By: Kiduce Daniel | October 18, 2021
Following multiple disappointing years for the men's basketball team, former Marquette assistant coach Dwayne Killings has taken over at UAlbany and has already brought a new mentality with him to Albany.
Killings is known by his peers as someone who wants the best for everyone around him. It became clear when he introduced the Mentality Club. He described the club as, “A way of us [coaches] keeping stats every single day in practice and rewarding the guy for that week who rebounds, defends, shares the basketball, finishes, and plays efficient basketball.”
Killings wants his team to be ready for it all, and the Mentality Club will push each player to the best of their abilities and ultimately be prepared to out-hustle teams when the time comes.
Dre Perry, a graduate transfer from Temple University, is already a two-time Mentality Club winner, and it’s safe to say the coaching staff is pleased with what they’ve seen from him.
“Dre Perry has been tremendous and at the end of the day has shown himself as a great leader for our program,” said Killings. “He understands what it takes to win. What he has done everyday in practice is competing at a high level and challenging our guys in terms of their ability to win every single day.”
Perry talked about the Mentality Club and what it brings this year’s team, “It brings a culture to the team,” said Perry. “Shows what needs to be done and how it needs to be done. Especially establishing the culture.”
Keyword there is culture. When Albany set out to find a new head coach, everyone knew they needed a coach to bring that winning culture back to Albany. It seems like they’ve found their guy.