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“This whole group has a lot of trust in each other”

Umito November 9, 2024

After bringing back 10 players from last season’s Sweet 16 team, Gonzaga Mark Few had the best problem a Division I head coach could ask for: he had too many players to fit into the rotation.

Few gave his players all the credit for returning to Spokane. In the meantime, he and the coaching staff have filled out the rotation with diverse talents in Arkansas grad transfer Khalif Battle and Pepperdine transfer Michael Ajayi, as well as Tarleton State transfer Emmanuel Innocenti.

Gonzaga’s summer workouts were as competitive as they have been in years, coaches say. As such, the lineup and replacement patterns were changed during exhibition games, as the Bulldogs showcased a handful of different looks ahead of their regular season opener against No. 8 Baylor .

Little mentioned after the final exposure against Warner Pacific that there wasn’t much separation between the starters and the bench players. It turns out that his tight-knit group can come together in multiple ways.

“This whole group has confidence in each other,” redshirt sophomore Braden Huff said after the Zags’ victory. 101-63 victory against the Bears. “We have a lot of returning players and the newcomers are integrating quite well. So everyone trusts each other and I think the coaches have instilled a lot of confidence in us, so coming off the bench and being able to contribute is pretty easy when you have teammates and coaches that have a lot of confidence in you.

Huff was an instant spark plug off the bench in Gonzaga’s season opener. The 6-foot-10 post finished with 14 points and made 7 of 11 from the field in 16 minutes of action, which included a handful of slam dunks to the delight of the Spokane Arena crowd. Huff helped open the floor on offense alongside sophomore forward Dusty Stromer, who finished with 11 points and three 3-pointers in the first half.

“We all play for each other,” Stromer said. “And that makes it a lot easier to come off the bench and make an impact immediately in the game.”

In total, Gonzaga’s second unit scored 42 points in the win over Baylor. Ajayi had nine points and grabbed eight rebounds, as the 6-foot-7 wing continued to impact the game with his motor on the glass. Time will tell if other opportunities open up for players like Jun Seok Yeo, Ismaila Diagne and Innocenti.