Cyclones Working On Fundamentals

AMES, Iowa--Basketball practice doesn't officially begin until October, but you can hear the basketballs bouncing and the shoes screeching when you pass by State Gym and the Forker Building on the Iowa State campus. The sound is coming from the ISU men's basketball team conducting its individual workouts in preparation for the 2007-08 season.

Developing solid fundamentals and learning the basics of the game is the core of every successful basketball team. The majority of this is taught and instilled in September prior to the beginning of the season. Under NCAA rules, the ISU coaching staff is allowed to work with its players for two hours a week in groups of no more than four individuals until Sept. 15. After that date, the coaching staff can instruct the entire team for two hours a week until official practice starts. The workouts provide a valuable head start for the coaching staff.

"First of all, Coach McDermott's system is based on a high level of skill development," ISU assistant coach Jeff Rutter said. "It is invaluable for our younger guys and our older guys to get a chance and come back and learn our system. But even more important than the system, is learning fundamental basketball. There is not a player on our team that does not need to improve its handle with the basketball, its shooting range, shooting consistency and all other parts of the game. We also can gain basketball specific conditioning, which is extremely important."

Iowa State University Athletics

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