Observations from the Red & Blue scrimmage

The No. 1 takeaway from Sunday's Red & Blue scrimmage should be that the basketball team is in the very opening stages of its season -- practices began nine days ago, to be exact. However, we haven't gotten a look at the Quakers since March, so any opportunity to see the progress of the team and individual players in valuable. As you read these notes and observations from the scrimmage, keep two things in mind:

1. Players can make dramatic jumps (forward or backward) or changes to their game depending on their summer's work. Zack Rosen ended his freshman season as a pass-first point guard who was not a scoring threat -- he shot 28 percent from three and 35 percent overall -- and returned as a dead-eye sophomore shooter (42% from 3).

2. This early in the process, everything should be taken with a massive grain of salt. These are observations strictly from this one 30-minute scrimmage that served more as a showcase for fans, teaching time for coaches, and learning time for players. Without further ado...

As Cal tweeted on our @DailyPennSports twitter feed (follow us!), "Red and blue scrimmage in two words: Fran Dougherty." Dougherty showed post moves he didn't possess last season, as well as newfound confidence and maturity. He provided the blue team with a consistent post presence inside and remained patient in surveying the floor after catching the ball. He had nice touch on his shots inside and used his body well. On defense, he looked mobile in guarding pick-and-rolls on the perimeter and communicated well as the team's center. Each of the players we talked to afterward said "Doc" made the biggest improvements over the summer, bulking up to be more physical inside (though Fran himself said he didn't add any weight). Either way, this could be the team that allows coach Jerome Allen to play "inside-out" -- a point he always preaches -- and Doc could be the key to that.

The main thing fans want to see in these scrimmages is how the new guys looked. Well, freshmen bigs Henry Brooks, Keelan Cairns and Greg Louis didn't play, but for the most part, the other newcomers looked great. We don't know how much playing time the youngsters will get, especially since Allen is hesitant to play freshmen. But Allen also surprisingly gave Miles Cartwright big minutes right out of the shoot, so we know it's possible. And after seeing them take the court, I really think freshmen guards Patrick Lucas-Perry and Camryn Crocker will contribute this season. Lucas-Perry offers the desirable package of possessing lightning-quick speed yet playing under control. He's small (under 6 feet, no doubt), but he can certainly provide a spark off the bench and has the look of a pure point that can run the second unit and spell Rosen and Cartwright. Crocker, meanwhile, really impressed me and could be an under-the-radar big addition. He's the classic long, crafty lefty who also carried himself like a veteran on Sunday. He didn't look like an explosive athlete, but he has deceptive quickness and the size and touch to play both guard spots.

The Quakers have lacked a true three-point threat on the wing for a few years now, but that could be changing. Cartwright's shot was inconsistent last season, as it became flat in several games (perhaps a sign of fatigue) yet pretty in others. Sunday, the lift and the arc were back and the 6'3 guard sank a bunch of outside jumpers. Sophomores Dau Jok and especially Marin Kukoc, who missed all of the last season with a back injury, also showed touch from deep.

If you have questions about how other players looked or the season in general, leave them in the comments. Also check Tuesday's DP (and every DP for that matter) for a full notebook with quotes from the scrimmage. Final note: so happy to have basketball back at the Palestra (especially with no basketball in other places). Should be a fun season.