Press Conference: Aggies talk ten-day break & more

Billy Kennedy

On the team’s main focus with a week between games…

“Really everything. Our press in case we get behind, which is going to happen. We just spent a lot of time on that yesterday adding some new offense to what we’re doing. We’re really just trying to get better in all the sound areas. Defensive rebounding is an area that we have great concern with our team. Obviously, we are focusing on exams and finishing strong academically, but we’re also able to add some things. Tomorrow we’ll be able to start practicing maybe twice a day.”

On having a break…

“The best thing about it is we’re not as concerned with APR, which means everybody during finals or during practice or during the season is held accountable at high level. If you’re not doing what you’re supposed to be doing, you won’t be here. We have some room to recruit other guys to improve our talent level and to improve our program. We didn’t have that flexibility my first year or really even last year. We were walking on pins and needles at this time just trying to make sure everybody was secured eligibly and academically.

"Because we built some cushion and some guys took care of business and graduated, I can keep recruiting and press on and put some pressure on these guys that they’re either going to step up and get it done academically or basketball-wise or character-wise, or we’re going to continue to add to this program.”

On McNeese State…

“I just know they are getting their best player back. They haven’t had him. They have been a good program. Dave Simmons is a guy I know, been in the Southland Conference for a while. They were an NCAA tournament team just a couple of years ago.  It’s proven in college basketball that anybody can beat anybody so we’ll have to be ready to play.”

On having a floor leader…

“Jordan Green has been our leader. Even the other day against Houston when it got tight, he made a couple of plays defensively and drove the ball. We need more guys to do that and more guys to step up on a consistent basis. We still haven’t had nine guys play well and consistently well at the same time. That happens in practice also. We need to grow up fast because the level of competition is about to pick up in the next couple of weeks.”

On playing as a team…

“We’ve changed our roster last couple of games. When you having a pecking order, guys rise up and give you consistency, like Jamal [Jones]. Can he consistently be that guy to get your fifteen points a game? I hope so. We haven’t established that just with him or with some of the other guys. J-Mychal [Reese] has played really well the last two games. You know can he do it over course of a season? When you’re in transition with your team and your roster it takes time but I’m wanting it to happen fairly quick.”

 

Alex Caruso

On J-Mychal Reese and Shawn Smith…

“I knew it would take J-Mychal [Reese] a game or two to get back into the swing of what he was doing just because there is nothing like real game play. Shawn [Smith], the roof is the limit on him. He’s one of the most athletic players that I’ve ever played with. The game is set up for them perfectly. The rule is you can’t put your hands on anybody and they are so quick that if you make one false step, they’re by you.

"The further along we go in the season, the more comfortable it’s going to be. Our top player could be anybody. It’s going to be whoever is playing hot at the moment. Right now I think J-Mych is starting to get into his groove and Jamal [Jones] is really playing well for us too.”

On new guys gaining confidence and becoming team leaders…

“Jordan [Green] can probably attest to this too but Davonte [Fitzgerald] is making strides that I didn’t think he was going to make until maybe the end of the year. He’s starting to understand the pace of how he needs to play and not just catch and go one on one every time. For all the young guys and same for Jordan and I, it took us a little while before we were actually comfortable out there playing in front of all these people and on TV and just being comfortable in the system. The more time goes on I think they will be more comfortable and I think they’ve made great strides so far.”

 

Jordan Green

On having the ten-day stretch to prepare for rest of season…

“We have two big games coming up with McNeese State and Oklahoma. We are using these 10 days to compete with each other. Coach is mixing up our lineups and doing a lot of up and downs, five-on-five situation things. I think it’s really important and key for our team because we get to work on special situations and mini scrimmages with each other. I think it is important just to continue to work on the continuity of our offense and the placement of our defense.”

On the new rules…

“What they say is you practice how you play. Coach calls no fouls. We have to go straight through the contact. If we’re practicing like that, I think we practice maybe triple the amount of time we play and I don’t think any of us are worried about foul calls. We would hope for a consistent foul count in a game situation. In practice and with how much we practice we play with no fouls, no out of bounds, no nothing. We’re used to contact. I hope it is consistent. It still is hard for the defender because you can’t really put too many hands but if that happens to change it’s going to be a fun year as always.”

“We just practice tough and coach is teaching fundamentals. All the coaches do with chesting up and feet movement. We work with Darby [Rich] so much in the offseason just being agile enough to keep our defender in front of us. I think what’s really important or what is key for this team is team defense. Coach really teaches being help and weak side. We’re a better defensive team for that.”