“We’re excited about the season,” says IUPUI men’s basketball coach Byron Rimm II.
And why shouldn’t they be? After a disappointing season in which IUPUI had its fair share of obstacles to overcome, this season might just bring the toughest challenge yet.
How exactly are the Jaguars going to develop cohesion and chemistry with one another amidst a global pandemic?
“This summer kind of hurt us a little bit, but it hurt everybody,” Rimm said. “We’re on an even playing field and we’re kind of figuring out who we are, just like everybody else.”
After bringing in eight former junior college players from seven different two-year programs, Rimm knows that developing cohesion is going to be vital in determining how far this team can go this season.
“It’s very important,” Rimm said. “But, you know, I think the main thing is that we return probably some of the best players in the conference this year. So, instead of us rebuilding, we’re kind of filling in a lot of little holes and gaps.”
“We know that Marcus Burk’s going to get a lot shots, we know that Jaylen Minnett’s going to get some shots, we know that Elyjah [Goss] is going to get a lot of rebounds, so we’ve got some guys that can even back some of those new guys up,” he continued.
Yes, developing chemistry is important. But the players and coaching staff also know the importance of culture, too. In fact, for many of the new faces, that’s one of the main reasons why they chose to come and play for IUPUI.
“If I ever needed anything, they were one call away and there for me,” said junior Acton Shirley, a transfer from Saddleback [Calif.] college. “We talked through a lot different things on the visit and what was to come for the season.”
Another transfer, Dimitri Georgiadis, had similar feelings when asked about what brought him to IUPUI.
“I came from junior college last year and I was at another program before that, but the first few years wasn’t what I expected,” Georgiadis said. “I felt like I could come in and help change the program around. I wanted to be a part of something greater than myself.”
Senior Isaiah Williams, who recently announced his intentions to graduate later this month and pursue graduate studies elsewhere, and others know firsthand how quickly things can change within the organization. But even with so many new faces, Williams was confident that the season was going to bring out the best in all of his teammates.
“With the new faces, you all should expect a lot of toughness,” Williams said. “I think the culture changed a lot just because of the vibe that we have in practice, everybody pushing each another to their limits every day.”
“I think a lot of people should expect a whole different team,” Williams continued. “Last year we were 7-25, and coming into this year there are a lot of people that are going to doubt us, see us as the old IUPUI team. But with so many new and different faces, it’s going to be a good season.”
With the number of new faces and such a unique culture change, it’s imperative that this team gets off to a strong start. The difficulties and challenges from last season are finally behind them and now they must focus on the here and now.
This isn’t just a basketball team, though. This is a family. A family that’s willing to lift everyone up, be leaders for one another, push each other to their greatest limits, and, most importantly, be there for one another both on and off the court.
Set aside the personal goals and aspirations for a minute. This team knows that it can never be about one guy, and it’s going to take a collaborative effort from everyone for the 2020 IUPUI men’s basketball team to reach their full potential.
And it starts with one thing – culture. Just ask the coach.
“Culture is a big thing,” Rimm said. “You know, a lot of people get caught up in the talent, the numbers, and oh, he’s ranked this and ranked that, but the culture is the one thing that kind of sets everything apart.”
