For Pastner, Rebels, it’s about a chemistry test

LAS VEGAS — Chemistry can be a complicated thing.

Especially in this Wild West age of college athletics where roster turnover is fueled by NIL funding, the transfer portal and coaches coming and going.

Josh Pastner says he was a pretty good chemistry student in high school. But with his second year as UNLV’s head men’s basketball coach underway, he better get good at developing chemistry within his roster.

Problem is, he’s not sure what his roster will look like. AJ Storr, who would make a major impact on the Runnin’ Rebels, is still ineligible as he tries to get a Tennessee court to clear him to play. Storr, a 6-foot-5 fifth-year senior guard, has previously played at St. John’s, Wisconsin, Kansas and Mississippi.

Storr was named to the All-Mountain West Preseason team Wednesday along with sophomore forward Tyrin Jones at the conference’s Basketball Media Day at the Palms. But he was not on the court Wednesday night when UNLV hosted Utah at the Thomas & Mack Center in the first of three exhibition games. Neither was Jones, who is still recovering from off-season shoulder surgery and was just recently cleared for contact.

UNLV was picked to finish fourth in the Mountain West Preseason Poll behind New Mexico (179 points), Grand Canyon (178) and Nevada (148). The Rebels garnered 125 points.

But getting back to that chemistry challenge. Pastner when through it last year when he took over for Kevin Kruger and got a late start on recruiting. They got better as the season went on and finished 18-17 overall, 11-9 in conference. And while it was disappointing for sure, it was a lesson learned for Pastner. And to be more successful, it means getting everyone on the same page and working together.

“One of the ways is you have to be up front with everything,” Pastner said when asked to define how to build chemistry. “Be honest and transparent. It’s something you have to work on every day.”

He had the entire spring and summer to run at it. There’s only two returning players in Jones and…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/pastner-rebels-chemistry-test-044416360.html

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Publish date : 2026-10-08 04:44:00

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