Fresno State Athletics
Men's Basketball Takes Part in Season's First Practice
10/18/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 18, 2003
FRESNO, Calif. - Ray Lopes barked orders. Sweat covered players' bodies. Team managers scurried around picking up loose balls and assisting with drills. Intensity filled every corner of the South Gym.
And that was just 10 minutes into practice.
Ah, basketball is back at Fresno State.
The Bulldogs took part in their first official team practice of the 2003-04 season on Saturday, kicking off the defense of their 2003 WAC championship. Fresno State hit the court twice -- once at 9 a.m. then again at 2 p.m. -- and, as is usual with a Lopes-coached team, wasted no time getting back up to a feverish pace.
"It's great to get back out on the court and start practices," Lopes said. "I'm really looking forward to getting our team through our drills and on track to defending our WAC title. Our players worked very hard in the offseason and are in great shape as we get things going."
Fresno State returns two starters and three letterwinners from a team that went 20-8 (13-5 WAC) and surprised nearly everyone in claiming the conference championship. The return of 2002-03 WAC All-Newcomer team member Renaldo Major and Jonathan Woods, and the addition of Shantay Legans to the point guard position, was enough for Fresno State to be picked second by the media in the league preseason poll.
There were plenty of fresh faces on the court on Saturday. Five junior college transfers -- Jack Marlow, Dreike Bouldin, Marcus West, Francis Koffi and Chris Adams -- all experienced their first practices in Bulldog uniforms. Reggie Butler and walk-on M'Jumbe Williams rounded out the newcomers.
Also returning is Mustafa Al-Sayyad, who played in six games last year before electing to redshirt due to knee injuries.
The Bulldogs take Sunday off before returning to practice on Monday. The team's first appears in the new Save Mart Center on Nov. 5 in the Bulldog Basketball Extravaganza. The first exhibition game is Nov. 13 and the season opener is Nov. 21 at Oregon.
