AfterShocks | 7/15/2019 5:56:00 PM

 
Karon Bradley held the Baden TBT basketball, then spun it to get a feel for the grip. The new ball, just out of its plastic bag, is slick. That will change with use.
 
That starts on Monday night with the first practice for the AfterShocks, the Wichita State alumni entrant in the $2 million The Basketball Tournament.
 
AfterShocks general manager Tien Huynh bought 10 of the Baden basketballs - $85 each – to help his team prepare for the TBT. 
 
"Every little edge you can get, you try to get," Huynh said. "You want to simulate the game as much as you can. It's important for the guys to be practicing every night at the arena so they can feel how that ball bounces, on the hardwood, off the rim, off the glass."
 
Bradley, coach and co-owner with Huynh, arrived in Wichita on Sunday morning. He's been to the arena to check out available spaces and plan for his team's needs. He picked up guard Shannon Shorter, an addition to the roster, at Eisenhower National Airport on Monday afternoon. Then he visited Opti-Life, a fitness center where the players can lift weights and exercise.
 
Later Monday, Bradley prepared for his first practice at Koch Arena. He walked down the steps toward the arena floor carrying boxes of Puma practice gear. He arrived just in time to see the varsity Shockers wrap up practice and chat with coach Gregg Marshall.
 
Shorter, a Houston native who played at North Texas, came to practice with Bradley. Garrett Stutz was the first former Shocker to arrive, followed by Conner Frankamp, Zach Brown and Rashard Kelly.
 
Bradley expects eight at Monday's practice with a few more on Tuesday. Cleanthony Early and Tekele Cotton are expected to join the team later this week.
 
Bradley expects to focus early on skill work, followed by team drills and ending with around 45 minutes of scrimmages. The AfterShocks will practice nine times before the July 25 TBT opener vs. Iowa United (8 p.m. ESPN).
 
"A good part of our practices will be getting up and down, a lot of five-on-five," he said. "We don't have a lot of time, so the more we play, the better."
 
His opening talk with the team will focus on the opportunity to return to Koch Arena and play in front of several thousand Shocker fans. As of Monday, 4,209 tickets were sold. 
 
"Come back home, in Charles Koch Arena, and get a chance to play for $2 million," Bradley said. "There's not too much I need to say. 'Play hard, let's play together.'"
 
On the business side, tickets are available at the Koch Arena ticket office and at goshockers.com. AfterShocks gear is on sale at the Shocker Store.
 
"My job is to give the guys all the tools and resources they need to be competitive," Huynh said. "We've got to go on a six-game win streak."
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.