With a little under a week before UNCW men’s basketball team officially begin their 2013-2014 campaign with a exhibition against Belmont Abbey, they held an open intrasquad scrimmage at Trask Coliseum. The scrimmage gave media, students and the comically elderly UNCW local fan base a chance to check out what this year’s team has to offer. Finding pros and cons during an intrasquad game can be tricky; does the offense look good because they’re executing or are they just product of an underdeveloped defense? The game featured a full shot clock, legitamate D-1 NCAA referees and Luke Hagar coming within a couple of inches of throwing down the most ferocious two-hand slam in the history of intrasquad games. I highly suggest getting to as many UNCW basketball games as possible, if for no other reason than you’re going to want to be in the gym when Hagar finds those last couple inches. There was a lot to like about what the team did Thursday night, and some stuff that didn’t look so great. Some thoughts:

– UNCW guards on both teams got to the rim with relative ease. Both Craig Ponder and Ben Eblen, who got the majority of minutes at the point for the Blue and Grey teams respectively, looked good cutting to the hoop. Ponder was 3^rd in points per game (8.5) during the ’12-’13 season and with the departure of Keith Rendleman (a predictably common narrative throughout the year, I suspect) the ‘Hawks success will depend on his ability to get to the bucket. Ponder showed off a nifty runner but struggled with inconsistency throughout. Eblen, a grad student who spent his undergrad years playing for the University of Alabama, looked poised while running a Grey Team offense that won 41-23. I understand the irrelevance of a final score during an intrasquad game, but Eblen impressed nevertheless. Chad Tomko is a name that comes to mind when I think about Eblen’s potential in terms of leadership and command of play on the court.

– I have every finger and toe on my body crossed hoping that Yemi Makanjoula gets cleared by the NCAA to play this season. He paired nicely with Cedrick Williams, who is considered by many to be carrying the proverbial torch now that Rendleman is gone. The two looked good as a unit, and while I don’t see either putting up the individual rebounding stats that Rendleman did, (10.5 rpg) there’s no reason not to think that as a duo, the two can continue handling the boards. Williams showed some great hands, grabbing several tough rebounds in traffic. It seemed that UNCW’s big men were father along defensively than their guards, and having some serious length down low could be huge for the ‘Hawks.

– The Shane Reybold/Craig Ponder high pick-and-roll was fun to watch. Whether we ever see it during meaningful minutes is still unknown. 

– The ‘Hawks are going to have trouble scoring. They came out flat to begin the scrimmage, and as StarNews editor and UNCW basketball wiz Dan Spears writes, the team is going to have trouble creating their own shots.

– Not a “basketball” thought per say, but it bears repeating. Trask Coliseum is a hidden gem. If UNCW ever found a way to get their student body to show up to games, Trask would be a tough place to play. The building is tiny and the seats are right on top of the court. Even a sparse crowd of roughly 150 people gave the scrimmage more of a game-like feel, something that Coach Buzz Peterson listed as one of the more impressive takeaways from the scrimmage. Baby steps.