Gophers men's basketball scrimmage with Colorado State gives Ben Johnson needed look at freshmen

Pharrel Payne and Joshua Ola-Joseph could easily fool opponents after stepping off the Gophers basketball team bus this season. They don't resemble freshmen.

At 6-9 and 255 pounds, Payne is arguably the strongest player on the team. And the 6-7, 215-pound Ola-Joseph probably is the most explosive athlete.

Two of the U's most physically gifted players, Payne and Ola-Joseph look the part but lack the experience to match.

That's why second-year Gophers coach Ben Johnson wanted to get a good look at them and his younger players in Saturday's closed scrimmage against Colorado State. Word is Payne and Ola-Joseph stood out among the U freshmen.

"Everybody does scrimmages differently," Johnson said. "It was an opportunity more so to get our younger guys game experience. That was the biggest thing at the end of the day. I know what my older guys for the most part are bringing to the table."

That philosophy might even have Johnson limit how much leading returning scorer Jamison Battle and top transfer Dawson Garcia play in next Wednesday's lone exhibition game. That one is open to the public vs. St. Olaf at Williams Arena.

A year ago, Johnson focused on getting his senior-laden team of transfers a lot of court time together in a closed scrimmage at Oklahoma and their exhibition game. The priority is different this year for the Gophers.

Payne, from Cottage Grove, and Ola-Joseph, from Brooklyn Park, are likely to see time in the front court, especially with season-ending injuries to veteran forwards Parker Fox and Isaiah Ihnen. The rapid development of their freshman counterparts Braeden Carrington from Park Center and Jaden Henley is also critical in the backcourt.

"You want to get as many games and minutes under their belt as you can," said Johnson, who is considering the same play-the-young-guys approach in early nonconference play, including the Nov. 7 season opener against Western Michigan.

Ola-Joseph said he wants "to bring the intensity and energy" to the team with little things such as diving on the floor and defending, but his length and athleticism allow him to rebound and be an exciting finisher above the rim.

Payne added 20 pounds of muscle since joining the Gophers, so he could provide an inside presence in the Big Ten. But he had only been able to bang in the post with his teammates before the scrimmage.

"It feels great," Payne said last week about the extra weight. "Definitely much stronger and more physical than last year."

Two of the U's projected starters are transfers Garcia and Ta'Lon Cooper, who were among the team's leading scorers vs. Colorado State. Johnson said he wasn't worried about how much they played.

Garcia played 43 games combined at Marquette and North Carolina, respectively. Cooper played 95 games at Morehead State.

The Gophers have five freshmen who have never played college basketball, including redshirt candidate Kaden Betts. Sophomore Treyton Thompson, who played sparingly last season, is also considered in that unproven group.

"When you have six young guys, it's one thing to rep things in practice and do drills," Johnson said. "It's another thing when it's another opponent. That's so much more important."