TBT allows Red Raiders coach Grant McCasland to bond with Texas Tech basketball alumni
Multiple generations of Texas Tech basketball will come together Saturday for the Air Raiders' first practice ahead of next week's Lubbock Regional of The Basketball Tournament.
For many of the players, it'll be the first chance to get a look at the new guy leading the program they helped build.
Grant McCasland has done quite a bit since becoming the Red Raiders head coach in April. While rebuilding the roster, the coaching staff and implementing his system, McCasland has had the opportunity to chat with some of those former players, though not as much as he'd like.
He plans to do much more of that over the next week or so.
"I've had a chance to visit with a lot of them," McCasland said, "but I think that's what makes this experience (special). … There's nothing like being on a court at the same time. Basketball is kind of what brings you together, and to be around them and the environment of a basketball game."
Two members of the Air Raiders, Parker Hicks and Davide Moretti, said they've talked with McCasland and have enjoyed the chats. They also feel McCasland has the Red Raiders on a path to maintain the level of achievement the team reached while they were in Red Raider uniforms.
"I think he's gonna be great," Hicks said. "He was a great pickup for us to continue that and he's bringing his own twists and turns, but at the same time, it's all about being the toughest guy on the court, playing the hardest, being that type of player.
"I think it's gonna be a really good fit for the culture and atmosphere that was already built here. And then he's obviously going to have his own twists and turns, but I think it's going to benefit the program as a whole."
The fact TBT comes in the middle of a recruiting period isn't the most ideal situation, McCasland admitted. Still, he's more than willing to make time to hang out with the likes of Moretti, Matt Mooney and Jordan Tolbert — the latest addition to the Air Raiders, announced earlier this week.
"I'm super grateful for their involvement and excited to be around them every day," McCasland said, "and learn from them. To learn from them what makes this program, what they want this program to be, because they're the reason why we've had the success we've had and why we're where we're at."
McCasland will have some conflicting interests at play, though. The Lubbock Regional features a team of North Texas alumni. Bleed Green, the No. 2 seed in the regional, features several guys who played for McCasland at UNT. The team is coached by Andre Shaw, who served as McCasland's director of operations for two years.
"I love those guys," McCasland said. "And I think anybody that's been a part of basketball understands teams. You love the people that you've done life with. I've never been a fan of one team, per se. I always cheer for people."
But there's no question who Tech's leading man will be pulling for in the tournament.
"Bleed Green has been great," McCasland said. "They'll have a good team. It'll be fun to watch all these teams compete, and I'm thankful for the guys that I've been around and coached, but we'll be cheering for the Air Raiders."
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: TBT allows coach Grant McCasland to bond with Texas Tech basketball alum
