vague was among the players who played to the crowd, involving forward Brennan Ray’s 16-month-old son Austin in the slam dunk contest.
Junior college transfer Mike Ahmad won the contest. Among his dunks were a windmill dunk and double-clutch reverse layup.
Senior sharpshooter Tony Brown took the three-point shooting contest, drilling 10 treys in the semifinals and seven in the finals for his second title in as many years.