Completed Event: Men's Basketball at UNLV on February 7, 2026 , Loss , 78, to, 80
M Basketball
at UNLV
L 78-80
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's BasketballNew-look Lopes get to work — officially
7/20/2020 4:39:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Drew, 1st-year staff begin practices with precautions
The first day of official Grand Canyon men's basketball summer workouts was about as unique as it could be Monday, from new Lopes head coach Bryce Drew and his staff getting to drill Lopes players on the court for the first time to an uncommon setup with COVID-19 safety in mind.
The gates opened cautiously, with the workouts split into two sessions and a mindfulness for how players have been away from structured basketball since March.
But there were smiles under the masks and face shields of Lopes coaches, who looked forward to this day even more than the GCU newcomers who have been able to voluntarily work out on campus before Monday.
"It felt fantastic to be out there on the floor and have the guys working out," Drew said. "It's the first time that we could all be together. It was long-anticipated on both ends.
"It was great to be able to work with them, start to build that relationship and see where they are right now to further project the season better."
The workout was kept to individual drills with one or two players at each GCU Basketball Practice Facility hoop. The only defenders were orange cones, as the coaches began with fundamentals of ball-handling, footwork and shooting mechanics based on what they have studied on video.
"It felt good, just a blessing," said Lopes freshman guard Jayden Stone, who played at Alabama and Kansas high schools after moving from Perth, Australia. "It's a great group of guys so to get out there with them was fun. To finally get a sweat feels good.
"This is the beginning phase. As things get pushed back or things change or whatnot, we're just going to get consistent with our work. We'll keep working hard, practicing and getting better at the little things. This is about getting the technicalities down."
The GCU players' chemistry did not start Monday. They clearly clicked off the court before they opened each Monday session with a team prayer.
The Lopes have a shared experience of living and studying on campus amid the pandemic this summer. They are having new basketball norms, like air fist bumps, pre-practice temperature checks, limiting shoes to court use, physical distancing and no defensive contact drills.
"We have awesome facilities and a great medical department, allowing us a blueprint to get back on the court," Drew said. "We have a lot of nice facilities on the campus to spread guys out. It's very beneficial to be at GCU for all of us."
None of it deterred from the honor of slipping on new GCU practice gear for the newcomers.
"For me to play at D-I, that's really meaningful to me," said Lopes freshman guard Chance McMillian, who is from Vallejo, California. "I'm on the court today. I really felt that. This time, it felt real like I'm really doing this."
Freshman teammate Liam Lloyd has been around high-profile college basketball his entire life in Spokane, Washington, where his father, Tommy, is a longtime Gonzaga assistant coach. The shooting guard has been training his lifetime to get the chance that came Monday.
"I've been ready to take this next step," Lloyd said. "I've always been excited and I was super excited today to get this thing rolling. It was fun. There are good vibes with the whole team. We have good team chemistry and a team bond already. We can only grow that bond."
Monday marked the start of an eight-week period in which the NCAA allows student-athletes to take part in weight training, conditioning and skill instruction for up to eight hours per week.
The Lopes will spend much of that time with Jordan Jackson, the team's new strength and conditioning coach after his stints with California and UCLA basketball over the previous five years.
"I think the guys will make major strides being with him in adding more muscle and more explosiveness," Drew said.
There were familiar faces in new situations. After redshirting a year, sophomore forward Gabe McGlothan is practicing for his Lopes debut this fall. Senior center Alessandro Lever is amid other big men, being paired with Wichita State 7-foot transfer Asbjørn Midtgaard and training with 6-foot-10 assistant coach Casey Shaw.
Swingman Rashad Smith grew up in metro Phoenix knowing about GCU basketball but the Chandler Hamilton High School graduate earned Monday's morning experience via two standout seasons at Pima Community College in Tucson.
"It felt great to get back on the court," Smith said. "We're building a brotherhood around here. We're starting to learn about more people. I feel like we're going to be pretty good this year."
COVID-19 dialed down the intensity of how workouts would have begun but it did not quell the spirit that newcomers and returnees had coming and going from their first official practice as the 2020-21 Lopes.
"I love this group," Stone said. "I'm blessed to be here. The coaches have given me a great opportunity here. I've just got to seize it, represent Christ and represent the Lopes doing what I do."
Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.
The gates opened cautiously, with the workouts split into two sessions and a mindfulness for how players have been away from structured basketball since March.
But there were smiles under the masks and face shields of Lopes coaches, who looked forward to this day even more than the GCU newcomers who have been able to voluntarily work out on campus before Monday.
"It felt fantastic to be out there on the floor and have the guys working out," Drew said. "It's the first time that we could all be together. It was long-anticipated on both ends.
"It was great to be able to work with them, start to build that relationship and see where they are right now to further project the season better."
The workout was kept to individual drills with one or two players at each GCU Basketball Practice Facility hoop. The only defenders were orange cones, as the coaches began with fundamentals of ball-handling, footwork and shooting mechanics based on what they have studied on video.
"It felt good, just a blessing," said Lopes freshman guard Jayden Stone, who played at Alabama and Kansas high schools after moving from Perth, Australia. "It's a great group of guys so to get out there with them was fun. To finally get a sweat feels good."This is the beginning phase. As things get pushed back or things change or whatnot, we're just going to get consistent with our work. We'll keep working hard, practicing and getting better at the little things. This is about getting the technicalities down."
The GCU players' chemistry did not start Monday. They clearly clicked off the court before they opened each Monday session with a team prayer.
The Lopes have a shared experience of living and studying on campus amid the pandemic this summer. They are having new basketball norms, like air fist bumps, pre-practice temperature checks, limiting shoes to court use, physical distancing and no defensive contact drills.
"We have awesome facilities and a great medical department, allowing us a blueprint to get back on the court," Drew said. "We have a lot of nice facilities on the campus to spread guys out. It's very beneficial to be at GCU for all of us."
None of it deterred from the honor of slipping on new GCU practice gear for the newcomers.
"For me to play at D-I, that's really meaningful to me," said Lopes freshman guard Chance McMillian, who is from Vallejo, California. "I'm on the court today. I really felt that. This time, it felt real like I'm really doing this."
Freshman teammate Liam Lloyd has been around high-profile college basketball his entire life in Spokane, Washington, where his father, Tommy, is a longtime Gonzaga assistant coach. The shooting guard has been training his lifetime to get the chance that came Monday.
"I've been ready to take this next step," Lloyd said. "I've always been excited and I was super excited today to get this thing rolling. It was fun. There are good vibes with the whole team. We have good team chemistry and a team bond already. We can only grow that bond."
Monday marked the start of an eight-week period in which the NCAA allows student-athletes to take part in weight training, conditioning and skill instruction for up to eight hours per week.
The Lopes will spend much of that time with Jordan Jackson, the team's new strength and conditioning coach after his stints with California and UCLA basketball over the previous five years.
"I think the guys will make major strides being with him in adding more muscle and more explosiveness," Drew said.
There were familiar faces in new situations. After redshirting a year, sophomore forward Gabe McGlothan is practicing for his Lopes debut this fall. Senior center Alessandro Lever is amid other big men, being paired with Wichita State 7-foot transfer Asbjørn Midtgaard and training with 6-foot-10 assistant coach Casey Shaw.
Swingman Rashad Smith grew up in metro Phoenix knowing about GCU basketball but the Chandler Hamilton High School graduate earned Monday's morning experience via two standout seasons at Pima Community College in Tucson.
"It felt great to get back on the court," Smith said. "We're building a brotherhood around here. We're starting to learn about more people. I feel like we're going to be pretty good this year."
COVID-19 dialed down the intensity of how workouts would have begun but it did not quell the spirit that newcomers and returnees had coming and going from their first official practice as the 2020-21 Lopes.
"I love this group," Stone said. "I'm blessed to be here. The coaches have given me a great opportunity here. I've just got to seize it, represent Christ and represent the Lopes doing what I do."
Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.
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