I just got back from the Collective Season Preview, and I'm really glad I went—it was definitely worth the price of a nice dinner. Writing this up quickly while it's still fresh in my mind.
The event had a great turnout, with at least 150-200 people in attendance. I arrived around 6:10 p.m. and immediately spotted Tyler Burton. Apparently, he's been in Richmond for the past six weeks, rehabbing from an injury he got during tryouts for the summer league. I didn’t catch the specifics of the injury, but it’s good to see he considers Richmond home.
Gregg Bond, one of the leaders of the Collective, kicked things off with a quick welcome. Then Coach took over to explain the plan for the night: 25 minutes of a typical practice followed by a scrimmage—Blue vs. White, two 12-minute halves. Coach introduced all the players, calling Delonnie the best captain Richmond has ever had. He also noted Mikkel’s significant playing time as a freshman and joked that he’s been recruiting Kirby since his baptism 18 years ago,
I’ve never been to a Spiders practice before, so I was really impressed by the intensity, speed, and constant movement. The noise and energy were on another level.
During both the practice and scrimmage, I took some notes to share. I’m going to keep my comments positive since it was just a single practice, but there were definitely some highlights.
Injuries:
The Blue team got off to a fast start and was up by 15 at halftime. The White team made a late comeback, but Blue held on to win by six.
After the scrimmage, there was a reception upstairs. Coach spoke again and thanked Paul Queally and his wife, who were present, for the top-notch facility. Delonnie then gave a pep talk, thanking everyone for their support. The players hung out and chatted with many of us.
Great night - Go Spiders.
The event had a great turnout, with at least 150-200 people in attendance. I arrived around 6:10 p.m. and immediately spotted Tyler Burton. Apparently, he's been in Richmond for the past six weeks, rehabbing from an injury he got during tryouts for the summer league. I didn’t catch the specifics of the injury, but it’s good to see he considers Richmond home.
Gregg Bond, one of the leaders of the Collective, kicked things off with a quick welcome. Then Coach took over to explain the plan for the night: 25 minutes of a typical practice followed by a scrimmage—Blue vs. White, two 12-minute halves. Coach introduced all the players, calling Delonnie the best captain Richmond has ever had. He also noted Mikkel’s significant playing time as a freshman and joked that he’s been recruiting Kirby since his baptism 18 years ago,
I’ve never been to a Spiders practice before, so I was really impressed by the intensity, speed, and constant movement. The noise and energy were on another level.
During both the practice and scrimmage, I took some notes to share. I’m going to keep my comments positive since it was just a single practice, but there were definitely some highlights.
Injuries:
- B. Artis was sporting a new brace and is currently rehabbing, according to Coach. He’s expected to resume practicing next week.
- Jason Roche has recently returned to practice but isn’t quite game-ready yet.
- Ryan Soulis participated in warmups but didn’t play in the scrimmage. No explanation was given, so I assume he’s still recovering from injury.
- Walz (Blue) had an outstanding night on both ends of the court. He looks as strong as ever and more confident as a junior.
- Delonnie (White) played well, driving to the basket frequently and hitting a few threes. However, he fell hard at least three times while driving. I noticed Coach talking to him at halftime, and I wondered if he suggested taking it a bit easier.
- Mikkel (Blue) was very physical as a freshman—now he looks like a tank. He may have been close to the leading scorer and was the primary ball handler for the Blue Team. Even if he doesn’t start, it’s clear he’ll play significant minutes.
- Dusan (Blue) had a great game, hitting multiple threes and driving to the rim a few times. He seems to be in the running for a starting spot.
- Jaylen (Blue) physically looks more like a junior than a freshman. He’ll be a strong rebounder and a force inside the paint, though his outside shot may still need some work.
- Jonathan Beagle (White) was opposite Walz, and from tonight’s performance, I suspect Beagle likely will back Walz up.
- GW III (White) missed a couple of early threes but then hit three in a row. Even if he doesn’t start, his shooting will likely earn him plenty of minutes.
- Bryson (White) looks like a slightly smaller version of Jarin Stevenson. While he didn’t stand out much during the scrimmage, his athleticism is clear—he’s got serious ups.
- Jack Graham (Blue) played guard, hitting two threes. He definitely looked more like a scholarship sophomore than a walk-on.
- Apostolos (White) - not too much to report on other than he got fouled real hard in the 2nd half.
- Collin Tanner (White) played actively and hit at least one three. He looks like he’ll contribute more than just mop-up minutes.
- Kirby Mooney (Blue) made his first three-point attempt, and the crowd went wild.
- Jack D'Entremont (Blue), a W&L grad transfer, had a solid night. It’ll be interesting to see how much playing time he gets.
The Blue team got off to a fast start and was up by 15 at halftime. The White team made a late comeback, but Blue held on to win by six.
After the scrimmage, there was a reception upstairs. Coach spoke again and thanked Paul Queally and his wife, who were present, for the top-notch facility. Delonnie then gave a pep talk, thanking everyone for their support. The players hung out and chatted with many of us.
Great night - Go Spiders.
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