Preseason Basketball Practice Continues for Oklahoma State
STILLWATER – While Oklahoma State basketball head coach Mike Boynton had no comment on the politics of the NCAA and the results of separate and different types of adjudication with the NCAA in regards to penalties in the past with Oklahoma State and the penalties handed down on Wednesday for the long awaited Kansas case, Boynton has enjoyed talking about his team and where they are in preseason.
There was an open practice last Friday in Gallagher-Iba Arena. It was a tough draw on a weekday before the Cowboys football win over Kansas State, but there were several hundred fans that dropped in to check on the progress.
"First, I want our guys to start getting familiar. So many of them are new,” Boynton said at the wokrout. “They don't really know how passionate our fanbase is. So, to see a couple hundred people come out for a random practice… I think it shows that we continue to make a program that's relevant."
Boynton and his team with primary returnees like Bryce Thompson, Quion Williams, and John-Michael Wright combined with newcomers like Eric Dailey, point guard Javon Small, explosive Jamyron Keller, shooter Connor Dow, and big man Mike Marsh.
“I just want to see us make more shots and turn the ball over less,” said the head coach of what he’s looking for progressing toward the exhibition day in Dallas with SMU coming up. “We've got to continue to get better on the defensive end, but we've made great progress offensively just by being more committed to taking great shots and, obviously, taking care of the basketball.”
Boynton commented on two of the new players in 6-3 freshman guard Jamyron Keller and his explosive ability on the floor.
"He's always been that way,” Boynton said. “Obviously, I think the summer program has really helped him kinda learn how to use his explosiveness. Mitch [Mark Mitchell] did a phenomenal job with all those guys, but he's one that's pretty naturally gifted."
The head coach said he wants to see more shots go in and the All-State product out of Broken Arrow in 6-6 Connor Dow can hit shots.
"He does really shoot it well… He [adds] really, really good athleticism on the wing,” Boynton added. “Anything coming off the catch, catching a lob – he dunks it – and then [on-ball] he catches it, comes down with it and comes to the three-point line. He's gonna be a really, really good player."
He has a basketball IQ that Boynton and the staff really like. All if that adds up.