OREM — Head coach Brad Jones said he saw some encouraging things as the Utah Flash tipped off training camp for the 2008-09 season with a pair of two-hour practice sessions Sunday at Pinnacle Gym.
Seventeen players, including guard J.R. Giddens on assignment from the Boston Celtics, were drilled by Jones and his staff on Flash offensive and defensive schemes, conditioning and shooting drills before finishing the evening practice with several four-minute scrimmages.
"We try to work hard, but at the same time work smart," Jones said. "It's great to see the guys getting after it and competing. We threw a lot of stuff at them in one day, but that's what the timing of camp demands. We have to cut down to 12 D-League players on Wednesday and play a preseason game on Saturday."
On Saturday the Flash travel to Burley, Idaho, for the second straight year to face the defending NBA Development League champion Idaho Stampede in the lone exhibition game.