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Grand Canyon University Athletics
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Mountain West status raises GCU stakes, optimism
7/25/2025 6:30:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro
Experienced Lopes return from summer break with drive to make mark
The Grand Canyon men's basketball team took a two-week break from summer workouts this month and returned to a new, bold brand as a Mountain West program.
The Lopes just learned that their start date in the Mountain West Conference was accelerated to the upcoming season, but GCU already had hit fast-forward as a team melding the Lopes' new talent with their NCAA Tournament standards.
Some of the GCU staff and roster has faced off with or worked with Mountain West competition, but nobody might offer a better perspective for the Lopes' transition than senior newcomer Jaden Henley.
After playing at Mountain West stalwart UNLV last season and working out with the revamped Lopes this summer, Henley is encouraged about their prospects in the Mountian West.
"We're going to do great, I promise," said Henley, a 6-foot-7 guard who averaged 12.5 points as a Runnin' Rebels starter last season. "I can say that for sure. A lot of teams are going to have problems with our length and our talent."
Seven transfer players, four incoming freshmen and three new assistant coaches give the Lopes a fresh look to build upon head coach Bryce Drew's five-year GCU run of .750 basketball (120-40) and four NCAA Tournament trips.
With two Lopes rotation players returning (junior guards Caleb Shaw and Makaih Williams), Drew is assessing, developing and meshing individual talents this summer. He is seeking a quintet that plays the best together for the Lopes' Mountain West debut season.
"We do have some size," Drew told Phoenix media on Thursday. "We have some experience. Jaden Henley has played in the Mountain West, so he has a feel for that league. I think the biggest part is so many new guys coming together and understanding our system.
"Now that we're in it (the Mountain West), we're jumping in. We've got to go two feet in and try to make up a lot of ground getting ready."
With the standard of pursuing conference championships, Drew said the staff targeted experienced players in the transfer portal this year. Additions such as former Brown power forward Nana Owusu-Anane and former Norfolk State guard Brian Moore Jr. were graduates and stars at their previous colleges.
"Not only is he (Owusu-Anane) a good player, but his leadership is excellent," Drew said. "His communication is really good, and the team gravitates to him.
"(Moore) has the game experience of being in different situations and different moments that will come out when the season starts."
Both players said they developed a love for their new program swiftly and are building optimism about ascending the program to the level of the basketball-strong Mountain West.
Owusu-Anane said his confidence comes from the high character that Drew and the staff emphasized in assembling the team, which the 6-8 power forward said is putting winning first.
"It's a good conference for sure, but we definitely want to go and leave a mark – not just be there to be there," Owusu-Anane said of the Mountain West. "We're definitely trying to go there and shake some things up."
Drew said the Mountain West move benefits GCU most with television broadcast exposure, the opportunity of a multi-bid conference for NCAAs and recruiting level.
The prospect of playing in the Mountain West enticed the Lopes' transfer class, considered the best mid-major one in the nation.
Moore, a New York City native, won the Lou Henson Award last season as the nation's top mid-major player with 18.7 points per game on an NCAA Tournament qualifier and has bought into GCU culture and goals wholeheartedly.
"We've got to not match, but we've got to exceed their intensity and their toughness," Moore said of Mountain West competition.
"I think the reason why (GCU coaches) like me so much is they know I'm an aggressive guard and I get to the rim. I can make plays for others. I think that's really going to transfer here in the Mountain West. We're going to play really fast and get up and guard guys."
For limited season ticket availability on GCU men's basketball season tickets, click here.
The Lopes just learned that their start date in the Mountain West Conference was accelerated to the upcoming season, but GCU already had hit fast-forward as a team melding the Lopes' new talent with their NCAA Tournament standards.
Some of the GCU staff and roster has faced off with or worked with Mountain West competition, but nobody might offer a better perspective for the Lopes' transition than senior newcomer Jaden Henley.
After playing at Mountain West stalwart UNLV last season and working out with the revamped Lopes this summer, Henley is encouraged about their prospects in the Mountian West.
"We're going to do great, I promise," said Henley, a 6-foot-7 guard who averaged 12.5 points as a Runnin' Rebels starter last season. "I can say that for sure. A lot of teams are going to have problems with our length and our talent."Seven transfer players, four incoming freshmen and three new assistant coaches give the Lopes a fresh look to build upon head coach Bryce Drew's five-year GCU run of .750 basketball (120-40) and four NCAA Tournament trips.
With two Lopes rotation players returning (junior guards Caleb Shaw and Makaih Williams), Drew is assessing, developing and meshing individual talents this summer. He is seeking a quintet that plays the best together for the Lopes' Mountain West debut season.
"We do have some size," Drew told Phoenix media on Thursday. "We have some experience. Jaden Henley has played in the Mountain West, so he has a feel for that league. I think the biggest part is so many new guys coming together and understanding our system.
"Now that we're in it (the Mountain West), we're jumping in. We've got to go two feet in and try to make up a lot of ground getting ready."
With the standard of pursuing conference championships, Drew said the staff targeted experienced players in the transfer portal this year. Additions such as former Brown power forward Nana Owusu-Anane and former Norfolk State guard Brian Moore Jr. were graduates and stars at their previous colleges.
"Not only is he (Owusu-Anane) a good player, but his leadership is excellent," Drew said. "His communication is really good, and the team gravitates to him.
"(Moore) has the game experience of being in different situations and different moments that will come out when the season starts."
Both players said they developed a love for their new program swiftly and are building optimism about ascending the program to the level of the basketball-strong Mountain West.
Owusu-Anane said his confidence comes from the high character that Drew and the staff emphasized in assembling the team, which the 6-8 power forward said is putting winning first."It's a good conference for sure, but we definitely want to go and leave a mark – not just be there to be there," Owusu-Anane said of the Mountain West. "We're definitely trying to go there and shake some things up."
Drew said the Mountain West move benefits GCU most with television broadcast exposure, the opportunity of a multi-bid conference for NCAAs and recruiting level.
The prospect of playing in the Mountain West enticed the Lopes' transfer class, considered the best mid-major one in the nation.Moore, a New York City native, won the Lou Henson Award last season as the nation's top mid-major player with 18.7 points per game on an NCAA Tournament qualifier and has bought into GCU culture and goals wholeheartedly.
"We've got to not match, but we've got to exceed their intensity and their toughness," Moore said of Mountain West competition.
"I think the reason why (GCU coaches) like me so much is they know I'm an aggressive guard and I get to the rim. I can make plays for others. I think that's really going to transfer here in the Mountain West. We're going to play really fast and get up and guard guys."
For limited season ticket availability on GCU men's basketball season tickets, click here.
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