Tide Completes First Day of Basketball Practice
10/12/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
TUSCALOOSA – Fourteen players hit the floor of Coleman Coliseum on Saturday morning for the opening day of practice for the University of Alabama's 2002-03 men's basketball season.
"I think it was a pretty good day," said Alabama head coach Mark Gottfried. "We've got enough veteran players that they knew what to expect. They kind of hit the ground running. I like that. I think that our seniors are giving us good leadership. So I liked the day. Overall, I'd say it was pretty productive.
"I think it's a very athletic team. It's a deep team although some of the guys are young; I do think they can help us. The good news is they don't have to carry the load, but at the same time I think we have some options. Hopefully no one will get hurt, but if someone were to, it seems like we have a few more people we could go to."
Alabama practiced for about two hours and forty five minutes on Saturday.
"It went great, just as everybody expected, we went hard," said returning starting point guard, sophomore Mo Williams. "There were a few mistakes. It was the first day back. We've got to do a better job executing but it was the first day back so that's to be expected. You can't come in from the summer just free lance playing and know execution, know running plays. You can't come in and run the plays perfect the first day. Overall, I'd grade us a 'B-plus' because we've got a lot of improvement to go before the first day of the season."
Alabama fans can meet Williams, Gottfried and the Tide's coaching staff and players next Saturday morning, October 18. The team will hold a fan jam in Coleman Coliseum prior to the Ole Miss football game. The team will have an autograph session from 9:45 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. CT. From 10:30 a.m. to around 11:30 a.m. the men's and women's teams will take to the floor and entertain fans with some basketball drills. The event is free.
