There is a bit more electricity in the air at practice this week ... more of a sense of urgency.
It is, after all, game week. The journey that is a basketball season begins Friday night and is exciting for everyone. For a few, though, it is more than just excitement. It is a dream come true.
UTEP will face Washington State Friday night in the Don Haskins Center and the excitement is palpable.
For three, though, the excitement will be put on hold, pushed back a season. UTEP coach Tim Floyd said the Miners have decided to redshirt freshman Trey Touchet, sophomore Jake Flaggert and senior Tevin Caldwell.
"This is a compliment to them," Floyd said. "We value all their talents and believe they can help us. But we also believe it is better for them and for us to sit them this year."
The excitement, the pregame and preseason nerves are there for every hoop dreamer. But for three freshmen and a junior college transfer, this will be a first ... a first Division 1 basketball game. Omega Harris, Lew Stallworth and Terry Winn now make up this freshman class and junior college transfer Earvin Morris will join that trio when they make their Division 1 debut Friday night.
They have been through long practice sessions, they have been through a public Orange-White scrimmage and they have been through Sunday afternoon's exhibition with Southeastern Oklahoma. Now it is real. Finally.
"I'm excited, can't wait," said Harris, the explosive and lightning-fast, 6-foot-2 guard from Bethany, Okla. "I've been waiting for this moment since I got my first D1 recruiting letter. At first, I kept playing basketball because it was fun. And then it became life. So this is sort of like I'm starting my life.
"My first D1 letter came during my freshman year," he said. "It was from Oklahoma. And they rode with me all along ... all the way until I signed with UTEP."
Stallworth, a 6-1 guard who seems mature mentally and physically, said, "There is way more excitement at practice this week. The coaches are more intense. There is more focus, more attention to detail, more talk about the other team so we really have to be focused. It's exciting.
"This is everything I've been working for ... in high school, the long summers, AAU ball ... it all leads me to this moment," said Stallworth, who is from Newhall, Calif. "Sure, I remember my first recruiting letter. It came the summer after my sophomore year from Seton Hall. They were my first offer. It's been a long journey but I know it's a blessing because not many people get this opportunity."
Pausing, glancing around the empty Haskins Center and, just perhaps, picturing it full, Stallworth added, "I know what I'm here for: Play defense, be a leader, make sure everyone gets involved, be an extension of the coach on the floor and, as a point guard, do all the little things that need getting done."
The Miners went through an almost-three hour practice session Tuesday afternoon. They finished with some training runs under the guidance of strength and conditioning coach Chisan Jones. Harris, quite naturally, was first in every sprint; by more than a bit. Senior Julian Washburn was next.
"I liked this practice," Floyd said. "We got a lot accomplished, even though it took over two-and-a-half hours to do it. We were able to cover some things our opponent will do. We went over some things we were not in our exhibition game ? working against three-fourths, full and half-court zone presses.
"And I really liked the energy our freshmen are bringing to practice," Floyd said.
The energy, the excitement, the intensity are all there. And why not? They are on the precipice of making a dream come true. And they know not everyone gets that opportunity.
Their special moment will come Friday night.
It is, after all, game week. The journey that is a basketball season begins Friday night and is exciting for everyone. For a few, though, it is more than just excitement. It is a dream come true.
UTEP will face Washington State Friday night in the Don Haskins Center and the excitement is palpable.
For three, though, the excitement will be put on hold, pushed back a season. UTEP coach Tim Floyd said the Miners have decided to redshirt freshman Trey Touchet, sophomore Jake Flaggert and senior Tevin Caldwell.
"This is a compliment to them," Floyd said. "We value all their talents and believe they can help us. But we also believe it is better for them and for us to sit them this year."
The excitement, the pregame and preseason nerves are there for every hoop dreamer. But for three freshmen and a junior college transfer, this will be a first ... a first Division 1 basketball game. Omega Harris, Lew Stallworth and Terry Winn now make up this freshman class and junior college transfer Earvin Morris will join that trio when they make their Division 1 debut Friday night.
They have been through long practice sessions, they have been through a public Orange-White scrimmage and they have been through Sunday afternoon's exhibition with Southeastern Oklahoma. Now it is real. Finally.
"I'm excited, can't wait," said Harris, the explosive and lightning-fast, 6-foot-2 guard from Bethany, Okla. "I've been waiting for this moment since I got my first D1 recruiting letter. At first, I kept playing basketball because it was fun. And then it became life. So this is sort of like I'm starting my life.
"My first D1 letter came during my freshman year," he said. "It was from Oklahoma. And they rode with me all along ... all the way until I signed with UTEP."
Stallworth, a 6-1 guard who seems mature mentally and physically, said, "There is way more excitement at practice this week. The coaches are more intense. There is more focus, more attention to detail, more talk about the other team so we really have to be focused. It's exciting.
"This is everything I've been working for ... in high school, the long summers, AAU ball ... it all leads me to this moment," said Stallworth, who is from Newhall, Calif. "Sure, I remember my first recruiting letter. It came the summer after my sophomore year from Seton Hall. They were my first offer. It's been a long journey but I know it's a blessing because not many people get this opportunity."
Pausing, glancing around the empty Haskins Center and, just perhaps, picturing it full, Stallworth added, "I know what I'm here for: Play defense, be a leader, make sure everyone gets involved, be an extension of the coach on the floor and, as a point guard, do all the little things that need getting done."
The Miners went through an almost-three hour practice session Tuesday afternoon. They finished with some training runs under the guidance of strength and conditioning coach Chisan Jones. Harris, quite naturally, was first in every sprint; by more than a bit. Senior Julian Washburn was next.
"I liked this practice," Floyd said. "We got a lot accomplished, even though it took over two-and-a-half hours to do it. We were able to cover some things our opponent will do. We went over some things we were not in our exhibition game ? working against three-fourths, full and half-court zone presses.
"And I really liked the energy our freshmen are bringing to practice," Floyd said.
The energy, the excitement, the intensity are all there. And why not? They are on the precipice of making a dream come true. And they know not everyone gets that opportunity.
Their special moment will come Friday night.
