College Basketball season is nearly upon us.
Fans will get their first look at the 2025-26 Gonzaga basketball team in less than two weeks at Kraziness in the Kennel, which will take place on Saturday, Oct. 4, starting at 4:00 PM PT. Doors will open one hour prior to the event.
Kraziness in the Kennel will remain free for fans to attend, but due to demand, it will be a ticketed event. A press release from Gonzaga indicated tickets will be available to the general public beginning at 10:00 AM on Oct. 2, while students will be able to claim tickets starting Sep. 29 through Oct. 1.
Kraziness will also be streamed live on swxlocalsports.com, and will run on a tape delay on SWX again at 7:30 PM PT.
Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs have long showcased the new look roster at Kraziness in the Kennel, an event that typically includes player introductions, a speech from coach Few, multiple contests, including a three-point shootout, and an intrasquad scrimmage.
It will be the first chance for fans to see the team's five new players: Arizona State transfer guard Adam Miller, Spanish guard Mario Saint-Supery, freshman wing Davis Fogle, freshman big man Parker Jefferson, and freshman guard Alonzo Metz.
It will also be Jalen Warley's introduction to the Kennel crowd. Warley did not join Gonzaga until after this event last year, coming over from Virginia following the surprise retirement of coach Tony Bennett. Warley opted to redshirt last year and will play his final season of college hoops with the Zags in 2025-26.
Gonzaga did bring in another transfer this offseason in Grand Canyon guard Tyon Grant-Foster, but the 25-year-old is still awaiting a waiver from the NCAA to be eligible for this upcoming season. As of now, he remains away from the team, and unless that changes in the next 11 days, he won't be able to participate in the festivities.
Meeting the newcomers is always the most exciting part of Kraziness in the Kennel, although this year will also feature the triumphant return of guard Steele Venters. Venters participated in Kraziness back in 2023 before he suffered a torn ACL that cost him the entire 2023-24 season. He was unable to participate in last year's event after suffering another injury, this time to his Achilles, which cost him all of last year as well.
Venters' return, five new faces, and a chance to see Warley and redshirt point guard Braeden Smith in action will make for an exciting event to begin the season. Gonzaga also hopes the event serves another key purpose: helping them out on the recruiting trail.
A pair of 4-star recruits in the 2026 class, center Sam Funches and wing Herly Brutus, will be in attendance on their official visits. A rowdy crowd could help sway these two talented players into committing to Gonzaga, which has yet to land a recruit in the 2026 class.
Funches is the No. 84-ranked player in the class and No. 10 among centers. The Mississippi product is also garnering interest from Vanderbilt, LSU, and Ole Miss, among others, but has been a strong target for the Zags coaching staff for over a year now.
Brutus has not been on Gonzaga's radar for quite as long, although the 6'5 wing is considered one of the toughest defenders in the class and has rapidly become a high priority for the staff. Brutus ranked No. 141 in the class in 247Sports' latest update, and is choosing between Gonzaga, Utah, LSU, Saint Louis, Kansas State, and South Florida.
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