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LOGAN — Basketball and boxing have plenty in common, at least from a linguistic viewpoint.
A hard-fought basketball game is often compared to a prize fight, with players “grinding” for results, “beating up one another,” and sometimes “emerging with a black eye.” The team that goes up first “comes out swinging,” while it’s up to the other team to respond “after being punched in the mouth.”
Utah State became the latest men’s basketball team to take the analogy to another level this week.
The Aggies are doing some cross-training during summer workouts that involve boxing gloves and fending off a teammates’ jabs and punches. Junior wing Jalen Moore even posted visual proof on his Twitter accounting, outlining his potential to be the next Rocky Balboa.
If Bball Doesn't Work Out... pic.twitter.com/ygEJ1nKYFm — Jalen Moore (@JalenMoore14) July 3, 2015
Moore probably shouldn’t give up his basketball scholarship just yet in pursuit of an Olympic boxing career. But the Sky View High grad does have a nice jab with his right hand that could develop with enough time in the training gym.
But if the workout is good enough for the NBA team down the road, it should help the Aggies, as well.
The exercises likely aren’t to help the young Utah State squad that returns all but two of its players from a year ago to get more physical. The Aggies averaged 16.3 fouls per game last year, led by post David Collette and his 116 fouls over 31 starts.
Utah State strength and conditioning coach Alan Bishop said that boxing is just another cardio workout to mix things up during the long summer months — and it’s “much harder than running.”
Boxing to condition after Olympic lifts, throwing 1-2-4-5-6 combos to finish the day. Much harder than running... pic.twitter.com/6DzvV7kRMl — Alan Bishop (@CoachAlanBishop) June 30, 2015
Either way, the Aggies are back in the weight room, on the track and trying to increase their fitness as they prepare for the first season under head coach (and longtime assistant) Tim Duryea.
@AggieHoops doing work this week! #AggieNation#GrindDontStoppic.twitter.com/Hd4HrMJn6C — Alan Bishop (@CoachAlanBishop) June 26, 2015
Utah State averaged 66.6 points per game in 2014-15, grinding out several wins by holding teams to 63.6 points. The Aggies finished 18-13 in Stew Morrill’s final year as head coach, finishing the year with a loss to Wyoming in the Mountain West tournament.
But everyone except senior post Sean Harris and sophomore guard JoJo McGlaston return, and the Aggies added junior college transfers Alexis Dargenton and Shane Rector to bolster their squad in a season when they will face several road tests, such as a string of three road trips in four games at Duke, at Missouri State and at BYU.
And at the very least, the Aggies should be able to land a few more punches next season.