Xavier men’s basketball concluded its summer session Wednesday afternoon at the Klekamp Family Training Center in the Cintas Center.
With familiarity among the coaching staff and more experience on the roster, Xavier coach Sean Miller called this the best summer he has had since returning to the Musketeers in 2022.
“I feel like we are more experienced as a group, more stable and that our team has its feet on the ground, maybe for the first time,” Miller said. “We have a long way to go like all teams, but I like the attitude and approach we’ve had over the last eight weeks.”
Seven additions through the NCAA transfer portal and some key returning players highlight a revamped roster for Xavier after finishing 16-18 last season. Here are some observations from the final week of summer training.
More: Xavier Recruiting News: Musketeers in the Mix for Multiple 2025 Candidates
Health
In the middle of an interview on Wednesday, Miller stopped to knock on wood, hoping not to jinx what has been a favorable summer from a health perspective.
If you followed Xavier last season, you know it’s justified. Xavier lost two starters, Jerome Hunter and Zach Freemantle, in the preseason and was never able to bounce back with an inexperienced group. Xavier signed two players – Lazar Djokovic and Sasa Ciani – after summer training in 2023.
“We were still recruiting at this time last year,” Miller said.
Xavier targeted winners in the transfer portal
Each of Xavier’s seven transfer portal additions played on a team with a winning record last season, as these clubs combined for a winning percentage of 62.6 (149-89). That was one of the factors in the spring for Miller and company when they wanted to add to the roster.
“The guys know what to expect. You try to look at a program, a coach and the winning atmosphere that they all came from,” Miller said. “Because of that, they are a little higher up in the hierarchy, they know what summer means and how difficult training is.”
A previous stop on a winning program means the player knows how competitive the playing time battle is.
“Not everyone starts, not everyone plays,” Miller said.
All eyes down
Xavier was led by the Three Musketeers in the backcourt last season as the club struggled mightily underneath. This spring, Xavier added three offensive linemen through the portal in addition to the return of Hunter and Freemantle.
Although Hunter is only cleared for non-contact work, Freemantle is back at full speed, an expected development after he returned to practice with the Musketeers late last season. Oklahoma transfer John Hugley IV has lost some weight after playing 24 games for the Sooners last season. He shot 54.8% from the field a season ago and has great touch near the rim.
Long Beach State transfer Lassina Traore appears to be a difference-maker on the defensive end. During practice, he showed the toughness to fight Hugley in the paint and the versatility to defend from the perimeter against Freemantle. Much of the second-chance opportunities created came from Traore, who averaged a double-double per game last season.
Dailyn Swain ‘ready to take the next step.’
Last year, it was Desmond Claude who took the sophomore leap and became the Big East’s most improved player. Is sophomore Dailyn Swain on the same trajectory?
“He may not do it in the scoring column, putting up 18 points (per game), but his versatility – rebounding, passing, ability to open 3s – with all of that, he’s ready to take the next step.” Miller said.
It’s clear that Swain has strengthened this off-season, backing up Miller’s claim in an episode of his podcast this summer that the sophomore gained about 30 pounds. He’s attacking the rim at a higher rate, is more aggressive from beyond the arc and Miller believes he can become the Muskies’ best defensive player.
Bombs dropped
With Quincy Olivari setting the school’s single-season 3-point shooting record last season, it’s easy to overlook the fact that Xavier was a middling 3-point shooting team (No. 160 on KenPom). Expect that to change this season with multiple deep threats.
Transfers Ryan Conwell (Indiana State) and Dante Maddox Jr. (Toledo) showed off their prowess on the perimeter in the final week of summer workouts, while sophomore Trey Green continues to fill in as the backup point guard.
One name that should not be forgotten is Marcus Foster. The portal’s first Xavier commit, Foster averaged 17 points per game last season and has 112 Division I games under his belt in four seasons at Furman. Foster may not shoot as well from distance, but the 6-foot-2 guard was relentless in backing guards toward the basket and finishing in traffic near the rim.
This article originally appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer: 5 observations from the last week of the Xavier Musketeers’ summer training
