Summer workouts draw to close for NIU men’s basketball under new coach Rashon Burno

First-year coach Rashon Burno has made sure summer workouts for the NIU men’s basketball team have a large mental component since the Huskies went 3-16 last year.

So practices have been starting at 6 a.m., and as the summer slate winds down Burno says he likes what he’s seen.

“The guys have gotten a lot better, but there’s still a ways to go,” Burno said. “Guys are really competing, 6 o’clock in the morning, four days a week. I’m happy with the progress and excited once we get these guys back for the preseason workouts.”

Burno said the team has been meshing well – his first recruiting class featured seven players, while a chunk of last year’s roster, including Trendon Hankerson, Zool Kueth, Chinedu Kingsley-Okanu and Anthony Crump return.

“These guys want to redeem themselves based off last year’s record,” Burno said. “Those guys have been complaint in regards to making sure they are there when needed. And the young guys are following suit. And the transfer guys are blending in some experience but also taking direction from the guys who have been here.”

Burno said Hankerson, Kueth and Kingsley-Okanu have been leading the new guys, while Crump is healthy and playing with the most confidence of his career. He averaged 4.4 points 3.8 rebounds in 17 games last year and had 11 starts.

Leading scorer and rebounder from last season Tyler Cochran transferred to Ball State, but Hankerson put up 13.9 points a game, the only other Huskie in double figures.

“We’re trying to do things a little bit different, but it’s obviously there,” Burno said. “It’s something we can’t run from, a 3-16 record. But it doesn’t motivate us any more than it needs to. These guys have bought into being in a moment and putting the hard work in to set themselves and the program up to have a successful campaign next season.”

Among the newcomers is Keshawn Williams, who played 19 games for Tulsa, starting one and averaging 3.1 points a game. He started three years at Bloom High School and was ranked No. 3 in the state as a senior.

Burno, when hired, talked about the importance of recruiting in and around Chicago and thinks bringing Williams in is a big part of that.

“We wanted to establish a foothold in the state,” Burno said. “We got lucky. Keyshawn is a phenomenal young man on and off the court with multiple years left. He’s someone we’re excited about and looking forward to building this program around him.”

Burno said the team has a lot of length and he expects the team to get up and down the court quickly.

“On both sides of the ball we’re going to be super aggressive,” Burno said. “We’ve brought in some length, some athleticism. It’s going to give us the chance to get out and run, do some things differently. We’re still learning each other, but I like what I see.”

Burno said his first summer was a challenge but he believes the team has risen to it.

“We challenged these guys mentally by getting them up at 6 a.m. for an entire summer,” Burno said. “We work them pretty hard off and on the court. And these guys have definitely met the challenge.”