JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — It may still feel like summer outside, but for ETSU men’s basketball, their summer practice session came to a close this week as first-year head coach Brooks Savage and company get closer to the real deal this fall.
Savage told reporters on Friday that he was very pleased with his team’s effort throughout the summer, and he believes the guys are maybe even a bit ahead of schedule – as far as their chemistry and understanding of the offense to this point.
He praised a number of the returning guys in particular, explaining that they have been all-in on the new coaching staff and what they hope to build.
A strong start to the preseason is nice, but everyone in the program knows it’ll be about what happens from November to March that really counts. But, Savage and his guys aren’t shying away from that responsibility.
“There’s always pressure but, you know, there’s no more pressure than we put on ourselves, right?” Savage said. “The outside pressure is never greater than it is internally. You know, whether we won 20 or lost 20 or whatever happened the year before, the expectation is still the same for the next year.”
“If we had come back after the 30-win season, you guys are expecting us to win 40 the next year. It’s just – it is what it is. That’s why this is a great place. You know, I’ve been at places that do not care and I would much, much rather be at a place that loves it the way they do here. And that makes it fun,” he continued.
More summer camp thoughts from coach Brooks are to come throughout the weekend.
