By DAVE GUFFEY for GoGriz.com
The University of Montana Grizzlies’ 2013-14 basketball team will make its debut Tuesday, Oct. 22, as they play in their annual Silver-Maroon Scrimmage, which starts at 5:30 p.m. in Adams Center’s Dahlberg Arena.
The Lady Griz will play their annual Silver-Maroon contest following the men’s scrimmage, beginning around 7:30 p.m. There are no admission charges for the scrimmages.
University of Montana Head Coach, Wayne Tinkle.
Griz head coach Wayne Tinkle, the league’s coach of the year the past two seasons, returns three starters and eight letterman from his record-setting squad (25-7 overall/19-1 Big Sky Conference) of a year ago.
Returning starters include 6-5 senior guard-forward Kareem Jamar, who was the Big Sky Conference MVP last season and an Associated Press honorable mention selection. Other returning starters are 6-9 senior center Eric Hutchison (27 starts) and 6-2 junior guard Jordan Gregory (21 starts).
Lettermen back are 6-2 junior guard Keron DeShields, 6-5 sophomore forward Nick Emerson, 7-0 sophomore center Andy Martin, 6-7 junior forward Mike Weisner, and 6-0 sophomore guard Morgan Young.
Tinkle and his staff of Kurt Paulson, Jono Metzger-Jones, and Kerry Rupp also added four preps, a junior college transfer, and have one redshirt returning.
The high school additions are 6-0 guard Mario Dunn Jr. (Salesian HS, Oakland, Calif.), 6-4 guard Brandon Gfeller (Colfax HS, Wash.), 6-5 guard-forward Jack Lopez (Jannali HS, Bankstown Australia), and 6-4 guard-forward Daine Muller (Billings Skyview HS, Mont.). Muller will not play this season due to an injury.
Chris Kemp, a 6-7, 238-pound JC transfer from Baltimore, who played at West Texas College, is expected to compete for a starting berth.
Also back is 6-2 guard Riley Bradshaw (Corvallis HS, Mont.), who redshirted last year after transferring from Utah State. Bradshaw will not be eligible to play until after the fall semester, some time in late December, due to NCAA transfer rules.
Also new to the program is 6-8 junior center Martin Breunig from the University of Washington, although he will not be able to play until next season due to NCAA transfer rules.
Montana’s first game is just a few days away, as the Grizzlies host Simon Fraser in an exhibition game, Saturday, Oct. 26, which starts at 7:05 p.m. in Dahlberg Arena. Next Wednesday, Nov. 6, the Griz host Lewis and Clark in an exhibition contest that starts at 7:05 p.m.
This week’s tentative schedule for Griz BB practices:
- Monday, Oct. 21: 3:45 p.m. 7:00 p.m. in Arena
- Tuesday, Oct. 22: Silver-Maroon Scrimmage, 5:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, Oct.. 23: 3:45 p.m. 7:00 p.m. in Arena
- Thursday, Oct. 24: 3:30-6:00 p.m., West Auxiliary Gym (WAG)
- Friday, Oct. 25: : 3:30-6:00 p.m., West Auxiliary Gym (WAG)Saturday,
- Oct. 26: Exhibition game versus Lewis and Clark, 7:05 in Arena
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