Purdue productive in final tune-up before Spain trip

In its first real scrimmage of the summer, Purdue was "OK" on Saturday at Lafayette Jeff High School, Matt Painter said.

The event followed an alumni game and was broken into two 12-minute halves, some players changing teams after halftime. With the switches, Painter was able to try different lineups — Isaac Haas and Jacquil Taylor together, for example — but also maybe not get the best indicator of what this year's version of the Boilermakers can be.

A better gauge for that could come next week in Spain, which is why Purdue was able to have 10 practices over the last month.

"It’s hard for us a little bit just because I think we’re going to be really good as a team whereas last year, I thought, we were probably going to be better in practice because we had more people," Painter said. "So (Saturday) you see a little bit of fatigue cut in. I didn’t balance the squads in the second round as well as I probably should have, but I also thought some guys were kind of even and I thought people on the one team that was lopsided (36-19 Black team win) really played well. Just to get a little bit of experience.

"We haven’t scrimmaged in our practices, even though we’ve had a lot of live competition. When it’s not structured and a coach isn’t stopping you, there’s a lot of slippage that happens. With that, when you have a regular team, you can keep things sharp."

Painter actually sat two rows behind the bench during the scrimmage, allowing assistants Jack Owens and Greg Gary to run the show. But Painter wasn't quiet. He still yelled instructions and barked for better effort, when required.

What he really could have harped on but didn't? Both teams' unwillingness to feed the post consistently.

Haas was nearly automatic, as he tends to be, on the block, making 6-of-8 shots for 16 points.

"I’m a big believer in getting shots that are high percentage," Painter said, smiling. "I’m really fond of that."

Freshman Carsen Edwards has earned his reputation as a dynamic scorer, able to use his explosiveness to get past defenders to the rim or a quick trigger to get going from the perimeter.

Perhaps one of the biggest lessons this season will be for the rookie to choose his spots wisely.

In the 24-minute "game" on Saturday, Edwards' 12 shots led the team. Had he been more effective, perhaps that wouldn't have stood out. But he made four shots, including only 2-of-6 three-pointers.

"He’s always handled pressure and handled situations by shooting his way out of it," Painter said. "To play the way he did (Saturday), he’s going to have to make more than he did. It’s one of those things where I’ve watched him miss 10 straight, and I’ve seen him hit 10 straight. He’s a high-volume, three-point shooter. But he’s also going to have to understand he’s playing with really good players. He’s playing with good post players. He’s playing with other good perimeter shooters. There’s going to have to be a balance with that. Pick your spots."

Swanigan was in a similar situation last season as a heralded freshman who had to learn to find his place offensively. He said Edwards has to learn to become "patiently aggressive," learning when to go within the flow of the offense.

But it's clear Edwards will have a significant role.

If for nothing else: He physically can do things his teammates can't.

"Things you’re either born with or you’re not," Swanigan said. "A lot of speed and size and quickness at his position. Either you’ve got it or you don’t. He has that naturally. And he has a knack at scoring the ball."

What Painter would like to see develop is a consistent defensive presence.

Edwards has struggled to pick up Purdue's defensive principles and concepts, but when he does — and when he learns to play with consistent effort — he could become a pesky defender.

Just ask newcomer Spike Albrecht.

Edwards striped Albrecht in the backcourt for an easy layup Saturday and hounded him on other possessions.

"He’s a fast, little guy," Albrecht said. "It’s a big thing we’re going to have for our team this year is him getting into guys full court. I’m just glad he’s on my team and he won’t be doing that to me in games. That’s for sure."

After sitting out last season, Basil Smotherman is working to find his rhythm again in a team environment, Caleb Swanigan said.

On Saturday, at least, Smotherman seemed to have found it.

The 6-foot-6 forward scored in a variety of ways — sticking two three-pointers, driving from the top of the key to finish at the rim, landing floaters — en route to scoring 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting.

"He can be an X factor, an in-between player who is hard to guard because he has size and quickness," Swanigan said, "and that could help us a lot."

Smotherman has played the 3 and 4 over his Purdue career, and he could get PT at both spots this season. At one point during the scrimmage, Smotherman even was matched up on Dakota Mathias. But Smotherman's quickness, Painter says, can help him guard multiple positions. And it also could help him take advantage of matchups offensively, if he's playing the 4.

"A lot of people talk about those guys how athletic they are. His probably No. 1 strength is how fast he is," Painter said. "He can be fast with the basketball. He can also help offensively by being fast. People can’t catch up to him. When we start to move the ball, cut, screen, he’s active. It’s not necessarily the first movement. It’s the second or third movement where those big guys get caught behind him."

(Smotherman, who was suspended for three games for an off-court incident, is unavailable for interviews.)

• Albrecht had four assists and made two of his three shots — and felt good doing it for the first time in front of Purdue fans.

"Hips feel great. Health-wise, everything (is good)," Albrecht said. "I’m still just trying to get back in basketball shape. I was getting a little tired at the end. But I felt great (Saturday). It’s nice to be playing. Happy to be back and ready to go."

• Swanigan has stirred up the social media scene with his Instagram posts offering "bios" of teammates and coaches that often include doctored photos — putting P.J. Thompson's face on Gollum's body, for example, because the basketball is "precious" to him.

He has nearly 11,000 followers on IG, and it's growing with his recent string of hilarious posts.

"Just got an idea and decided to do it and went for it," Swanigan said. "No one is really out of bounds. Coaches have a good sense of humor, so I feel like I can do anyone."

Check out our top-10 images from Saturday's event.

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