Happy Hour with John Gaskins

The coaches, players, and Summit League staffers who attended the conference's basketball media day in the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center on Tuesday seemed like swans gracefully gliding across a pond. All of them (well, mostly) smiled as they regaled or calmly informed media members about their teams a few weeks ahead of their first games. After all, everyone is undefeated right now. But we all know better about swans and why they are a popular metaphor. Beneath the surface, what you can't see their feet are peddling feverishly as the stress of a four-month whirlwind of games — divided by practices, plane rides, and plenty of pressure — looms. Happy Hour was there and chatted with several of the coaches, including all four from South Dakota. SDSU's Aaron Johnston, the dean of all Summit coaches, whose Jackrabbit women were picked No. 2 in the preseason media poll— a rarity, as they have been the undisputed queens of the league ever since the tournament moved to Sioux Falls in 2009. "A.J." addressed the Happy Hour host's question about the possibility of all-time great Brooklyn Meyer returning for a fifth season — something that was not expected to be possible until the NCAA approved the "5-for-5 rule" in June — but he didn't have much to say. Meyer is not listed on the SDSU roster on the team's official roster web page. Former Tea Area all-stater Katie Vasecka is, and Johnston had a lot more to say about her budding role and an offseason of injury recovery and strength-building. He also revealed which Nintendo video game he mastered as a child. USD's Carrie Eighmey revealed which video game she played the night before with the two players she brought with her to Sioux Falls for media day: last season's Summit League Newcomer of the Year Molly Joyce and Kennesaw State transfer Latazia Williamson. She then discussed both players' basketball strengths and what she expects from a team featuring a thick mix of transfers, returners, and a freshman class rated in the top 15 by 247sports. SDSU's Bryan Petersen described the style changes he intends the Jackrabbits to employ after last season's inside-out, jump shot-heavy method mostly fizzled in a 14-18 campaign. As for who will carry SDSU into a change in results — including a slew of transfers — behind preseason Player of the Year Joe Sayler? Take a listen to how Petersen chose to answer that. USD's Eric Peterson discusses his new-look squad, as well, and describes a team trip to Winnipeg, Canada, intended to build team cohesion and assess his players. Why Canada? The answer lies in the winds of college basketball change that have blown through the Summit League with gusto.

USD's Eric Peterson discusses his new-look squad, as well, and describes a team trip to Winnipeg, Canada, intended to build team cohesion and assess his players. Why Canada? The answer lies in the winds of college basketball change that have blown through the Summit League with gusto.

But first... how did Peterson become such a proficient video game player growing up in Wisconsin?