What were John Newman and Viktor Lakhin’s response to the news
“Actually, I didnt hear yet, they got denied?” said Viktor Lakhin. “We haven’t process it yet, that’s news to us,” John Newman chimed in by saying. “That is news to me, when did you find that out? I haven’t had time to process that out yet,” Lakhin says it isn’t a distraction heading into the season but “They want to know what you are going into the season with, we are preparing that they are going to play, but if they don’t get to play, it is going to impact several of us.”
Daniel Skilling poised for a breakout sophomore season
“He looks like a sophomore. I always say this to our players, the best thing about freshman is they become sophomores. I don’t mean in terms of their academic standard. They start playing like they aren’t new to college basketball. Dan looks like he understands the game at a different level now,” said Wes Miller. “Physically, he has taken tremendous leaps forward, he is more explosive, stronger, holds position better weather its offensively or defensively. I am really impressed with his development. His skillset has improved, he actually has been one of our better playmakers from the summer on, creating offense for others with his ability to pass the ball. We didn’t see a ton of that last season. I think we are excited about his development. I think everybody knows about his ability. HIs development in some of the areas were just new to him a season ago, His development has been significant to this point.”
Sage Tolentino Devolopment
Sage Tolentino is a guy who may see significant action this season depending on the appeal process of Aziz Bandaogo and Jamille Reynolds. “You have to think of Sage as a freshman, he is a redshirt freshman,” said Wes Miller. “His improvement from practices last year to now has been significant. I still want a heck of lot more from him and he knows that. His effort has been great, his body has changed. He has the ability to step up and really shoot the basketball for his position, which is dynamic. He’s done some nice things here the last couple weeks and has to continue to do it.”
Viktor Lakhin developing the outside three
Wes Miller has emphasized over the last year or so about how he would love for Viktor Lakhin to expand his game and get comfortable behind the arch in order to spread the floor. This afternoon Miller said he has been very impressed with the results the big man has produced so far this offseason from behind the arch.
“We are now allowing Viktor to stretch the floor and shoot threes. People think it was just a thing we did this offseason, but he got with a shooting coach early in the spring, worked really hard on his shot the entire spring and summer. We let him actually start shooting threes in our live practice plays in the summer and had great results doing so,” said Wes Miller. “What people don’t realize is that we started this process after the 2021-2022 season, He spent that entire offseason with a shooting coach as well, we just didn’t think it was the right time to let him shoot them in games. He wasn’t quite there yet and wasn’t what our team needed at that time. He has taken a big step forward, this has been two years in the making, heck he’s shot over 40% from deep in our summer practices and has been close to that in our preseason practices as well. That doesn’t mean he will shoot those in games, but I do think he is a real threat to stretch the floor and shoot threes now.”
