‘Ready for November’: Current Wichita State players awed by AfterShocks’ TBT crowd

The handful of newcomers on the Wichita State men’s basketball team are used to practicing at Koch Arena, but only when it’s completely empty of fans.

This past Saturday was their first experience inside an energized Roundhouse, as the team was introduced at halftime of the AfterShocks’ opening-round win in The Basketball Tournament.

Even with the crowd at just a third of the capacity and the WSU alumni team winning easily, Koch Arena made quite an impression on the current crop of Shockers who have yet to play a game on Devlin Court.

“It was really cool to see how everybody in the community came out and supported the Shockers,” said first-year transfer Zane Meeks. “It made me ready for November. I know we need to practice, but I’m ready to fast forward the next four months and lace them up tomorrow now. There were only like 4,000 fans in there and it was still really loud.”

Attendance should continue to increase as the AfterShocks advance further in the 64-team bracket. The WSU alumni team will face a Colorado alumni team, Team Colorado, at 8 p.m. Monday in the regional semifinals at Koch Arena.

Current WSU players take note of how the fan base supports and celebrates past players like Conner Frankamp, Markis McDuffie and Darral Willis on the AfterShocks.

“It’s awesome to see how the fans here love Shocker basketball, no matter if it’s the past players or the current ones,” WSU senior forward Ronnie DeGray III said. “I told the (newcomers) that it can get really loud in here and I think (Saturday’s TBT game) got everybody excited to play. I already know our goal is to fill this place back up.”

The WSU team is drawing near the end of its summer sessions, which have given the four key additions from the transfer portal and a pair of freshmen a chance to mesh with eight returners on the roster. Croatian big man Matej Bosnjak, the final addition to the roster, is slated to arrive in Wichita on August 13.

Following a disappointing 15-19 debut season, head coach Paul Mills is confident he has upgraded the roster through the portal. Justin Hill (Georgia) should give the team a steady presence at point guard, while Corey Washington (Saint Peter’s) brings a scoring tenacity at the forward position, A.J. McGinnis (Lipscomb) gives WSU a sharpshooter and Meeks (Arizona State) offers a pick-and-pop screening option.

“I know this is a big basketball school, at least in my eyes,” Hill said. “We want to bring the fans out and support us like they did before. I just want to be there for my teammates and try to impact winning as much as I can.”

Quincy Ballard, who received the loudest ovation on Saturday when the players were individually announced, figures to be a two-way force for the Shockers. Reports from summer practices indicate returning wing Harlond Beverly has significantly improved his conditioning, which has made him look like a different player so far. And freshman guard Zion Pipkin has already been publicly lauded by Mills for his shooting and play-making ability on the ball.

DeGray said the group is committed to making sure WSU makes a drastic turnaround from last year’s losing record.

“We’re still learning how to play with one another and still gelling,” DeGray said. “Coach Mills is really emphasizing pushing the pace this year, so I think we’re going to play faster. It’s a lot of transition work and then I think you’re going to see a lot more 3s this year too.”