Alabama head coach Nate Oats has plenty to be thankful for this week. Aside from Thursday being Thanksgiving, his second year at the helm of the Crimson Tide basketball program will tip off Wednesday in a home game against Jacksonville State. His team also hasn’t had a positive COVID-19 case since August and was able to hold all of its preseason practices.
Although the wait was long, Oats and company are thrilled to be starting the 2020-21 season.
“We’re ready to play and excited, regardless of how many people are in the stands or all the other stuff that’s going on,” said Oats on a Tuesday Zoom call with reporters. “This is what we practice for. So, we’re excited. I thought we’ve had good practices. We told the guys after we finished today, ‘We got the full 30 in.’ A lot of programs around the country haven’t been able to get their full 30 practices in. We have. We’ve been fortunate in that regard.
“… I think Jacksonville State’s in a good spot, too. It’s gonna be a good game. It’s gonna be a good test for us. We’re looking forward to opening the season up.”
After a 16-15 season a year ago, Alabama enters this season ranked No. 25 in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 29 (50 votes) in the preseason AP Top 25 Poll. It marks the first time the Tide will start a season among the nation’s top-25 teams since 2017-18.
Last year, Alabama broke every 3-point record in program history, while also finishing fourth nationally in tempo (15.2) and third nationally in scoring offense (82.0) and threes made per game (10.9). The Tide ended the season knocking down 334-of-957 (33.4 percent).
Alabama returns four starters and seven letterwinners from last year’s team and also welcomes a total of nine newcomers. The nine newcomers include four true freshmen, two transfers and three players who return to the lineup after being forced to miss the 2020-21 season.
“We just expect them to go out and play they’re hardest,” senior guard John Petty said.
“We’ve instilled what we want from them, what type of culture we want around here, what type of guys we want, and I’m 100 percent that all those guys bought into that and they’re willing to accept what roles they have and go out and play their hardest. The expectations for this team are gonna be high, and we’re just ready. We’re real ready.”
Speaking to local reporters Tuesday, Oats said the only player that is questionable for the game against the Gamecocks (7 p.m. CT on SEC Network), is redshirt freshman forward Juwan Gary (knee). Gary has been able to practice, and if he can’t go on Wednesday, “he’s very, very close.” Other than that, the Tide is “as healthy as we can be at this stage,” Oats said.
As for what to expect from a starting lineup and rotational standpoint, Oats said the five starters won’t necessarily be Alabama’s five best players or the five players that close out the game. In the season opener against JSU, Oats said he will try to play all 11 available scholarship players. As UA moves toward SEC play, though, the rotation will tighten up to eight or nine.
The depth for the Tide is much improved from a year ago, which is one of the reasons for the excitement surrounding Oats’ second season. It will finally be on full display Wednesday.
“There’s just something about this team that people know, and I think we’re feeling it,” Oats said. “I think Herb Jones and Petty and Reese, those three guys that have been here for the four years and then you add in Shack, who played last year, and all the returning guys, we’re ready to play. I think it’ll be a team that’s fun to watch, too.”
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November 25, 2020 at 04:35AM
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