In this edition of the Nova Notebook, we take a peak ahead to the 2024-25 regular season with head coach Kyle Neptune. This is the first of two parts. The second will air in the coming days at villanova.com.
 
NN: With the team summer workouts now complete, can you give us some general takeaways from these past two months together?
 
Neptune: "We're really pleased with our summer workouts. I loved the way the guys competed. They came in with great attitudes, worked hard, did everything we asked them to. As a coach, that's all you can ask for."
 
NN: College basketball in 2024 offers a very different teaching model than it did as recently as a few years ago. With much more roster turnover, building chemistry quickly becomes essential. How has that process gone thus far with your team?
 
Neptune: "It's definitely a process. The good thing is that it's not just us going through it. The entire country, for the most part, has multiple (players) teams trying to weave into a new way of playing or something that may not be familiar to them.
 
"For us, we've tried to put in as many of our Day 1 concepts as we can. We've focused a lot on defense this summer. Then, we'll get them back later in August when the (fall) semester starts, and lock into some offensive concepts."
 
NN: Your roster features four prominent transfers, including Enoch Boakye (Fresno State), Jhamir Brickus (La Salle), Tyler Perkins (Penn) and Wooga Poplar (Miami). How have each of those players adapted to this system?
 
Neptune: "I think those guys have handled coming into a new system great. All we ask from them is that they have open minds and to give an honest try to the things we ask them to do. A lot of it for the player is almost learning a different language. When you're in another program you might be doing the same things but calling it something different.
 
"So much of this is learning our terminology and the way we like to do certain things. They've been extremely open-minded and done everything we have asked them to do."
 
NN: Of course, Jhamir Brickus played his first two seasons at this level for Ashley Howard at La Salle. Did that give him a leg up with learning this new language?
 
Neptune: "Jhamir is a classic point guard. He's a guy that can really shoot the ball. He can catch and shoot, come off ball screens, isolate and make plays for himself. Then, he's exceptionally good at making plays for other people. He gets into the defense and finds (teammates). In pick and rolls, he makes great decisions.
 
"As a coach, having a decision-maker like Jhamir really takes the pressure off."

NN: Based on some practice observations, is it fair to say that he and Enoch have developed a good rapport in pick and roll designs?
 
Neptune: "To have a guy like Enoch, who is big, strong, athletic and excellent around the rim to go with a point guard like Jhamir, puts the defense in a tough spot. It gives Jhamir a lot of ways to create points for our team."
 
NN: As a shot-blocker Enoch brings an element that can potentially make a defense very stingy. In what ways do you see him impacting things at that end of the court?
 
Neptune: "Enoch is an entity we haven't had here in some time. He's all of 6-9, 6-10. He has long arms. He's really sturdy at about 245 pounds. But then he can also really move. He can stay in front of guys and protect the rim. We like that he's a communicator, always talking on defense. This is a guy that loves to compete. We're lucky to have him and I think he can anchor us defensively."
 
NN: As a Philadelphia native Wooga Poplar returns to the area having proven himself as scorer at Miami. What has he brought to the program?
 
Neptune: "This is another guy who has come in and done everything we have asked of him. He really shoots the ball. He is a great shooter.
 
"I have been surprised at how athletic Wooga is. When you watch film, as we did of Wooga, it gives you a feel for that. But seeing it in person is something else. He is able to do some special things athletically. His first step and overall athleticism is pretty special."
 
NN: Tyler Perkins comes over after an impressive freshman season at Penn. What has he brought to the team?
 
Neptune: "First and foremost, I think we all remember how well Tyler played against us last season at the Palestra. The first thing that strikes me about Tyler is that he is a competitor. There are a lot of things he does on the court – he shoots it, can play in pick and roll, is a good (isolation) player, and a good defender. But the thing that stands out above all of that is his competitiveness.
 
"Tyler is a guy that brings energy and toughness to the court every day. He wants to win and tries to do everything he can to help his team get that win."

In Part Two, Neptune gives an update on returning Wildcats Eric Dixon, Jordan Longino, Nnnana Njoku and Jordann Dumont.