After ending its 2011-12 season by playing before almost 30,000 spectators, Ohio took the court in a scrimmage against Virginia Tech on Saturday in front of an audience of empty seats, per NCAA regulation.
The unofficial meeting was another step toward one of Ohio’s goals: competing for another spot on the big stage that is postseason play.
A stipulation of the one “secret scrimmage” each team is dealt by the NCAA is that talk of the meeting is kept mute, so Ohio coach Jim Christian kept quiet on the subject Monday.
He said that the Bobcats’ sights are fixed on sharpening their focus heading into the team’s first exhibition match against Mercyhurst on Saturday, when fans will be able to get their first glimpse of this year’s team.
“Early in the year you’re focusing on your team and trying to get your identity down and emphasize things we’re going to be good at,” he said. “I think that’s how your team grows.”
It’s no secret, though, that those in attendance Saturday will see a team largely similar to the one they saw take the NCAA Tournament by storm last season.
Each of Ohio’s regular starters are returning for the 2012-13 campaign, and only one newcomer, junior guard Travis Wilkins, a transfer from Snow College in Utah, can crack the lineup from the get-go.
There is plenty for the Bobcats to fine tune in time for Mercyhurst’s trip to The Convo.
Christian said that it is tough to squeeze in everything Ohio needs to touch on early this season, and that balancing emphases is something every team struggles with early in the season.
“It’s definitely hard to spend the time you want on certain areas,” he said.
As Christian and company have their minds set on refining their schematics during the preseason, hefty predictions have been built up around what to expect from the Bobcats this season.
Senior guard D.J. Cooper said that favorable season outlooks are a feather in Ohio’s cap but don’t mean much at the end of the day.
“It’s kudos to the hard work we’ve been putting in since we’ve been here, but it’s nothing for us to get complacent about,” he said.
Ohio’s focus won’t be shifted to its exhibition opponent this week, as there are too many loose ends to tie up before the Bobcats can progress to fully preparing for their opponents’ systems.
Still, getting back into the game routine is a welcome reminder that the season is drawing near for Ohio.
“We try to take every situation as a game, even if it is a scrimmage like it was (Saturday,)” junior guard Nick Kellogg said. “We’re focusing and preparing the same way: We’re going to go over our stuff and treat it like a normal game on Saturday.”
jr992810@ohiou.edu
