Practice may not sound like the most exciting thing in the world.

But just being able to practice at full speed again is a big deal for Delaware men’s basketball coach Martin Ingelsby.

Left short-handed by injuries, the Blue Hens went 25 days without any “live” sessions during practice in January.

“As much as I love my assistant coaches, they can’t simulate what it’s like,” joked Ingelsby.

So Ingelsby thinks the fact that the Hens were healthy enough to compete in practice again last week and then swept Elon last weekend wasn’t a coincidence.

It also makes Ingelsby believe that maybe Delaware (5-4 CAA, 7-7 overall) has turned a corner before heading into the second half of its Colonial Athletic Association schedule. With a three-game winning streak, the Hens next play at Drexel on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

“I think the most important thing for us right now is we’re getting healthy at the right time,” said Ingelsby. “The month of January was tough for us. We had some key players out for an extended period of time. Those guys are back in the fold.”

Senior center Dylan Painter hasn’t missed any playing time but is clearly coming into his own lately. Over the last nine games, the 6-foot-10, 235-pounder has scored in double figures eight times and reached double digits in rebounds seven times.

It adds up to average of 15.8 points and 13 rebounds per game in that span not to mention 18 assists and 11 blocked shots.

“Our best offense is when he touches the basketball,” said Ingelsby. “I told him after Christmas, we’re not going to mess around with you playing 28 or 29 minutes. You’re going to be 32 to 34 minutes a night.

“I think with more minutes, more of an opportunity, he’s produced at such a high level that’s it’s been hard for me to take him out of the game. He is just a guy that continues to get better week to week. He’s got a presence on both ends of the floor for us. He’s obviously playing the best basketball of his career so far.”

With the coronavirus pandemic having a big impact on the CAA schedule, there’s still a sense of uncertainty about the rest of the season. Some league teams have played as many as 10 CAA games while others have played as few as five.

Delaware’s two games with first-place Northeastern this weekend were canceled because of positive test results with the Huskies. The Hens also missed a game at William & Mary when it was short-handed due to injuries.

There’s no word yet on whether those contests will be made up. The CAA Tournament is slated for March 6-9 at James Madison.

Ingelsby said it’s been good having Painter and fellow seniors Ryan Allen and Kevin Anderson to lean on right now.

“I kind of handed those guys the ball,” said Ingelsby. “If we’re going to do anything special this year, it’s going to be those three guys leading us. And they all lead in different ways which is really fun for me to see.”

CR’s Clark contributing

Two years after he last played for Caesar Rodney High, Shaft Clark is starting to get some consistent playing time for the Delaware State men’s basketball team.

A 6-foot-4 freshman guard who joined the Hornets as a recruited walk-on, Clark is averaging 16.3 minutes of playing time in the Hornets’ last four games.

“He has the ability to make big plays on both ends of the court,” DSU coach Eric Skeeters said about Clark. “He’s a good kid with a great deal of upside. We’re excited to have him and look forward to his contributions throughout the rest of this season and years ahead.”

Clark netted a season-high 11 points in a game against Morgan State and then blocked a shot late in the Hornets’ 81-80 win over Lancaster Bible on Wednesday.

DelState plays at Morgan State today at 2 p.m.

Hens picked second in North

Delaware was picked to finish second in the CAA North in baseball wile the Blue Hens’ Joseph Carpenter and Bryce Greenly (Milford) were named to the preseason All-CAA squad.

The 2019 CAA Rookie of the Year, Carpenter hit .327 in the shortened 2020 season with five doubles, eight RBI and a team-high 14 runs.

In four appearances as a reliever last spring, Greenly carried a 0.96 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 9.1 innings. Additionally, UD’s Kyle Baker, Derek Wakeley and Jack Goan received honorable mention honors.

This spring, the Hens will compete in the CAA North with Hofstra, Northeastern and Towson.

Notes

Delaware State’s bowlers have climbed two spots to No. 15 in the latest National Tenpin Coaches Association poll. … The state again has one of the country’s top high school recruits now that quarterback Braden Davis is returning to Middletown High for his senior season. The quarterback spent last fall in Florida when it looked like Delaware might not have a high school football season. … Mike Adams has rejoined former Delaware football teammate Matt Nagy. The retired long-time NFL defensive back was recently hired by Nagy as a secondary coach with the Chicago Bears. … Darren Cook, a defensive lineman from Washington, D.C. who signed with Delaware State on Wednesday, is the grandson of former NFL player Lonnie Perrin.