Jerry Carino

@njhoopshaven

NEW BRUNSWICK - The word comes up over and over, a staple for Rutgers men’s basketball coach Steve Pikiell and his assistants. Their players hear it daily.

Compete.

“We’ve got to teach them how to compete,” Pikiell said after a recent workout at a steamy College Avenue gym. “They’ve embraced the weight room; their bodies already have changed. There are sightings in the gym late at night. We want to build that culture. It takes time.”

Pikiell could have attempted a quick fix, clearing out Rutgers’ roster in favor of a patchwork of mercenaries. That's happened elsewhere. Instead he’s building a new foundation the old-school way -- with the blocks he inherited.

RELATED: Issa Thiam an intriguing newcomer

“Everyone talks about recruiting, but it’s very important (for a new staff) to recruit the current guys,” he said, “and have those guys understand what’s going to be demanded of them -- have them buy in.”

The early signs are positive. As Pikiell noted, Rutgers’ guards are noticeably more sculpted. Conditioning is essential, because Rutgers may head into next season with just 10 scholarship players. The Scarlet Knights couldn’t find help on the graduate transfer market -- they’re a tough sell for last-chance guys who want to play in the NCAA Tournament next season -- and they lost some recruiting battles for impact players. There’s not much left at this point.

“Everyone wants us to race around and give up scholarships,” Pikiell said. “That’s not how I’m building this thing. That’s the worst thing to do. It’s not how we want to go about business.”

The three newcomers are expected to contribute right away. Junior college transfer Candido Sa already is on campus, and he’s wowed the staff during workouts. Freshmen Issa Thiam and Matt Bullock arrive next week.

Meanwhile, the hunt for 2017 reinforcements is on. It hits full swing during July’s crucial live period.

RELATED: Pikiell needs time to do it right at Rutgers

“We’re going to go out and evaluate and get the right kids for our program,” Pikiell said. “What’s available right now . . . that’s not how I want to build this thing. I want to build it the right way.”

That means working all the angles. On Thursday Pikiell will attend the NBA Draft in Brooklyn to meet David Stern, the former commissioner. Stern is a Rutgers grad and a huge untapped resource for the program.

He’s also taking a cautious approach to Rutgers’ nonconference schedule. The Scarlet Knights are locked into high-major games at Seton Hall (Dec. 23), Miami and DePaul. They also play Fordham at Madison Square Garden and visit Pikiell’s old team, Stony Brook, as part of a home-and-home mandated by his contract with the Seawolves. A low-profile home slate is shaping up.

But that’s five months down the road, an eternity for a program just learning to compete. Pikiell likes what he’s seen in that regard from Corey Sanders and Nigel Johnson, his likely starting backcourt. There is still a ways to go.

“We’re looking for guys to step up and be good leaders,” he said. “It takes time to develop that. They’re not at that stage yet. They’re still figuring things out -- they’re still sore from our workouts.”

Staff Writer Jerry Carino: jcarino@gannettnj.com.