DENVER – After Gordon Hayward’s short fell just short of giving Butler the 2010 NCAA Championship a week ago today, most fans probably put college basketball on the back burner.
For the Denver players, though, it was time to start thinking about next season.
The DU players began team workouts again last week. The NCAA allows two hours of workouts during most weeks that classes are in session, and the Pioneers spent an hour last Thursday working on a variety of drills. The team always works to improve, and this time of year is no exception. Many of the drills focus on the key fundamentals and how some of them can be done more effectively and efficiently.
This week, the Denver coaches will work out with two or three players at a time.
Reading Into It: Last Thursday evening after workouts and a few pickup games, a few of the players left the hardwood and headed to Slavens Elementary School, where they read books to the young students. These reading sessions have become somewhat of a tradition with the men’s basketball team, and it can be difficult to tell whether the kids or the players enjoy it more.
At Slavens, Rob Lewis, Brian Stafford, Travis Hallam and Blake Foeman took turns reading. Lewis started with a book called, “Jessica,” about a girl and her imaginary friend. Lewis and his teammates laughed as much as the kids during the story.
The event was part of a special DU group ticket program that rewarded schools for attending DU basketball games.
