University of Dayton basketball players have a love-hate relationship with strength-and-conditioning coach Paul Ivkovich. They appreciate what he’s doing to help them reshape their bodies, but they despise the grueling workouts he puts them through to get there.

Ivkovich has had them swing heavy ropes until their arms nearly pop out of their sockets, drive a blocking sled as if they’re offensive linemen in football and spend much time lifting weights to equip them for the pounding that comes with college basketball.

“He’s the devil,” sophomore center Alex Gavrilovic joked, “but he’s the reason we all got stronger.”

Devin Oliver, a 6-foot-7 junior forward, has picked up about 25 pounds since last year and weighs nearly 230. Matt Kavanaugh, the 6-10 junior center, has gotten noticeably leaner, dropping from 256 to 246 while improving his body fat from about 18 percent to 13 percent.

But the player making perhaps the biggest jump physically is Gavrilovic. The 6-9 France native weighed 225 at the end of the last season and is up to 250 this year. He also improved his bench press, going from six reps of 185 pounds (the weight used at the NBA Combine) to 16 this year.

“I play a position where you have to be strong and be physical in rebounding and on defense and offense. Everything you do on the block and in the paint is physical. That will help me out a lot,” Gavrilovic said.

Flyer fans will get their first look at the gains the players have made during the Red & Blue intrasquad scrimmage at noon Saturday at UD Arena. The women’s team will scrimmage at 10:30 a.m.

Although coach Archie Miller was pleased with the offseason dedication from all the Flyers, he said Gavrilovic was perhaps the most improved player.

“He’s always been a big kid, but I don’t think he’s been as strong as he is. That’s a credit to Paul and his strength program,” Miller said. “He’s a much different player, banging in and around the basket — even with a guy like Kav and some of these young guys. He’s an overwhelmingly stronger player.

“He’s always been in great shape, and he’s always been mobile. But you’re looking at a guy who in 12 months was able to get a lower body. Strength and conditioning is the backbone of our program. Looking at him and watching him play and compete, he’s a much better player right now.”

Gavrilovic had an unconventional path to UD. He moved to the U.S., spent one year playing for the IMG Academy in Florida and then signed with Providence.

Problems with his transcript kept him from enrolling, though, and he spent the next year working out on his own at IMG again.

He showed up at UD having to make up for that lost year of competition. The language barrier didn’t help, either.

“I feel better — first because I know the coaches better, I know the team better, I know this place better and the environment,” he said. “Last year was more like a discovery year. I had to feel comfortable on the team.

“We had a great summer. I had a chance to hang out with my coaches and teammates. And because we had new players, I feel like now I have a different role. As an older guy, I try to explain things and support the new players.”

Gavrilovic, who averaged 4.0 points in 30 games last season, worked on his outside shot during extra sessions with assistant Kevin Kuwik, and he’s become a more well-rounded player.

“His shot has improved. I feel like he’ll be able to stretch the floor a little more than he did a year ago,” Miller said. “But his biggest attribute is he’s going to give us a great presence at the rim, particularly on offense at some point in time. I think he’s a guy we can look at one day and say, wow, he’s a terrific low-post player.”