BOULDER – First-year Colorado men’s basketball coach Jeff Bzdelik realizes that fans want to know how the Buffaloes will adapt to his Princeton-style offense with all the passing, cutting and screening involved.
“Everybody makes such a big deal about it; let’s just call it the ‘Colorado offense,”‘ Bzdelik said Wednesday, two days before college programs can begin full practices. “European basketball is really what it is. But we’ll just call it the Colorado offense.”
Bzdelik said he sees signs the players are beginning to understand its principles.
“We’ve had some backdoor (layups) that have made the players even surprise themselves,” Bzdelik said with a grin.
Senior guard Richard Roby, an all-Big 12 Conference pick as a sophomore but coming off a disappointing junior season, said he has enjoyed learning a new system.
“It’s amazing when you can run it and it even works against guys that understand it,” Roby said, referring to intrasquad scrimmages. “When we go against teams that don’t understand it, they won’t have a chance.”
Colorado, 7-20 in Ricardo Patton’s final season, will practice Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. CU’s Coors Events Center will be used Friday for the Nuggets vs. Portland preseason game, and Bzdelik liked the fact that a three-day trip to Colorado Springs could promote team bonding.
“Our guys will see world-class athletes training for the Olympics,” said Bzdelik, who took his Air Force Academy teams there. “And practicing at a higher altitude won’t hurt, either.”
Colorado returns four starters: the 6-foot-6 Roby, 6-5 sophomore Xavier Silas, 6-9 senior Marcus King-Stockton and 6-6 senior Jermyl Jackson-Wilson. Also back is 6-2 senior Marcus Hall, a starter in 2005-06 who sat out last season to concentrate on academics. Jeremy Williams, a 6-7 sophomore forward, was a part-time starter last season but is academically ineligible this semester.
With the roster lacking depth, true freshmen Cory Higgins (6-4), Levi Knutson (6-4) and Caleb Patterson (6-11) could be called upon to contribute.
“We do have athleticism and mobility at all positions,” Bzdelik said. “(But) we lack size. And the players need confidence, because their confidence was shaken last season.”
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
