UNLV Basketball

Friday afternoon we went to watch the Runnin' Rebel basketball team practice. The NCAA allows teams to travel abroad once every four years. As a result, the Rebels are allowed to practice for a couple of weeks leading up to the trip. In about a week, the Rebels will head to the Land Down Under and play six games against professional teams. Pictured here is the family with new freshman 7-foot center, Beas Hamga. Everyone is excited to have him as part of the team now since our tallest starter last year was only 6'7" (Joe Darger).

There have been over 100 people at each practice so far. After practice, the coaches and players make it a point to shake everyone's hands and thank them for coming. Pictured with me and the kids are: Coach Kruger, Kendall Wallace, and the future conference player of the year, Wink Adams. Coach Kruger is seriously one of the nicest, most personable people you will ever meet. He is truely a class act (not to mention a great coach), and has good kids playing for him. Below is a bucket Wink scored in the scrimmage.

Coach Kruger has been pulling out all the stops in trying to get his team ready for the upcoming season. Former Rebels have been participating in practices and testing some of the new players. Pictured to the right is Joel Anthony of the Miami Heat giving Beas Hamga a lesson from the NBA and blocking his shot in the picture above! Beas may be a 5-star recruit, but still has a lot to learn. We are exccited to watch him develop as a member of the Runnin' Rebels. Also participating in practice have been: Kevin Kruger (coach's son) and Wendell White who play for the NBA developmental league, Mark Dickel and Warren Rosegreen...with many other former Rebels taking practice in from the sidelines. Former Rebel, and current 76er, Lou Amundson is supposed to make an appearence in practice this week. Ipuna will definitely want to go to practice now this week becasue she LLLOOOOOVVVVVEEESSS LOU! What a dreamboat!