The ISU Bengals are drinking the Kool-Aid

Journal File Photo

Gulp and guzzle like it’s the last drop of water in the desert.

Drink in the Kool-Aid because to do so exhibits total and utter commitment.

And, no, this isn’t some cryptic reference to a kooky cult.

This Kool-Aid is harmless, and, for that matter, there isn’t any of the sugary stuff to be seen.

“Drinking the Kool-Aid” is a major theme of coach Bill Evans and the Idaho State men’s basketball team as they prepare for the 2013-14 season at Reed Gym.

Fall practice began Sept. 28 and the first game, an exhibition match versus Dickinson State, is Nov. 4.

That’s a solid chunk of times for Evans and the Bengal coaching staff to take 14 players and mold the foundations of a team. There’s a mere six returners from last season’s 6-24 squad and eight newcomers.

A clear line of demarcation runs right down the middle of the fresh faces. Four of the new players are true freshmen.

There’s Scotty Tyler from Grafton, Wisc., a 6-foot-7 lanky shooter. Andre Slavik arrives in Pocatello from Beacon Prep in Houston, Texas. He’s originally from Slovakia.

Erik Nakken is a 6-3 guard out of Cedar City, Utah, and Justin Smith is an athletic 6-5 wing from Colorado Springs, Colo.

Some of the freshmen will be expected to contribute right away. But a year ago, they were still in high school, so those guys represent more of the future of Bengal basketball than the present.

The quartet of junior college transfers, however, step in to help fill the void left by nine departures off last season’s roster.

Jeffrey Solarin is a 6-foot-4 junior wing who’s known for his rebounding and defense. Like Chris Hansen, Solarin is from Colorado and he played at Northwest College in Powell, Wyo., with ISU assistant coach Andy Ward (before Ward joined the Bengals in 2012).

In his two years at Northwest, Solarin left with 992 career points and 559 rebounds.

Junior Ben Wilson is 6-5 and from North Platte Community College. Evann Hall, a sophomore, is a 6-4 guard who played one year at San Bernardino Valley College. Finally, adding size to Idaho State’s frontcourt, 6-11 Ajak Magot is out of Cochise College.

How the freshmen and junior college guys mesh with returners like Hansen, Tomas Sanchez and Andre Hatchett is a major factor to what Evans is working on until November rolls around.

Evans will know if things are headed in the right direction if all they choose to drink the Kool-Aid. There’s even a T-shirt handed out to the players who have earned the distinction.

It’s gray with ISU basketball on the front, and on the back it says, “I drink the Kool-Aid.” Note, it doesn’t say, “I drank the Kool-Aid,” because it’s an honor that Evans can give and yank right back.

Right now, the six returners all have their T-shirts. What exactly have they done to earn them?

“Buying into how we do things at Idaho State,” Hansen said. “Being good teammates, cheering each other on and working hard. Just doing what your role is on the team, and not trying to do too much or too little.”

Is a center who struggles to hit free throws launching 3-pointers? If so, he’s not drinking the Kool-Aid.

But it’s more than how a guy practices and performs during games. No player is invested if he’s skipping class or treating teammates poorly. Evans never wants to hear a negative word from one player to another.

It’s all in an effort to facilitate an atmosphere around the team that’s positive, demands maximum efforts and, hopefully, leads to an improving men’s basketball program.

“This year, coach Evans has more of his kind of players here,” Hansen said. “Hard workers, no one complains. Everyone is on board. Not saying that last year we didn’t have that. But everyone here kind of has the culture built into them.”

Practice notes: At practice Monday, Idaho State used the lineup Tomas Sanchez, Chris Hansen, Jeffrey Solarin, Andre Hatchett and Ayibakuro Preh quite a bit. If they played tomorrow (which, of course, they don't) I think that's the starting five. ... Looks like Idaho State will look to run more this season. The Bengals finished 11th in scoring in the Big Sky a season ago (at 57.0 ppg). ... Further evidence ISU wants to improve the offense, lots of time early in practice honing the offense against man-to-man defense  (though, it should be noted, in no way is Evans going to deemphasize defense this season).