Illinois basketball ready to unleash improved roster

CHAMPAIGN – Let’s just say self-confidence isn’t a problem with the latest Illini basketball roster.

Setting a school record with 21 losses in a single season didn’t bruise the ego of these Illini, or maybe they’ve just healed through hard work. A group that added a monster inside from Jamaica and a skilled, physical wing from Belgium just spent the better part of two weeks practicing and preparing for a jump start to the season, thanks to the pending exhibition trip to Europe, after two months of intense individual training sessions.

According to sophomore guard Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois is growing up and ready for some pay backs.

“It’s no comparison,’’ said Dosunmu, looking back to the struggles of a year ago, when the Illini were starting from scratch with a handful of newcomers in the lineup. “We got bigger, stronger and wiser. We added some new guys, and we put the work in each and every day. These last eight weeks have gone by fast.’’

Illinois felt they’ve won the offseason by working hard in the weight room, improving their weaknesses and boosting a defense that wasn’t good enough last winter. Heading to Italy for a four-game exhibition tour, the Illini get a head start on the 2019-2020 season, when Illinois takes a look at Giorgi Bezhanishvili and Kofi Cockburn on the floor at the same time, tinkers with a zone defense, juggles lineups and perhaps shakes off some of those growing pains from a year ago.

“It’s a great experiment,’’ said Illinois coach Brad Underwood. “That’s the way I’m looking at it. I’m curious how do we look playing big, how do we look playing zone, what strides have some of the young guys made. It’s the big experiment, and I’m interested to see how it turns out.’’

The confidence comes from investing the time, and expectations are growing. Andy Katz, the former ESPN reporter turned NCAA promotions man, picked Illinois as one of eight teams to return to the NCAA Tournament in March. While much of the Big Ten Conference is taking a step back, the Illini appear ready for a big jump forward.

“You heard the saying about the best things about freshmen is they become sophomores,’’ Underwood said. “Experience is invaluable. They know what we’re doing now. There’s no doubt in their minds. Now you have a group that’s confidence and been in the weight room. Every guy down the roster is better than a year ago. A lot of it is mental as much as physical. With that confidence, you become the best player you know they can be.’’

So this trip to Italy will provide the Illini with early feedback on just where the Illini stand. Freshman Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk won’t be playing because of a foot injury, but the Belgian has a body that looks Big Ten ready.

Otherwise, Illinois is ready to unleash a new-and-improved roster on Europe first, then the Big Ten world. The Illini will take a base offense to Italy and, from Underwood’s perspective, show some defensive improvement. It may come from playing Bezhanishvili and Cockburn together.

“People always think of us playing offense together,’’ Bezhanishvili said. “Think of us playing defense together. It will be fun.’’

With Bezhanishvili and Cockburn on the front line, the Illini will tinker with a zone. The Illini’s size could cause great problems while also shielding young big men from foul trouble as much as possible.

“We probably played as much zone this summer than at any stretch,’’ Underwood said. “There’s some positives to it. You can throw a very big lineup out there with a lot of length. We’ll look at that (big) lineup and see. We want to foul less. We had officials in here for the last four practices. We’re really emphasizing that.’’

Defensive improvement is a critical component for a team that pressured its way out of position to many times last season.

“I’m trying to get to any building we walk into, I want the other team to know we’re going to guard for 40 minutes, and we don’t have to shoot 50 percent or better to win on the road,’’ Underwood said. “We were 1-9 on the road last year. That’s unacceptable. We have to clean that up from a defensive standpoint and rebounding standpoint.’’

Sophomore Alan Griffin was a star during the practice session Saturday, converting several offensive putbacks – including one massive tip dunk.

With Verdonk sidelined, Illini fans will have their eyes on Cockburn, the biggest addition to the roster.

“Kofi amazes you with his agility, his athleticism and his mobility,’’ Underwood said. “Now we have to get to the point where that’s extremely consistent. Part of that is conditioning, getting acclimated to (strength coach Adam Fletcher) and the speed of the game. It’s very typical.’’

These last two seasons have been nails on a chalkboard, but the light at the end of the tunnel is no longer a locomotive. Hope has returned to the Illini. Actually, it’s way past that. This is a confident group who has no plans on repeating last season.

In their minds, this exhibition tour is the start of something big.

“We set the tone for the season,’’ Bezhanishvili said. “We set that tone that we are a winning team and want to win all the games we play.’’

Underwood just wants to have a little more enjoyment on this trip that he’s been able to find over those trying first two seasons with the Illini.

“I want us to have fun,’’ Underwood said. “In the last two years, it hasn’t been a lot of fun.

“I want this group to bond together through having fun. We deserve that. This group deserves that. I’m looking forward to that.’’

From the sound of it, the Illini are confident they’ll have a lot more fun this season, starting with the trip to Italy.