Fresh Faces Steal the Show at Gonzaga's Kraziness in the Kennel

On an uncharacteristically summery day for early October, a capacity crowd packed into the McCarthey Athletic Center last Saturday to get their first glimpse of the 2023-24 Gonzaga men’s basketball team during the Kraziness in the Kennel event. With just three rotation players returning from last year’s team, Kraziness served as a showcase for the bevy of new Bulldogs.

Players took part in a three-point contest, skills challenge and a 20-minute intrasquad scrimmage during Saturday’s festivities. The scrimmage pitted the “White” team (featuring familiar names like Anton Watson, Nolan Hickman and Ben Gregg) against the the “Navy” team (composed largely of freshmen and newcomers). The White vets defeated the Navy newbies 52-38.

A notable absence from the activities was Wyoming transfer Graham Ike. The big man was one of the more lauded transfers in the sport this past offseason and is viewed by many as a critical cog to fill the void left by the departure of Drew Timme. Due to a right leg injury, Ike did not participate in the scrimmage. After being named preseason Mountain West Player of the Year before the 2022-23 campaign, a foot strain in the same leg sidelined Ike for the whole season, so concern about this injury flare up is understandable. Fortunately, head coach Mark Few did not seem too worried.

“We’re trying to pace [Ike’s] recovery. He practiced with us throughout part of the summer,” Few said after the event. “We’re just trying to be very conscientious and conservative with how we’re managing it.”

That said, Ike’s absence paved the way for another — albeit far less well-known — newcomer.

Serbian Pavle Stosic only joined the team in late September, but by early October he was thrust into a starting role for the Kraziness scrimmage. The 6-foot-9-inch forward made his presence known from the jump, scoring the first bucket of the game and totaled 7 points and 5 rebounds.

Without Ike in the mix, Stosic provided the only traditional low post presence on either team. If Ike’s injury lingers, that lack of interior size could become a concern for the Zags.

While the brand-new Stosic made an impact in his first public action as a Zag, it was a more tenured freshman who stole the show.

After redshirting last year, Braden Huff finally got the chance to show the skills that helped him earn Mr. Basketball honors in his home state of Illinois while in high school. The 6-foot-10-inch Huff led all scorers with 19 points and his 7 of 13 shooting was one of the few bright spots for the Navy team, which shot just 37.5 percent overall.

The winning White team was more balanced, with three players in double-figures scoring, led by Anton Watson’s 13 points. While Watson, the senior leader for the Bulldogs, led the way in the scrimmage, it was newcomer Luka Krajnovic (11 points) who really stood out on the White team side.

Krajnovic, a 6-foot-5 guard who will provide much-needed size in Gonzaga’s backcourt alongside 6-foot-2 Nolan Hickman and 6-foot Ryan Nembhard, began his day by winning the skills challenge. In the scrimmage, the Croatian freshman showed an array of effective moves as he aggressively attacked the paint and the rim over his 20 minutes of action.

It wasn’t just new players who fans were seeing for the first time, however. There were also a few new faces on the sidelines, including one Zags fans will surely recognize.

As the coaches were being introduced at the start of the event, only Mark Few drew a louder roar from the crowd than first-year assistant Zach Norvell. While this will be Norvell’s first year as an assistant coach, it will be his fifth in the program. Norvell, or as he’s affectionately known "Snacks,” was a standout scoring guard for GU from 2016 to 2019.

Injuries derailed Norvell’s NBA aspirations after short stints with the Lakers and Warriors, which ultimately led him back to Gonzaga. He returned last year to complete his degree and serve as a graduate assistant before earning a full-fledged assistant job for this season. At just 25 years old — much closer to the players than his fellow coaches — Norvell brought an energy to the sidelines that instantly resonated with the fanbase.

New assistant coach R-Jay Barsh also made his first appearance on the staff on Saturday. Barsh previously served as an assistant at Florida State, and before that at Boise State under former Gonzaga assistant Leon Rice.

The other familiar face in a new role was Jorge Sanz, who was promoted to an assistant coach role this offseason after spending five years sitting behind the bench as director of basketball operations.

Fans will now have to wait nearly a month before they can catch the men’s team in action again. The Zags’ season starts with exhibition game against Lewis-Clark State on November 3.

Those seeking more Zags hoops needn’t wait that long though — the Gonzaga women’s basketball team hosts their version of Kraziness at the Kennel — Numerica FanFest — this Saturday, October 14, at 3 p.m. (no tickets are required to attend).