Men's basketball hosts "Bobcat Madness" as Ohio begins to come together for the preseason.
During "Bobcat Madness" last year, coach Saul Phillips entered The Convo on a roaring motorcycle, gripping the back of Rufus the Bobcat.
Saturday, Phillips simply jogged out of a smoke screen and threw a few t-shirts to fans.
It's a subtle difference, but Phillip's energy levels show where Ohio's mentality is at in 2015.
No flash. No glamorous facade from the second-year coach.
"It's for the fans," Phillips said with a smile. "I don't know, basketball-wise, if there's going to be a whole lot we're gonna draw from it. I know our guys like performing for the fans, for the students in particular. ... I will sit there and take it all in with everyone else."
Well, that isn't entirely true for a Bobcat squad sprinkled with young foundation and veteran players.
Saturday's inter-squad scrimmage showed off some of Ohio's length and variety, as guard Jaaron Simmons and forward Antonio Campbell displayed a sense of connection — alley-ooping to one another and playing the pick and roll.
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"Jaaron is a fast, strong point guard who draws fouls pretty much every time he drives to the bucket in practice, they just don't call it," Campbell said. "But the referees will call it, and that will put the person who's guarding him in trouble, and he'll actually get me more buckets — something (Javarez Willis) and Stevie (Taylor) didn't really do good was get in the paint. Jaaron gets into the paint, draws my man and dumps it off."
With the graduation of Stevie Taylor, Maurice Ndour and Javarez Willis, a new era of "Saul Ball" has already begun in Athens, and Saturday showed it.
Simmons, Campbell and Michigan State transfer Kenny Kaminski will spearhead the Bobcats' attack this season, as Phillips looks to improve on his 10-20 coaching debut from last season.
"Me, Tony and Kenny — I think that's going to be a big threat because it's a lot of outside-inside," Simmons said. "Kenny is a big time shooter, (Campbell) is a big-time post player, and me, I'm going to get into the paint, and I'm going to make plays for everybody, not just Kenny and Tony."
Campbell and Harley said the camaraderie of the Bobcats is something that was missing in last year's team. During the preseason, Ohio seemed selfless on the offensive end, making extra passes and providing a lax environment during practices and on Saturday.
"We have a new batch of young guys that mold well with coach's philosophy and it's all around a better atmosphere this year," Harley said. "Everybody is a whole lot happier."
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