THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Getting a lot closer to college hoops than you think

Squeeeeeek!!

What in the world is that sound … in the last week of October?

A few readers guessed that the noise had something to do with the famous Iditarod mushers race.

That was a pretty fair stab, except that the grueling battle involving men and dogs takes place in March.

And the closest you can get to that particular sound at the Iditarod is checkpoint No. 18, which surely you know is Unalakleet.

I suppose there could be a minor misfortune if a musher and his dogs skidded into an icy ditch.

Squeeeeeek!!

That would really be reaching, though, wouldn’t it?

No, the closest you can come to that particular sound is on a basketball court — as a player pulls up after a rush downcourt, does a power-spin and slams home a dunk.

The rocket connection between shoes and a violent twist from floor toward the hoop can give us that sound.

And if the gym is almost empty, like maybe with a full-speed workout, you might be able to hear shoes squeaking a half-block away.

But, wait!

If this isn’t Iditarod time of year, it’s not exactly in the middle of hoop season, either.

ON THE other hand, we’re getting a whole lot closer to college basketball than you might think.

No kidding.

Most major programs play at least one exhibition game (or maybe two) to work out the kinks and make sure newcomers have a feel for defensive rotations.

That’s usually a few more weeks down the road, when teams in the top five overwhelm the Little Sisters of the Poor 147-39 — with some previously unknown bottom-of-the-bench walk-ons heaving in some 3-pointers.

In fact, there’s a different twist coming up this year with some local dogs.

Gonzaga opens its 2024-25 season with an exhibition against Southern California on Saturday evening.

The charity match will be played at the Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., at 5 p.m.

A portion of the proceeds will help support Eisenhower Health's growing Cardiovascular Institute in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

Zags fans who want to peek at this year’s loaded-looking team can watch the USC game via a one-time pay-per-view.

(That’s just about every Gonzaga junkie who can pass a heartbeat test this weekend.)

Potential viewers can log in — and pay $6.99 — at bigtenplus.com/gonzagavsusc.

There are several oddities with this game, some little tweaks besides the unusual venue.

USC is now in the Big Ten, having abandoned a century in what has become the Pac-12.

Gonzaga, meanwhile, will be leaving the West Coast Conference for the Pac-12 in 2026.

Most viewers in the Northwest are anxious to see the Zags, who have landed between No. 3 and No. 7 in various preseason polls.

USC has a new coach in Eric Musselman, who brought in 12 (yes, TWELVE) new scholarship players.

The Trojans definitely will be a curiosity.

ON THE down side for the Zags, 6-7 wing Steele Venters will miss another full season after transferring from Eastern Washington.

Venters came across Spokane as the Big Sky player of the year — a 40 percent shooter from deep – but then tore his ACL just prior to last season.

“It’s really sad,” coach Mark Few said. “Steele spent that full year rehabbing like crazy.

“He was so ready to go this year.”

Unfortunately, Venters tore his Achilles in preseason workouts, so he’s been ruled out for another full year.

Few certainly found some gunners to fill the gap – Pepperdine transfer Michael Ajayi, who led the WCC in scoring, and Arkansas marksman Khalif Battle.

There is another army of newcomers on board, of all sizes and skills, not to mention returnees Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman, Graham Ike, Ben Gregg, Dusty Stromer, Braden Huff and Jun Seok Yeo.

The whole thing should be a lot of fun, and no doubt thousands of Zags nuts will come away just certain that that Few has another Final Four team.

So, let’s get those “Squeeeeeks” handing out goosebumps, folks.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”