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Exhibition will let UW unveil class

Men's Basketball: A starter at Bellarmine, Abdul Gaddy to be reserve for Huskies against CWU

The News Tribune | • Published November 04, 2009

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Abdul Gaddy says he hasn't come off the bench since his freshman season at Bellarmine Prep.

But he’ll return to that role, at least briefly, tonight at 7 when the Washington Huskies meet Central Washington in an exhibition men’s basketball game at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. (No radio or TV.)

Coach Lorenzo Romar said he will open with a lineup of guards Isaiah Thomas and Venoy Overton and forwards Quincy Pondexter, Darnell Gant and Mathew Bryan-Amaning.

However, this game doesn’t count in the records or season statistics. And Romar is quick to point out that his lineup could be different when the 14th-ranked Huskies tip off their regular season Nov. 13 against Wright State.

“In an exhibition game, you can never say that’s who the starters are going to be – not with us,” Romar said. “It could be; but this isn’t necessarily who the starters are going to be (in the regular season).”

Washington’s lineup could change in any of several ways over a long season that will stretch into March. However, particular attention will be paid to the guard corps where top recruit Gaddy joins sophomore Thomas, last season’s leading scorer, and junior defensive specialist Overton.

Romar said in his mind he has three starters at guard, even though only two will be on the floor for the opening tip.

“We don’t have anyone better at running a team in our program (than Gaddy),” Romar said. “Now, we don’t have a better on-ball defender than Venoy Overton. And I don’t think we have a better scorer among the smaller guards – take Quincy Pondexter out of the equation – than Isaiah Thomas. So everyone brings something special to our group.”

Even though he is accustomed to being not only a starter but a star, Gaddy said he believes his competition with UW’s more experienced guards can only make him better in his first college season and beyond.

“I’m looking at it as a positive, that they make me better in practice,” Gaddy said Tuesday. “Guarding Isaiah and going against the defensive pressure of Venoy, they make you better on both sides of the game. That just helps me, not only at the college level, but to go to the pro level.”

Romar said everyone on his roster will be in uniform tonight, although he might keep junior Justin Holiday out while he recovers from offseason hernia surgery.

That means tonight could mark the UW debut for the class that includes Gaddy, athletic forward Clarence Trent, both from Tacoma; sharp-shooting guard C.J. Wilcox, from Utah; forward Tyreese Breshers, who redshirted last season with leg problems; and Brendan Sherrer, a 6-foot-9 walk-on from Archbishop Murphy High who made the team after an open tryout.

Romar said he will use the exhibition to try different combinations and “evaluate where we are at this point in time after a couple of weeks’ practice.”

Providing the opposition are the NCAA Division II Wildcats of Ellensburg, who have been picked to finish third in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference after losing four starters from the 18-7 team of last season.

South Sound players on the CWU roster include guard Chris Sprinker (Curtis/Tacoma CC), Ryan Snowden (Auburn), Noble’D Shelton (Auburn/Pierce College), Toussaint Tyler (Kent/Tacoma CC) and Chris Scott (South Puget Sound CC).

“They do try to get out and pressure you, and they try to get up the floor and they try to force turnovers,” Romar said. “Kind of an uptempo aggressive style, they play.”

Don Ruiz, 253-597-8808

don.ruiz@thenewstribune.com

blog.thenewstribune.com/uwsports