Isabel Gonzalez
@cisabelg
Head coach Paul Weir and the Lobos are getting ready for the Cherry & Silver event on Saturday to semi-officially kick off the 2019-20 men’s basketball season. Only 27 days remain until the first official game.
Progress
- Zane Martin wasn’t as productive as the head coach would have liked while he was sitting out. However, Weir said he has climbed his way up the ladder fast during preseason.
- Weir is happy with Carlton Bragg’s weight, said he is the lightest he has been since high school. Bragg made his first three-pointer in practice on Wednesday. Not his strong point so he’s not a likely candidate for the Cherry & Silver three-point contest.
- Kurt Wegscheider was the last one to leave practice on Thursday. He practiced shooting with two student managers there to help him rebound.
Only 27 days until the New Mexico men’s basketball team plays its first official game of the 2019-20 season… pic.twitter.com/bmfDmsq4YZ
— The Lair New Mexico (@thelairnm) October 10, 2019
Cherry & Silver
The staff hasn’t officially decided who will be participating in the dunk and three-point contests. Corey Manigault is suspended and therefore not listed for the event. Seniors Bragg and JaQuan Lyle are the captains this weekend. The rosters go as follow:
Cherry – coached by Dan McHale, Brandon Mason, Ralph Davis: Carton Bragg, JJ Caldwell, Makuach Maluach, Keith McGee, Tavian Percy, Kurt Wegscheider
Silver – coached by Jerome Robinson, Craig Snow: Jaquan Lyle, Vance Jackson, Zane Martin, Drue Drinnon, Vante Hendrix, Jordan Arroyo, Clay Patterson
Lyle and Bragg are roommates, so the trash talk was definitely expected. Bragg laughed and said he keeps telling Lyle his team can’t guard him.
“We were fighting a little bit about who wanted JJ,” Bragg said. “JJ was the X factor. We needed the best guard and he is the best passer.”
Bragg is aiming to get the score to the 80s.
Injuries
- Emmanuel Kuac is questionable for this Saturday. He injured his knee during toward the end of the first official practice. He limped to the sideline and was looked at by a trainer. He walked by himself shortly after. Weir says it’s nothing serious but he’s doubtful for this Saturday as a precaution, although Kuac is still hoping trainers will clear him to participate. He was looking forward to the dunk contest.
- Daniel Headdings still questionable for the season, back injury.
Recruiting
Weir couldn’t speak about recruiting in detail but he said the program was in a very good spot at the moment. The team had class of 2020 Bayron Matos visit last weekend. The 6’9″ player committed during the trip. Less than 24 hours later, New Mexico also got 6’6″ point guard Nolan Dorsey.
The Lobos will have some more recruiting action this weekend. Bradley Ezewiro is expected on Friday, might catch the football game.
Other
- Keith McGee missed some of the first official practices to focus on his studies. The redshirt junior has officially been cleared academically and has returned to being a normal part of the team.
- A lot of former players were encouraging fans to attend the Cherry & Silver event. Weir has been reaching out to former Lobos not just to come talk to his team during practices to give them motivation and advice. He is big on education, so he has been trying to help those who didn’t get their degree go back to school.
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