COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) – The 6 a.m. text message from Texas A&M men’s basketball director of operations Luke Hillin didn’t come as any surprise to Aggie transfer guard Zhuric Phelps. The group message simply reminded the players that this would be the year A&M’s coaching staff would reign supreme AT Davis Diamond.
Friday was Phelps’ first opportunity to take part in the Buzz’s Bunch charity softball game — pitting the Aggie basketball players against the coaches and staff — but he was well aware of how competitive the matchup gets.
“A whole lot [of trash talking], even from the new guys,” Phelps said of the previous week around the Aggie basketball complex. “We’ve been here for three months, so we’ve kind of built some type of relationship, a funny one too. It’s been fun. We’ve been going back and forth. We’ve been competitive a little bit.”
In the second year of the softball exhibition, raising awareness for head coach Buzz William’s charity benefiting special needs children, history repeated itself. After a 21-9 player blowout of the coaching staff last year, the Aggie hoopers downed the elder statesmen 9-3.
The bragging might be unbearable for another 12 months, but the coaches hope the ultimate outcome is the same as a year prior — a fun day at the park that builds to a successful basketball season in the winter.
“We’ve had a good routine and a good rhythm to keep our guys engaged, whether it was individual skill work, group skill work,” Williams, the game’s all-time pitcher, said. “We’ve mixed in some team stuff more in the second session… I think some of it is an opportunity for us, as coaches, to watch that new mixture.”
Phelps, formally of SMU, is one of three transfers that joined the Aggie roster over the offseason, including Minnesota’s Pharrell Payne and Nebraska’s C.J. Wilcher. The Aggies also welcome freshmen Andre Mills Jr., George Turkson and Chris McDermott.
Unlike any of the other roster additions, Phelps had an instant connection with an Aggie contingent. Hailing from Duncanville, Phelps grew up playing club basketball with A&M guards Wade Taylor IV (Lancaster) and Manny Obaseki (Dallas John Paul II).
A week prior, Taylor and his family brought backpacks and other gifts to the children of the Boys and Girls Club of the Brazos Valley through his personal charity. Before playing a minute for the Aggies, Phelps was there serving alongside his long-time friend, as was Obaseki and teammate Jace Carter.
“Building those relationships makes great teams,” Phelps said at Davis Diamond. “We can be good on the court, but we have to be good outside the court as well. Building these relationships, right now while we’re out here having fun is something we’re going to continue to do.”
Obaseki first met Phelps around his eighth grade year, he said, while they played on competing club basketball teams. Years later, Phelps is a known commodity to Obaseki in what he called a “small world” situation.
“Zhuric is a worker, just like me,” Obaseki said. “He loves the game of basketball and he’s really fun to be around. Really cool, quiet, calm, collected dude. I enjoy his presence — just his energy — being around. It’s just been fun.”
Phelps comes to A&M after three seasons at SMU where he averaged 12 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists. He averaged a career high 17.5 points during his sophomore season on the hilltop.
Williams said it’s evident the connection those three guards have on the floor, despite limited time actually playing with each other.
“He’s a little better player than I thought, in some ways,” Williams said of Phelps. “I knew he was a good player, but he fits our style. He wants to be coached. He’s been as committed as any new guy I’ve seen in the summer.”
Friday was Wilcher’s first go at charity softball with the Aggies, after his arrival from Nebraska. Despite only taking one or two softball cuts in an intramural league previously, he relished the time getting to compete with his new teammates.
“Just to be able to have moments like these, after competing after practice today, to come out here and have fun, but still have our competitive juices out of this, is pretty dope and I think it plays a big part in the connectivity with this new group,” Wilcher said.
That new trio already came up big for the Aggies. After falling into a 3-0 hole in the first inning Friday, backed up by a long ball from the trash-talking Hillin, the transfers rallied. Phelps followed a Carter single with an infield base hit of his own. Payne spun a single through the infield, scoring Carter. Wilcher loaded the bases with a single to center and redshirt sophomore Jaelyn Lee tied it up with a double to right center.
It was a part of nine unanswered from the player bats.
There’s always next season for the coaching staff, who didn’t mind continuing to fuel the fire even after their second loss of the series.
“I thought [Taylor] played dramatically better than he did last year,” Williams said. “And I think [Lee] should be playing baseball instead of basketball and his high school stats same the same.”
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