It took just 60 minutes of Indiana’s first open practice under head coach Darian DeVries to get a sense that the times have changed for the Hoosiers and this historic basketball program. DeVries made one thing clear throughout the practice: his team was fast, well-disciplined, and very loud.
“It’s only an hour,” Tayton Conerway, a transfer senior guard from Troy, said. “But we get after it.”
From the second that DeVries set foot on the hardwood, the gym was loud, and coaches and players were encouraging one another. There were no cones, extended walk-throughs or time for players to catch their breath. DeVries would shout the name of a drill, and all the players on the court were expected to organize and execute on time. My observation was that without communication, the drills wouldn’t work.
“He says it all the time: If you don’t talk, you don’t play,” Conerway said. “So we have to. Otherwise, you don’t even know what drill we’re doing.”
If practices are an introduction to the new era in Bloomington, be prepared for some high-intensity basketball.
DeVries is a student of the game. He has the challenging task of building the Indiana basketball program from the ground up. The team consists of 13 newcomers, zero returning minutes and just a summer to install their new system. According to him, this summer and next week’s trip to Puerto Rico are essential for more than just the X’s and O’s after experiencing a limited amount of time to practice with the team.
“They (NCAA) give you almost a whole day that you can work on, whether it be defensive/offensive install, terminology,” DeVries said. “When you've got a brand-new roster, there are so many things you've got to cover.”
There was a palpable sense of urgency on the court from coaches and players. The drills were quick, sharp and filled with relentless energy. However, while the drills would change very fast, one thing remained consistent, and that was the intentional use of communication, whether offensively or defensively, by both the players and the new coaching staff.
In the practice, media members were able to get a good look at the new faces in the program, and a few stood out. Tucker DeVries and Conor Enright looked to be seasoned veterans on the floor. Neither skipped a beat when it came to the fast-paced and energetic practice.
“When I was a freshman, I was just surviving his practices,” Enright said. “Now I love it. I definitely missed it.”
Of course, this shouldn’t come as a surprise because both players have played under Darian DeVries in previous years. Other guys who impressed were Lamar Wilkerson and Conerway. Wilkerson was a standout scorer at Sam Houston State and impressed on the practice court by showing off his ability to shoot.
Furthermore, Conerway and Enright could be a dangerous duo for opposing guards.
“They got the same point guard the whole game, man,” Conerway said. “We got two of them. We go at each other in practice, so if someone else walks in here? It’s gonna get bad for them.”
The two were able to cause chaos on the practice floor by getting their hands in passing lanes and moving lightning fast to get to the ball. It’s safe to say that Darian DeVries has a scrappy, physical, and lightning-fast basketball team in his first year in Bloomington.
Obviously, there are a lot of growing pains that come with a new era in today’s college athletics. However, the Hoosiers seem to have more chemistry than most teams at this point, and multiple players seem to agree with that.
“I think we’ve gelled well already,” Jasai Miles, a 6-foot-6 wing from North Florida, said. “We share the ball better than most teams do at this point.”
Conerway added that the team gets along well off the court.
“Nobody’s too cool,” Conerway said. “We go skating, bowling, hiking… even if they’ve never done it. Everyone just wants to be around each other.”
The upcoming trip to Puerto Rico, where the Hoosiers will play three exhibition games, offers another opportunity to build on that bond.
Defense is already at the heart of Indiana’s identity under Darian DeVries, who’s instilling habits built on communication, rebounding and relentless pressure.
“If you can defend, stay in front of the ball, and rebound, you’ve got a chance every night,” he said.
That mindset is echoed by veteran guards Enright and Conerway, who embrace the disruptive, up-tempo style. Meanwhile, freshman Trent Sisley has quickly earned the staff’s trust with his maturity and focus, drawing praise for not looking — or acting — like a freshman. Veterans Reed Bailey and Washington are also setting the tone with energy and buy-in, understanding the urgency of their final seasons.
There were some players who we didn’t get to see practice, such as Jason Drake, Nick Dorn, Aleksa Ristic, Jordan Rayford and recent commit Andrej Acimovic. However, there seem to be no serious injuries or long-term reasons why we shouldn’t see those guys on the court soon. Finally, there was a sense of confidence and determination on the face of every player in that gym.
“Everybody’s about winning,” Conerway said.
With progress already showing and November fast approaching, this new-look roster isn’t just chasing potential — they’re chasing banners.
