Here are a few first impressions from watching the Griz basketball team practice on Friday afternoon:
Will Cherry still has great hands, vision and quickness now that he’s operating on two good wheels again.
The junior point guard showed no lingering effects from the ankle injury that slowed him for the latter part of last season.
Cherry started one nice sequence when he stole a pass from freshman Keron DeShields (who probably doesn’t …

Montana 75, Weber State 56
Star of the game: Junior Derek Selvig. The 7-footer from Glendive led the Griz with a career-high 23 points and tied Brian Qvale for the rebounding lead with seven. Selvig had 39 points and 13 rebounds in the Grizzlies’ wins over Northern Arizona and Weber State. Selvig’s big week came with his family visiting from far eastern Montana.
“They don’t get out here too much because it’s …

The University of Montana athletic marketing folks wasted a golden opportunity to generate some support for a men’s basketball program that is lagging in attendance. Coming off an upset of UCLA in one of the signature wins in program history, wouldn’t it have been nice for UM to drastically reduce ticket prices – even to $2 a head – and encourage fans to come out to Thursday’s night’s game against …

Montana 66, UCLA 57
Star of the game: None, this was a team win. Will Cherry again led the team in scoring with 18 points and Brian Qvale had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Jordan Wood had his best game in a Griz uniform with 9 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. Derek Selvig had 8 points and 8 rebounds and Art Steward provided a spark …

Montana 75, Cal State Fullerton 67
Star of the game: Sophomore point guard Will Cherry. Cherry matched his career high with 24 points, a mark he set in his last outing against Idaho. He added seven steals (the single-game school record is held by Delvon Anderson with 10 against NAIA Simon Fraser), seven rebounds and five assists.
Cherry is probably the best ball-hawk the Griz have had since JR Camel, who holds …

The Griz showed some heart after falling behind by 20 points in the second half on Wednesday at Utah, clawing back to within six points before dropping the 80-71 decision.
Star of the game: Will Cherry. The sophomore point guard scored a career-best 21 points and made all four of his attempts from the free-throw line, where he has struggled.
Reasons for optimism:
1. Derek Selvig. The 7-foot junior scored 14 points and …