Sunday’s men’s basketball practice felt a lot like that.

The Red Raiders have been working hard for more than a week, and by Sunday probably needed a little cooling off. And to be honest, most of the three and a half hours Tech spent on the court were consumed with some serious basketball. But there were a few breaks in the action.

Like when players wheeled out a birthday cake for Bob Knight, the former Tech coach, not to mention Pat Knight’s dad, who happens to be in town this week and at practice on Sunday. They sang “Happy Birthday.” They listened to a few words of wisdom. They gave him a present.

My iPhone takes great photos, no?

For his part, Knight issued the team some words of wisdom. He warned that the best players he ever coached got just as excited for throwaway games against low-major teams as they did to play Duke. He ribbed John Roberson, who he recruited to Tech, saying the Red Raiders would be successful if Roberson stopped dribbling. And he asked, in his own special way, that Serbian-born Darko Cohadarevic continue to work on adapting to the American style of basketball.

Knight had some good things to say, and I think anyone who’s watched a single college game would know enough to listen when he talks. His presence this week might not be so spectacular to the seniors who played for him, but the newcomers on Tech’s team likely picked up a lesson or two.

Anyway, after practice ended the guys unwound with a rousing game of coaches-vs.-players knockout. The players definitely dominated, although assistant coach Stew Robinson was a ringer for the staff.

Here’s a few more photos, although taken with my phone, so the quality is certainly sub-par: