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
Insider: Bye summer, hello new-look Lopes
8/5/2021 11:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro, Lopes Insider Blog
GCU's revised roster ends workouts with progress made, culture engrained
When GCU basketball summer workouts ended Wednesday night, the customary post-practice human ring at midcourt was a symbol of a team that already had come full circle in some ways.
The Lopes began the summer with introductions in order and ended with a unified unit that wants to take on a WAC title defense for another ring.
It will not be the same type of team as the program's first NCAA Division I tournament team. But this one has the potential to play faster, shoot better on the perimeter and defend differently.
The Lopes leave summer workouts ahead of last year because the COVID-19 protocols are not as severe, and the second-year coaching staff has the culture engrained with the help of roster returnees.
"We really enjoyed just getting to know eight new players," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "They've been trying to get a feel for one another on the court. Even though it's just the summer, we thought it was really important for them to get to know each other and be together on and off the court.
"With so many new guys, it really has helped us as coaches to see things we really like and things that this team could be good at. And then there are some priority things that we need to work on come September."
When the team returns in full on Sept. 7 for the first day of classes and practices, putting on uniforms for a late October exhibition game will only lie about six weeks away.
The Lopes' final workout left them longing for more, especially with officiated scrimmage play that showed off the team's balance and 38% team shooting from 3-point range. Five players scored in double figures with some being veterans (bouncy forwards Gabe McGlothan and Sean Miller-Moore) and some being newcomers (skilled perimeter players Jalen Blackmon, Isaiah Shaw and Holland Woods II).
"It was exciting," said Woods, the 6-foot-1, fifth-year guard who transferred from Arizona State. "We have eight new guys, basically a whole new team, but I think we came in and built a good foundation this summer. We'll be ready to get it rolling when we get back in September.
"Everyone on this team is extremely talented. It's just about everyone figuring out their roles once the season starts and falling into place. The best part is that we're a deep team. I think, when anyone's number is called, we'll be ready."
Junior point guard Jovan Blacksher Jr. is the team's only returning GCU starter, but the team is still experience-laden with transfers who started elsewhere and McGlothan and Miller-Moore back from carrying major reserve roles in their first GCU seasons. The top five bench players, including sophomores Liam Lloyd, Chance McMillian and Jayden Stone, return with bodies and minds that are more fit for the college game.
"Our returners have been fantastic this summer, helping out the first-year players in our program with how we do things and what is expected," Drew said. "Our new guys have picked up things and come a long way in a month and a half."
Blacksher has been especially beneficial for freshman guard Jalen Blackmon, taking the Marion, Indiana, guard under his wing for where to look to shoot and pass in the GCU system. Blackmon averaged a state-leading 33.5 points per game as a senior and comes from a basketball family, but he is still navigating a Division I learning curve.
"I love it," Blackmon said. "It's just basketball and weights. I've gotten a lot stronger. Coming in, I maybe wasn't expecting it to be this intense but it's been fun.
"Playing for Coach Drew and how detailed he is with wanting you to do everything perfect has already made me so much better. Having to guard Jovan and Holland, older guys who are really fast, is going to make me a lot better for the season."
Of the GCU newcomers, Woods and Taeshon Cherry draw the most local interest after playing for ASU last season.
Cherry has shown off how versatile he is at 6 feet 8 and the wares that made him a four-star recruit out of high school near San Diego. He opened Wednesday's scrimmage by draining a 25-foot wing shot. After having not played since December because of personal reasons, Cherry tweeted Saturday, "ain't had this much fun in awhile!!!!"
"We're really pleased with them," Drew said of Cherry and Woods. "They're both excellent players, but they've really fit in with our team well. You can see how much the team has taken to them as part of the family right away.'
Woods' long friendship with Blacksher carried over to the court, where the backcourt tandem combines two willing playmakers. Woods shows the shooting skills that made him the go-to player and an All-Big Sky first-team pick at Portland State, but he also gets to use the passing instincts and abilities that he relishes in a combo-guard role.
"The team vibe, the family vibe is there from the coach to the managers," Woods said. "You can see that it's intertwined through the program. That's all you can ask for to be a good team."
When the Wednesday night scrimmage ended with Shaw going on a scoring binge, the freshman walk-on's play was indicative of how much progression the Lopes made across the board. They take their August break in a position that is ahead of last offseason, the one that led to cutting down regular-season and postseason nets.
"September is going to come pretty quick and then exhibition games will start at the end of October," Drew said. "We'll put a plan together of things we need to hit hard right away. We don't want to waste any time."
The Lopes began the summer with introductions in order and ended with a unified unit that wants to take on a WAC title defense for another ring.
It will not be the same type of team as the program's first NCAA Division I tournament team. But this one has the potential to play faster, shoot better on the perimeter and defend differently.
The Lopes leave summer workouts ahead of last year because the COVID-19 protocols are not as severe, and the second-year coaching staff has the culture engrained with the help of roster returnees.
"We really enjoyed just getting to know eight new players," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "They've been trying to get a feel for one another on the court. Even though it's just the summer, we thought it was really important for them to get to know each other and be together on and off the court."With so many new guys, it really has helped us as coaches to see things we really like and things that this team could be good at. And then there are some priority things that we need to work on come September."
When the team returns in full on Sept. 7 for the first day of classes and practices, putting on uniforms for a late October exhibition game will only lie about six weeks away.
The Lopes' final workout left them longing for more, especially with officiated scrimmage play that showed off the team's balance and 38% team shooting from 3-point range. Five players scored in double figures with some being veterans (bouncy forwards Gabe McGlothan and Sean Miller-Moore) and some being newcomers (skilled perimeter players Jalen Blackmon, Isaiah Shaw and Holland Woods II).
"It was exciting," said Woods, the 6-foot-1, fifth-year guard who transferred from Arizona State. "We have eight new guys, basically a whole new team, but I think we came in and built a good foundation this summer. We'll be ready to get it rolling when we get back in September."Everyone on this team is extremely talented. It's just about everyone figuring out their roles once the season starts and falling into place. The best part is that we're a deep team. I think, when anyone's number is called, we'll be ready."
Junior point guard Jovan Blacksher Jr. is the team's only returning GCU starter, but the team is still experience-laden with transfers who started elsewhere and McGlothan and Miller-Moore back from carrying major reserve roles in their first GCU seasons. The top five bench players, including sophomores Liam Lloyd, Chance McMillian and Jayden Stone, return with bodies and minds that are more fit for the college game.
"Our returners have been fantastic this summer, helping out the first-year players in our program with how we do things and what is expected," Drew said. "Our new guys have picked up things and come a long way in a month and a half."
Blacksher has been especially beneficial for freshman guard Jalen Blackmon, taking the Marion, Indiana, guard under his wing for where to look to shoot and pass in the GCU system. Blackmon averaged a state-leading 33.5 points per game as a senior and comes from a basketball family, but he is still navigating a Division I learning curve."I love it," Blackmon said. "It's just basketball and weights. I've gotten a lot stronger. Coming in, I maybe wasn't expecting it to be this intense but it's been fun.
"Playing for Coach Drew and how detailed he is with wanting you to do everything perfect has already made me so much better. Having to guard Jovan and Holland, older guys who are really fast, is going to make me a lot better for the season."
Of the GCU newcomers, Woods and Taeshon Cherry draw the most local interest after playing for ASU last season.
Cherry has shown off how versatile he is at 6 feet 8 and the wares that made him a four-star recruit out of high school near San Diego. He opened Wednesday's scrimmage by draining a 25-foot wing shot. After having not played since December because of personal reasons, Cherry tweeted Saturday, "ain't had this much fun in awhile!!!!""We're really pleased with them," Drew said of Cherry and Woods. "They're both excellent players, but they've really fit in with our team well. You can see how much the team has taken to them as part of the family right away.'
Woods' long friendship with Blacksher carried over to the court, where the backcourt tandem combines two willing playmakers. Woods shows the shooting skills that made him the go-to player and an All-Big Sky first-team pick at Portland State, but he also gets to use the passing instincts and abilities that he relishes in a combo-guard role.
"The team vibe, the family vibe is there from the coach to the managers," Woods said. "You can see that it's intertwined through the program. That's all you can ask for to be a good team."
When the Wednesday night scrimmage ended with Shaw going on a scoring binge, the freshman walk-on's play was indicative of how much progression the Lopes made across the board. They take their August break in a position that is ahead of last offseason, the one that led to cutting down regular-season and postseason nets.
"September is going to come pretty quick and then exhibition games will start at the end of October," Drew said. "We'll put a plan together of things we need to hit hard right away. We don't want to waste any time."
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