Primetime Preview kicks off basketball season
The 2010-11 Drake basketball teams introduced themselves to fans last Thursday, showing off their skills at the Drake Basketball Primetime Preview.
The women’s team played against each other in the annual Blue & White scrimmage while the men’s squad performed skills competitions, including a slam dunk contest. The Blue squad edged the White team 9-7 in the scrimmage, with senior Rachael Hackbarth scoring seven points for Blue.
“Rachael (Hackbarth) had a great offseason,” head coach Amy Stephens said at the women’s basketball team’s media day last Wednesday. “She worked hard to improve and added some range.”
Both teams participated in a three-point shootout. At the end of the night, men’s head coach Mark Phelps challenged Stephens to a three-point contest. Phelps won 6-5.
Junior Ben Simons prevailed in the three-point shootout finals against freshman Kyndal Clark, 10-8. Clark’s final “moneyball” shot rimmed out with a chance to tie the score.
Senior Kraidon Woods impressed the crowd with a windmill slam to capture the slam dunk contest crown. Redshirt sophomore David Smith earned runner-up honors.
There were also skills competitions involving the fans. First-year Matt Dybing made a layup, a free throw, a three-point shot and a half-court heave to win the Magic Shot competition. Dybing left the Knapp Center with a 40-inch flat screen television. Dybing’s sister, Lauren, was a four-year standout player for the women’s basketball team from 2005-09.
Redshirt junior Brittnye McSparron joined third-year pharmacy student Jared Frost to garner the hotshot competition title.
The women’s squad kicks off its season at the Knapp Center in an exhibition game against Upper Iowa on Nov. 2 at 7:05 p.m. The men’s team starts its season three days later in another exhibition at the Knapp Center against Quincy. Tip-off for the Nov. 5 tilt is set for 11 a.m.
“We’re maybe not the prettiest team, but they execute and there’s some grittiness to them that I like as a coach,” Stephens said about her squad.
