AMHERST — Zach Lewis said the unsuspecting players at UMass’ rec center didn’t know what they were in for.

The junior guard sat out this past season for the Minutemen after transferring from Canisius, and didn’t travel when UMass was on the road. He and Luwane Pipkins, who was sitting out for academics, would work out together at the team’s practice facility. Occasionally they’d go to the campus rec center and join a pick-up game.

Lewis is 6-foot-3 and Pipkins is under 6-feet. To anyone who didn’t recognize them, they looked just like any other student looking for a game.

“We’d go up to the rec center and beat up on some of those guys up there,” Lewis said giggling a little. “If we’re on the same team, it’s a long day up there at the rec.”

That was as close as Lewis got to actual competition during the 2015-16 season. He practiced with UMass and did his best to imitate opposing guards to help prepare his teammates. But it was a long year.

“It was tough to just sit back and watch,” said Lewis, who felt like he made the right decision transferring to UMass.

“Coach (Derek Kellogg) always talks about the UMass way. This is exactly what I asked for,” he said. “Up-tempo pace and having a family environment. That’s something I’ll never take for granted.”

With the Minutemen now in spring workouts, Lewis is practicing with a more tangible goal in front of him.

“I’m excited. It’s time for me to play,” he said. “I have something to look forward to, getting ready for these games. I’m excited to be part of the team and help lead the team. Last year was great, but now that I’m not sitting out and I know I’m going to play, it’s that much better.”

Lewis, a Windsor, Connecticut, native who averaged 12.5 points per game as a sophomore at Canisius, will be among the oldest players on a team with no scholarship seniors. He’ll likely be asked to replace some of the scoring provided by graduating guards Trey Davis and Jabarie Hinds. He expected to be both a newcomer and a leader.

“He’s a guy that’s done it at the college level, which I like in a transfer,” Kellogg said. “He’s put up some good numbers. He’s practice pretty well with our team. But like all the guys on our team he’s going to have to win a spot and figure out where he fits in. I feel like he can contribute. He’s got a good attitude. He’s a good kid. He’s coachable. He’s got the intangibles you like in a player and a person.”

Lewis, who has two years of eligibility remaining, said the team is building for the near and distant future all at once.

“The team we have next year is our team for a few years. It’s going to be crucial for us to have that camaraderie and learn each other’s game,” he said. “I’m really excited. We have a lot of young guys coming in.”

One of those new guys will be Pipkins. Lewis tried to look out for his freshman teammate.

“That’s my little bro right there. I tried to make sure he stayed in the gym and make sure he stayed focused with academics and everything like that. It’s easy to lose focus a little bit when you’re not playing.”

WORKING VACATION — Kellogg expected it would be an important summer, as he hoped to have his whole team on campus for the second summer session.

“It’s going to be a summer to get to work. We’re going to be on campus to first and foremost take care of academics and secondly work with our strength coach and do some basketball stuff,” he said. “It’ll be a good summer to acclimate our new guys and the guys who are here and haven’t played yet. It’ll be a fun summer of getting better.”

MENDINGMEN — Kellogg said some of the team’s spring work has been slowed by lack of bodies. Sophomores C.J. Anderson (foot) and Zach Coleman (knee) and freshman Malik Hines (foot and hand) have all been limited by their healing injuries.

MISCELLANEOUS — Despite having no scholarships to offer, Kellogg said he’ll still be on the road recruiting this summer.

“You still have to recruit to make sure you’re on top of anything that might happen,” he said. “If a guy transfers in May or June all of a sudden you’re looking for a guy late and I don’t want to be in that situation.”

Tyrn Flowers, the wing from Connecticut who verbally committed to UMass in January, is expected to sign shortly. The spring National Letter of Intent signing period begins Wednesday.

Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage