The white lights of the Bryce Jordan Center lit up the hardwood, the new ribbon scoreboard glistened and sneakers squeaked seemingly every moment.
Basketball season is right around the corner -- Penn State opens Nov. 14 against William & Mary. During a press conference Wednesday, head coach Ed DeChellis spoke about the improvement of a talented sophomore class, the health of senior forward Jamelle Cornley and emphasized an in-your-face, man-to-man defense that will implement more press sets.
"We can compete every night," DeChellis said. "We can beat anybody in the country. We've proven that last year when you beat a sixth ranked team in the country, you beat a 17th ranked team in the country. Everybody has great expectations at the start of the season. It's what unfolds over the next four and a half, five months that will really tell the tale."
Cornley did not wear a brace during practice and called the left knee he had surgery on in March stronger than his right. He said he is 100 percent and has completed every drill and sprinted without pain.
Cornley's nagging injury threw more minutes toward freshmen Talor Battle, Jeff Brooks, Andrew Jones and D.J. Jackson. Now sophomores, this quartet will be a major factor in the Lions' tournament hopes. Brooks added 15 pounds to his 195-pound frame of a year ago. Battle said Brooks now realizes he's capable of consistently putting the ball in the basket.
For his own game, Battle worked on his jump shot the most during the summer. And, like Brooks, Battle also was a regular in the weight room.
"I can last longer, deep into the Big Ten season," Battle said. "I can take hits and still be able to finish, still find that energy in my legs to get the ball to the rim and make shots."
That relentless energy won't end with made buckets. The quickness and agility of the team will pressure the inbounder and ball handler, looking to force guys out of control and make costly decisions, Battle said.
Battle, who couldn't stop smiling going through stretches and agility drills, was voted by his teammates to captain the team along with seniors Cornley and Danny Morrissey.
"If we don't make the NCAA tournament, that's a failure on my part," Cornley said. "I am the captain on this team. I've been here the longest. I know what it takes to win close games. I know what it takes to be successful in this league."
But DeChellis isn't blind to the fact his team will rely on young players in order to earn a berth in the field of 65.
"We're not a finished product by any stretch of the imagination," DeChellis said. "We're not where I want us to be, we're not game ready. We're still feeling each other out."
