First-year UTSA coach Austin Claunch spent last season working for the Final Four-bound Alabama Crimson Tide. Previously, he worked five seasons as head coach of the Nicholls State Colonels. – Photo by Joe Alexander
By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay
The introductory press conference is now old news. The first summer conditioning session has been completed. Preseason fall camp? It’s been relegated to the history books.
Austin Claunch will make his regular-season debut as coach of the UTSA Roadrunners tonight when they host the Division III Trinity University Tigers.
Tipoff is set for 7 o’clock at the Convocation Center for what will be the opener of the 44th season of men’s college basketball at UTSA.
“Seems like just yesterday I was here for the (first) press conference,” Claunch said in a Zoom call Monday morning. “It’s certainly flown by. Exciting time for our guys who have been battling and competing against each other for the last couple of months. It’s good it’s here. (Tipoff) can’t come fast enough.”
Claunch arrived on campus in April after helping the Alabama Crimson Tide reach last year’s NCAA Final Four. In a nearly complete roster overhaul, most of the players from last year’s team hit the transfer portal to play for other schools.
As one of the youngest coaches in the nation at age 34, Claunch didn’t flinch at the challenge. He responded by signing 12 transfers to scholarships over the summer. Most said the reason they picked UTSA was the coaching staff.
“He’s like one of those coaches I can relate to,” UTSA small forward Raekwon Horton said. “You go ride around (with him). Get a bite (to eat). Just chat. We’re always talking, inter-acting. (He’s) very cool.”
Observers have noted an amped-up competitive spirit among the coaches and players. One practice recently had players rolling on the floor battling for loose balls and knocking each other out of bounds while going for rebounds.
The Roadrunners’ plan calls for them to play a physical style defensively, with the idea that the stops will lead to a fast-paced offensive attack.
“Pace,” senior guard Primo Spears said. “That’s just what we’ve been preaching all summer and all offseason, just playing with pace. We’re definitely going to shoot a lot of threes. And we’re going to defend at a high level.
“Our offense is going to be there because of our defense and how we guard. If we can get stops and get out on transition, we’re going to be hard to deal with.”
Center Mo Njie also said he likes the idea that the Roadrunners will attack with players who have a variety of skills.
“We have a lot of versatility and depth on this team,” Njie said. “I think that’s a lot of strength that we have, you know, that we can go anywhere and play all 40 minutes with different guys, different lineups.
And, just, our ability to come out and compete every time. Like, that’s our competitive edge.”
The Roadrunners will need the depth to come through as they are scheduled to play tonight without high-flying guard Tai’Reon Joseph, a transfer from Southern University. Joseph is sitting out for an undetermined number of games for unspecified reasons, though coaches feel confident he will be available before conference play starts.
In addition, Njie, a 6-11 center, is regarded as questionable for the Trinity game with a groin injury. Guard Paul Lewis, who had been limited in practice recently with a sore foot, is expected to play.
Njie came out of a scrimmage in Houston against McNeese State hobbling. He hasn’t practiced much since. Claunch said he “looks much better” lately. “He did some non-contact stuff yesterday,” the coach said.
Claunch didn’t announce his starters for tonight, but he could go with 6-8 Jaquan Scott and 6-9 Jo Smith in the post, flanked by Damari Monsanto on the wing, with Spears and Marcus Millender at guard.
The reserves might include David Hermes in the post, with both Horton and Skylar Wicks, a transfer from Incarnate Word, on the wing. Horton, one of the team’s best athletes, is expected to play heavy minutes this season.
Coming up
North Dakota at UTSA men, 6 p.m.
Notable
For Trinity, the game is an exhibition and won’t count on the Tigers’ record. Trinity finished 23-4 last year and lost in the first round of the NCAC Division III playoffs. The San Antonio-based Tigers are led by fifth-year coach Jimmy Smith.
UTSA women’s basketball coach Karen Aston said sophomore guard Aysia Proctor “has taken a step away from the program. “She’s going to take care of some off-court challenges,” the coach said. “I do not have a timetable on her return to play.” Aston’s Roadrunners will open the season Thursday in College Station against the Texas A&M Aggies.
