Utes start '05-06 hoops practice

One of the big concerns for the Utah basketball team this year is depth. In fact, one of the big questions for second-year coach Ray Giacoletti coming into this season was whether he'd have enough players for a five-on-five scrimmage.

The answer is, just barely.

The Utes had just 11 players on hand for their opening practices of the 2005-06 season, Friday night and Saturday afternoon.

Although the Utes have 12 scholarship players, only nine are recruited, healthy players. Two walk-ons from last year's 29-6 team, Casey Iverson and Chris Grant, were awarded scholarships at the start of the semester when a couple became available, while another scholarship player, Misha Radojevic, is out until at least mid-January with a knee injury.

After a short practice Friday night, the Utes got together for a full-blown practice Saturday afternoon at the HPER-109 gym at the U.

Giacoletti likes what he sees so far.

"The seniors are doing a great job of showing leadership and giving direction," Giacoletti said. "And the new guys are like sponges. They want to learn and play hard."

The Ute seniors are Iverson, guard Tim Drisdom and forward Bryant Markson, a preseason selection for the all-Mountain West Conference team. Both Drisdom and Markson, in their fourth year in the program, are expecting great things from the Utes despite their depleted numbers.

Drisdom is impressed with young players such as freshman center Luke Nevill and sophomore guard Johnnie Bryant and says both will make an impact this year. Markson says the Utes will look different this year without all-American Andrew Bogut in the middle.

"You'll see a lot of pressing, a faster-paced game," Markson said. "We'll be looking to score on offense every opportunity we get.

Iverson is a 6-2 guard from Salt Lake City who transferred from College of Eastern Utah a year ago. Grant is a 6-3 sophomore guard from East High School.

"They really understand what we have to do and will have just as much opportunity as anybody," Giacoletti said.

UTE NOTES: The Huntsman Center is unavailable for another week, due to renovation of the floor . . . Former Ute Phil Cullen will help out the team this year as a student assistant while he finishes up his degree. The 6-10 Cullen can also fill in as an extra player in practices . . . Giacoletti said he'll add a couple of walk-ons following open tryouts on Monday morning . . . The Utes' first public appearance will be Oct. 27 for the annual Night With the Utes at the Huntsman Center. The first exhibition game will be Nov. 5 against Whitman College, with another exhibition game Nov. 14 against NW Nazarene. The first official game will be Nov. 18 against Texas State.

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