Under the direction of first-year head coach David Carter, the Wolf Pack returns three starters and a total of eight letterwinners from last year's 21-13 team, including the preseason WAC Player of the Year in sophomore forward Luke Babbitt who led the team in scoring and rebounding last season as a true freshman and preseason first-team All-WAC selection junior guard Armon Johnson who was second on the team in scoring and paced the Wolf Pack in assists last year. This season's team also features three seniors in guards Brandon Fields and Ray Kraemer and forward Joey Shaw as well as five new faces. Carter and the Wolf Pack look to extend the team's string of six seasons with at least 20 victories and seven consecutive postseason appearances. Carter took the time to answer some questions about what the fans can expect from the Wolf Pack basketball team this season.
Q: The Wolf Pack returns a very experienced group of players from last year's team. What will those experienced veterans be able to bring to the floor this year?
A: "Our core guys have a lot of experience, which will really help us this year. Brandon has NCAA Tournament experience from his freshman year, Joey Shaw played in the NCAA Tournament at Indiana and Armon Johnson has the experience of two postseason appearances. With our six upperclassmen, we have a very experienced group. Sometimes experience outweighs talent, and those guys are talented and experienced."
Q: In first-team All-WAC selections Luke Babbitt and Armon Johnson, the Wolf Pack has a pretty potent 1-2 punch. How will those two heralded players impact the team this year?
A: "Luke and Armon are two really good players who can really score. When you have two guys who can take over the game, you can win a lot of games. I can't speak for the east or the Midwest, but we have one of the best tandems on the west coast. It's very difficult for a defense to stop you when you have two players who can do that."
Q: The Wolf Pack had the opportunity to take a trip to Europe this spring. How did the 11 days and five games you played help the team?
A: "The trip brought our team together. Being in Europe and seeing all the sights and the different countries means more than the five games we played. The five games were probably better for me to have a chance to find a new voice in terms of coaching. It really brought our team together, which I think we needed after facing some adversity in the off-season."
Q: Luke Babbitt had one of the best freshman seasons in school history last year and this season, he has been named the preseason WAC Player of the Year by the league's media and coaches. How has he improved and what changes will fans see in his game this year?
A: "I think you'll see more consistency from Luke Babbitt this year. He had a great freshman year, but like all freshmen, he was up and down. We'll also see more of his perimeter game this year. He has the ability to handle the ball and shoot from the perimeter. Luke will still post up this year, but he won't play 100 percent of the time with his back to the basketball. Luke is a very humble kid. He's level-headed. He's been getting attention since he was in the ninth grade, so it is not new for him. A good player welcomes that attention, and he handles it very well. With his improvement in the off-season and a year of experience, Luke puts us right in the hunt to be battling for the WAC championship."
Q: Junior Armon Johnson continues to impress after stellar performances in his first two seasons at Nevada. What makes Armon so key to the success of this team and how has he continued to work on his game?
A: "Armon Johnson's competitive edge makes him special. He loves to compete. He's a kid who comes from a tough background, and he knows how to respond to adversity. Armon wants to win every game and every drill. He just hates to lose and wants to win in everything that he does. His leadership, competitiveness and desire to win are going to be huge for us. He is the personality of this team. He and Brandon (Fields) set the tone, and the team will follow them. Armon has been progressing very well in his goal to become a more complete point guard. He's always been a great scorer, and that is always going to be there, but as a point guard, his role is make sure everyone is involved. In our five games in Europe this summer, I think he played well and very unselfish. I think you need that from a great point guard."
Q: Who are some of the players that are going to surprise fans this year?
A: "I think Brandon Fields and Joey Shaw are our unheralded players. Brandon had a great sophomore year, and I think he's going to bounce back as a senior. He's one of the players that people have forgotten about and he is really going to emerge and have a good year. For Joey, it always takes a junior college player a year to get adjusted. He had a great summer and fall and has improved in all areas of his game."
Q: You have three seniors who have played a lot of games. What can we expect from Brandon Fields, Ray Kraemer and Joey Shaw this year?
A: "Brandon is one of three team captains this year, and we will really be looking for his leadership. He is not as much a vocal leader, but the team follows his actions on and off the floor. He is a good student and a good basketball player and a role model in our program. Brandon is also our most experienced player and the only guy left from our 2007 NCAA Tournament team. He understands how to get there and what it takes every day. Our kids have played in the postseason the last two years, but the Big Dance is what you want to get to. Brandon's experience is going to be huge for us.
"It takes a junior college player a year to get adjusted, and a lot of people don't realize it, but I'm Joey Shaw's fourth coach in four years. That can be difficult for a young man in terms of philosophy, plays and schemes. Even though I've been here for 10 years, we're doing things a little differently. To his credit, Joey has been able to adjust and learn. He's going to have a great year because he has worked so hard in the off-season."
