Loyola Teams to Compete in Scrimmages

Loyola Marymount will preview the coming basketball season with its annual Crimson and Gray public intrasquad games Saturday at Gersten Pavilion. The men will play at 1 p.m. and the women at 3:30. Admission is free.

The men’s team, under a revamped coaching staff led by Jay Hillock, will be introducing seven newcomers, though 6-foot-10 Czech center Richard Petruska probably won’t play. Petruska suffered a groin injury the opening day of practice and has not been able to work out with the team since.

Seniors Tom Peabody and Tony Walker will captain squads that include several players from last season’s NCAA Final Eight team--guards Terrell Lowery and Greg Walker, center Chris Knight and front-court players John O’Connell, Chris Scott and Marcus Slater.

Saturday’s scrimmage will be the unofficial coming out for freshmen Kareem Washington, Rahim Harris, Ross Richardson and Greg Evans and junior college transfer Greg Holt. And sophomore forward Brian McCloskey returns to the active roster after sitting out last season as a redshirt transfer.

The women’s game will feature a veteran trio of returning starters--senior center Tricia Gibson and senior guards Kristen Bruich and Lynn Flanagan--who have led the Lions in virtually every category the last two seasons. Also back are juniors Jamie Jesko, Joelle Longobardi and Katie Brazelton and 6-foot-3 sophomore Joell Coltrane.

Coach Todd Corman, entering his sixth season, will unveil five freshmen--6-foot-1 center Laura Nugent, forwards Lisa Humphreys and Martanya Blair and guards Christian Fortney and Malia Kaizuka--as well as junior college transfer Nicki Rouillard and sophomore guard Claudia Morris, who didn’t play last year.