M. Hoops wraps up first week of official practice

It's been almost a week since the Penn men's basketball team officially kicked off its season, and with the squad's Nov. 16 season- opener against Quinnipiac less than a month away, it's already down to business for coach Fran Dunphy's squad.

"We've been working on offensive and defensive concepts," Dunphy said. "Every little detail you have to have in before Nov. 16."

The Quakers have had four days of official practices under their belt. However, some players have not yet been able to step on the floor.

Freshman guard Brian Grandieri is most likely out for the season after recovering from surgery to his anterior cruciate ligament.

Fellow first-year player David Whitehurst has also yet to practice due to an injury to his ankle. Dunphy indicated that the 6-foot-3 guard should be ready to play soon.

Other players are recovering from injuries but are still playing.

Senior guard Eric Osmundson had his first practice of the season yesterday after shattering several teeth in an offseason practice last week.

Dunphy said that sophomore Mark Zoller and senior Tim Begley, each of whom were hampered by injuries from the summer, are taking it easy in these first few days.

Begley will serve as the team's lone captain this season.

While Grandieri and Whitehurst have yet to play, several other first-year players have had their first chances to practice as a full team.

Michael Kach, a 6-4 guard from Carmel, N.Y., says that he has a lot of learning to do in the next few weeks to be ready for Penn's opening game.

"The hardest thing is the knowledge of some of these guys I'm playing against," he said.

"I've learned more in four days than I have in my whole high school career," he added.

Kach said that he has been pleasantly surprised by how the returning players have welcomed him to the team.

When the season first started, "I wasn't sure what I was getting into," he admitted. "They've brought me in, these guys. I couldn't ask for more from them."

Another first-year player is junior North Carolina transfer Adam Franklin. The 6-6 guard played for the junior varsity team at North Carolina before transferring to Penn this fall.

Dunphy has been pleased with Franklin's play so far.

"He's playing a new style, probably a new position in many ways," he said.

Freshman Joe Gill, a product of nearby Germantown Academy, has also practiced with the rest of his teammates for the past week.

While these freshmen begin to settle in with their new team, the Penn coaching staff is setting its sights on recruiting next year's freshman class.

Yesterday, The Kentucky Post reported that 6-6, 210-pound Brennan Votel from Park Hills, Ky., has committed to play for the Quakers next season.

Votel must still be accepted by the University, and Ivy League rules prohibit coaches from discussing recruits until they have been accepted.

The current Covington Catholic senior also made recruiting visits to William & Mary, Rice and Cornell before committing to Penn on Tuesday.

"They like the fact that he moves well and he can face up to the basket and shoot it, and they all mentioned his passing," Covington coach Mike Listerman told the Post. "If he's getting double-teamed down low, he can get the ball to the open man."

Last season, Votel averaged 9.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game before being named to the all-state tournament team.

Votel is the second Covington Catholic player all-time to play for the Quakers. Sean Dineen played for Penn from 1988-91.

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