BLOOMINGTON — Indiana basketball players arriving for summer workouts better be ready to get to work.
The Hoosiers offseason calendar will look a little different this year after coach Darian DeVries’ program signed up to participate in the FISU America Games from July 20 to Aug. 1 down in Peru. DeVries will get near unlimited practice times in the weeks to come as they prepare for the trip.
Last year, Indiana received 10 additional practices ahead of its international tour in Puerto Rico, but those had to be taken in a more compressed time period.
“You’re not really restricted at all like those previous trips,” Indiana coach Darian DeVries said ahead of a recent speaking engagement in Carmel. “We get more of an opportunity to spend time with them. And especially in the film, that side of it where you can really sit down and break down, individual workouts, what you’re doing, team workouts, those types of things.”
It’s a huge benefit for a team that is bringing back just one scholarship player (Trent Sisley) from last year’s roster. DeVries signed the No. 4 ranked transfer class in the country — Notre Dame’s Markus Burton (No. 24 overall) and Alabama’s Aiden Sherrell (No. 12) headline the group — and three freshmen.
The coaching staff placed a premium on Power Four experience, more size in the front court and more balanced approach, as opposed to 3-point dependent roster DeVries assembled in his first season.
“I think the thing you’ve got to be most careful of is still summertime, but it just allows us just more time to do a lot more teaching and coaching because you’re not so constricted by time,” DeVries said. “You can really take your time and, you know, really, you know, for a new group, really kind of install all the details of everything you’re wanting to do.”
This is the fourth straight season DeVries has taken his team on an international trip.
Indiana players are expected on campus June 1 with workouts scheduled to start that same week. The FISU tournament provides the group a “great learning opportunity” as the program hopes to end a three-year tournament drought.
The Hoosiers plan on announcing additional details about the trip later this summer.
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Why Indiana basketball’s Peru trip could help program end NCAA tournament drought
Reporting by Michael Niziolek, The Herald-Times / The Herald-Times
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