"In his first two years, I think Ray Kraemer has felt like he can give more. He will definitely be able to contribute more this year. He had shoulder surgery in the off-season and he has worked hard to get himself back to where he was before the injury. Ray is one of the best shooters on our team, and we have to utilize him better. He's earned that by working so hard. He's experienced two postseasons and played behind Marcelus Kemp. It always helps when you've played behind an all-conference player."
Q: Dario Hunt won the team's Most Improved Player Award last year, and you have mentioned that he was the most improved player in the off-season as well. What improvements will the Wolf Pack faithful see from Dario Hunt this season?
A: "Dario Hunt has only played basketball four or five years. That's not a lot of time, so he has the highest ceiling to improve. He has definitely improved his rebounding and his scoring. People will see a difference in his ability to score and finish around the basket. He's always been a very good shot blocker, and we'll continue to see that. When you know you have a guy behind you who can alter and block shots, it changes the way teams approach you. They are much more hesitant to go to the basket, and that helps your team defense."
Q: Junior forward Adam Carp and sophomore guard London Giles have played limited minutes for the Wolf Pack in the last few years. How have those two players continued to progress?
A: "Like in baseball, Adam Carp is our utility player. He plays three or four positions in practice. He knows a lot because he's had to do a lot. That can be difficult having so many positions thrown at you, but he's doing very well and will help us this year. London is still searching for his identity. He didn't play a lot last year, and I'm not sure if he ever felt comfortable. He had a great summer and improved in a lot of areas. He's big and strong and has very good athleticism at the point guard position. London shoots the ball well and is a player that people will really enjoy watching with time."
Q: You have three freshmen who will be cutting their teeth this season. What can we expect from Marko Cukic, Keith Fuetsch and Patrick Nyeko this year?
A: "Marko Cukic is a physical player, and yet he is skilled offensively. He has the ability to shoot the ball and put it on the floor. From a frontline player, that is really good. Like all freshmen, he tries too hard and needs to slow down and play within himself, but Marko is a quick learner and wants to be good, which is always what a coach wants to see in a young player. Keith is a very competitive young man. You look at him and think he is a little guy, but when he gets on the floor, he has a different level and is very tough-minded. He wants to be good and prove he can play at this level. In high school, Patrick was labeled as a defender and rebounder, but we didn't realize how offensively skilled he is. We are very pleased with his ability to shoot, handle and pass the ball. He is athletic and long and has high basketball IQ.
Q: Nevada saw two transfers join the team this year in forward Keith Olson and guard Malik Story. What will Keith be able to contribute to the team when he becomes eligible in December, and how can Malik help the Wolf Pack next year?
A: "What we like about Keith is his ability guard in the low post and rebound. He has a big body and is a quick learner with a good feel for the game. He is going to be able to help us in game where we need his inside presence. Malik is a very good player. He is a complete guard who can handle and pass the ball and can shoot. He has a high basketball IQ and has played at a high level in high school and in the Big Ten Conference as a freshman (at Indiana). He is definitely able to raise the level of play at practice this year because of the level he's played at and will be able to step in at shooting guard next year when Joey and Brandon graduate."
Q: You spent 10 years as an assistant coach in the Nevada basketball program and now have the opportunity to take over the head coaching spot. Talk about the coaching staff you have assembled in your first year as head coach of the Wolf Pack program.
A: "We have a good balance of young and experienced coaches. They complement me very well in terms of knowledge and philosophy and have a lot of respect for what we've done in this program. Keith Brown has ties to South California and Pacific Northwest that will help us in recruiting, and Dennis Gates comes from Chicago and the Midwest. He played at a prestigious high school in Chicago and knows a lot of people. Both Keith and Dennis can relate to our young men. Doug Novsek is the most experienced assistant on our staff and is very knowledgeable. He knows our players because he's been here the last three years and helps me in having a guy who understands the game and has been around. Doug is a guy who will be a head coach some day because of his experience and the way he carries himself."
Q: Talk about your non-conference schedule and what fans can expect from the Western Athletic Conference this season.
A: "We have created a non-league schedule that will definitely present our young team with some challenges, home and away. It features a lot of teams that played in the postseason last year and should prepare us for the rigors of Western Athletic Conference play. Most of our non-conference games are resume games that will give us a chance to have some quality wins. That is very important when the NCAA looks at your schedule and you are trying to get an NCAA at-large bid. I compare the league this year to the 2003-04 season when the WAC had five postseason teams, two in the NCAA Tournament and three in the NIT. I think we're going to have that kind of year. Utah State won 30 games last year and returns four starters. New Mexico State and San Jose State both have all five starters back. La Tech returns three or four starters and Fresno State returns a talented team. I don't see it being a cake walk for anybody. We may have four or five teams that win 20 games this year. I always look at the preseason because if you win eight or nine games, you have a lot of confidence and momentum going into the conference season."
