The LSU men’s basketball team had a lot of time to think about what went wrong last year — its disappointing 11-20 season was well chronicled.
A bevy of new faces have garnered some optimism for the Tigers heading into this year, but nothing really matters until the players make some noise on the court.
But for what it’s worth, members of the team have said there is a different feel to the squad this year.
“It’s like a real family. We get along, there’s smiles and happy faces in the locker room and everybody’s talking together,” said sophomore forward Dennis Harris. “We’re like a family. We mesh well together. Off the court it’s wonderful, and it makes it that much better on the court.”
The team will have a chance to show how well it has come together tonight at the Purple-Gold scrimmage in the PMAC.
The Tigers will have five new faces step on the court this season, and that in itself breeds hope.
The four freshmen all have unique talents they can add to a roster, and junior forward Malcolm White has been lauded by coach Trent Johnson for his talent and hard work.
Combine the influx of talent with some positive chemistry, and the Tigers seem to be taking a step in the right direction.
“The camaraderie of the team is completely different,” said junior forward Garrett Green. “We seem to have a better flow with each other. We’re a little more comfortable, and the more we play, the more we find out each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”
Johnson took a cautious approach to the sense of optimism surrounding the team.
“When you haven’t played against anybody, there hasn’t been any adversity,” Johnson said. “There haven’t been any decisions made on who’s playing. Everybody is good.”
Johnson has refused to name who his starting five will be in his meetings with the media, saying only White has solidified his spot in the lineup.
But the competition and intensity in practice has been positive for both the coach and the players.
“This appears to be a good group,” Johnson said. “All those things will tell with time when there is some adversity and when we go up against some competition, but right now, this is a good group. It’s a very willing, very coachable group.”
Junior guard Chris Bass started 19 games for the Tigers last season but is in competition with freshman guard Andre Stringer for playing time this season.
Bass said the team has thrived on the competition.
“They all want to go on the floor,” Bass said. “Everybody’s working hard right now. Everybody’s pushing each other, so that’s going to make it even better when it’s time to get on the court. Nobody has egos on this team. Nobody wants to be ‘the man.'”
With nine of the 14 players on the roster in either their freshman or sophomore season, this LSU basketball team has time to grow and mesh for years.
“This year, for the first time since I’ve been here, we’ve got a group of guys that the fan base and you can all grow with,” Johnson said. “Our team is going to be in place for two or three years, so that’s exciting.”
 
____
Contact Luke Johnson at [email protected]