OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – It may be a new era for Creighton basketball, but the goal of preseason camp remains the same.

“We’re trying to form a team, that’s what we do every year,” Greg McDermott said Wednesday at the start of the Jays first official practice. “Every team is unique. Every team is different.”

McDermott is tasked with replacing almost half of the Bluejays minutes from last year’s Sweet 16 squad. Over the next six weeks, he’ll find his answers.

“Obviously we have some returning pieces, but we have gaps and holes to fill,” he said. “That’s what these six weeks are for.”

Gone are Baylor Scheierman, Trey Alexander and Francisco Farabello. In come two impact transfers in Pop Isaacs and Jamiya Neal along with a talented four-man freshmen class of Jackson McAndrew, Ty Davis, Larry Johnson and Fedor Zugic.

“They’re going to get opportunities,” McDermott said. “Losing Baylor, Trey and [Farabello], those guys took all of our minutes at the wing, so someone new is going to be there.”

Isaacs and Neal were both starters at Texas Tech and Arizona State, respectively. Neither scored at particularly efficient rates last year—both shot under 30% from long range—but McDermott believes those figures don’t tell the whole story.

“If you dig deep enough, there were some shots they were really efficient at if they took the right shots,” he said. “Some of that is a product of the offense, some of it is a product of the system. Some of it is a product of them making a better decisions of what’s the difference between a good shot and a bad shot. But in the recruiting process, they were both hungry to be more efficient and saw us as an avenue to do that.”

Jasen Green highlights the Creighton returners competing for a larger role this winter. Green carved a role in the rotation during the NCAA Tournament. After the loss to Tennessee in the Sweet 16, he told 6 News that the experience would light a fire under him this summer.

“This is probably the most work I’ve put into any offseason so far just because of how much I want it this year,” Green said, who shot the ball in practice with noteworthy confidence.

“He’s been incredibly motivated this offseason,” McDermott added. “I think when we start playing, people will see another pretty substantial jump in his skillset and his game.”

The Omaha native lost 15 pounds since leaving Detroit and has emphasized improving his three-point shot.

“I just want people to know and see the work I’ve put in,” Green said. “When I step on the court, I want them to notice how much better I’ve gotten.”

Creighton hosts Purdue in a charity exhibition game on Saturday, October 26.

Copyright 2024 WOWT. All rights reserved.