Head Coach Lon Kruger
Opening comment:
“I think it was a good first game. I thought our guys, in a lot of ways, did a really good job. I really like the movement of the ball early. We didn’t turn the ball over very much. We didn’t really have to search for shots. We were just ready to move the ball and make good plays for each other. Defensively, I think we did a good job with a lot of movement and a lot of activity. It was a good test for us on the defensive end. Our guys did a good job in a lot of areas, obviously [they are] improving. We have a lot of areas in which we are going to improve and we will get a chance to watch that on tape tomorrow. Overall, a good first game. Now we have three or four days in preparation for our next one on Sunday.”
On rebounding:
“Rebounding will continue being a big priority. We’ve got to do a good job of getting all five guys in there rebounding the ball before we run. Then we can get it out and push it ahead and throw to the low post or attack and make plays for each other. I thought our guys had a lot of opportunities, and they will see it on tape tomorrow. They will see we’ve really done a good job of that. I think when you do that and move the ball and get that kind of shot, then you are more likely to do that again. I thought our guys showed that in the first half by really moving the ball very well.”
On Cameron Clark improving:
“Cameron is a guy that will make a lot of progress in each month for the next two or three years. He really works hard, he has a good feel for the game. The strength of his game is to slash and complement that while knocking down jumpers, which he can do. The more you can slash, the more opportunity you are going to have to make perimeter jumpers. And when you knock down some perimeter jumpers, that makes you quicker off the dribble. Cameron has got, again, a great feel. He works extremely hard at it and he will keep getting better and better.”
On how he felt point guards Sam Grooms and Carl Blair played:
“I thought they did well. They pushed the tempo pretty good, they pushed the ball ahead. There wasn’t a lot of standing offensively. I thought they kept the activity up. I thought they did a good job of getting the ball inside and set the tone defensively in terms of getting after the ball and activity. Again, Sam (Grooms) and Carl (Blair) are going to be the guys primarily at the point. They push each other in practice. The good thing about them is they really, really want each other to do well so they can get good production from that point spot.”
On fast-break points:
“I am not concerned at all about the number of fast break points. We were concerned with keeping the pressure on the defense, getting it out, pushing ahead, attacking from the wing and making plays for each other in transition prior to the defense getting set. It is not like we are going to play teams that just let us throw it out and shoot layups. It is going to be a case of having to work and just keeping on the attack, pushing ahead, making plays for each other, throwing the ball to the post before the defense fully gets set and staying aggressive.”
Sophomore Guard Cameron Clark
On if he’s improved his ball handling:
“I feel like I’ve improved a lot; just in the offseason, trying to get better each and every day. Just working on my ball handling. Coach (Kruger) said we wanted to attack the wings and that’s what we’ve been doing. I feel like my ball-handling skills have helped me out a lot.”
On if he’s looking to attack the basket more often:
“I feel like my teammates did a good job of getting me open and things like that; being able to penetrate and just getting easy buckets.”
Junior Forward Romero Osby
On finally getting to play in a game after sitting out last year:
“I feel like I just needed to get into a groove and my teammates did a good job of encouraging me because it has been awhile since I’ve played in a game. And it is different from practice. So just getting a chance to get out there and get a feel for it, Coach stayed on me, my teammates stayed on me about doing the things that I’ve been doing in practice. So it’s just fun to get back out there and have a chance to be with the guys.”
On having to be an active player:
“I feel like that’s what Coach expects of me, to get defensive boards, offensive boards and really be one of those guys that’s blue collar and does a lot of different things out there. Really mixing it up in the paint and trying to help this team as much as I can, because we are a little small. But that doesn’t mean we can’t rebound. So Coach has really been on me about that and my teammates have done a good job of encouraging me, too.”
Junior Guard Sam Grooms
On the speed of the game compared to junior college:
“It was a little different, the fast pace caught me off guard. We were talking about it last week, you asked the same question and I was telling you that the pace of the game was a lot faster. My teammates helped me a lot to get used to it in practice every day. We push each other every day. So I’m starting to get used to it now, but I’ve still got a little bit of a way to go.”
On if his assist total will rise as he continues to learn Coach Kruger’s system:
“Just learning a little bit more about the system and learning different spots of guys, I think I will be able to get more assists. But tonight was a night where everybody was able to get their own shot, and that’s fine.”
