St. John's University Athletics
Pregame Quotes: St. John's vs. Detroit
11/12/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 12, 2012
Head Coach Steve Lavin
On the status of Orlando Sanchez and Marc-Antoine Bourgault:
"We don't have any updates, we're just waiting to hear from the NCAA. We've done everything on our end in terms of submitting everything that needs to be submitted. I prefer not to play the speculation game, but unless we get word sometime today or early tomorrow, they won't play tomorrow."
On D'Angelo Harrison in practice this week:
"D'Angelo across the board has been outstanding. The most important thing for him is channeling his energy in a positive way in terms of being in the present. We always say 'next play', don't concern yourself with the last play and always be in the present. He's at his best when he's locked into the task at hand of trying to get a stop on the defensive end and then offensively, keeping his aggressive approach that distinguishes him as an outstanding scorer and playmaker for us."
On being ready to start the season:
"We're like every team in the country, where you'd like a little more time because there are always things that you're trying to refine and enhance on both ends of the court. In particular, when you have the youngest team in school history and one of the youngest teams in the country, time allows for building better basketball habits and seasoning your team. There are a number of positive things that I like about our team. so we're going to try and build on that."
On building off of last year's close game at Detroit:
"We didn't shoot the ball well [last year] and we could have attacked their zone defense better and we turned the ball over, so it wasn't one of our finer performances of the season. They're quick and athletic. I watched them against Kansas [in the NCAA Tournament] and there wasn't really a difference in athleticism between Kansas and Detroit in that second round NCAA Tournament game, in fact Detroit may have been even more athletic."
On changes to the starting lineup:
"For tomorrow, we'll probably go with the same lineup that we've been going with and I would expect D'Angelo to play starter's minutes. Right now we have a good flow going with our lineups and I've been pleased through the first two exhibition games with that flow. If you look through my coaching career, I've never been opposed to changing lineups. Coach Wooden taught me that the bench is the coach's greatest ally, and it would be foolish not to use the bench because it's a great a motivator. My hope is that we get to a point where our entire rotation feels like they're starters, where it's more about the name on the front of the jersey than it is about the name on the back of the jersey."
Sophomore guard Phil Greene IV
On the rematch with Detroit:
"It's a dangerous team. They are scrappy, they play hard and fast. I told the young guys don't take this team lightly and be prepared and they took it to consideration."
On D'Angelo Harrison as a leader:
"His big thing is his controlling his emotion with refs and the calls they make, and he has gotten a lot better. Now he just takes things in and stays in the game without anything getting the best of him. He plays with a lot of intensity and a lot of passion, and you never want to take that away from him. I love the passion that he plays with."
On the team's depth against Detroit:
"It's tough not having Orlando, Marco or God'sgift right now, but we are well conditioned, very well coached so there shouldn't be much of a problem. Come tomorrow we'll be ready. We went through that battle with Detroit last year, and we want to make a statement tomorrow."
Sophomore guard D'Angelo Harrison
On his maturation as a leader:
"I listened to what the coaching staff had to say and learned my lesson from not playing the Concordia game. I've basically been growing up these past few practices and being more of a leader on the team. I can't let myself react to things and let my emotions get the best of me; being more mindful of some of the things I had problems with last year. I'm still going to be a leader of this team, that hasn't changed. I'm one of the leaders, it's not just me. I could come off the bench all year, that's fine with, as long as I get to play and I'm going to be a leader no matter what."
On coming off the bench against Detroit:
"It doesn't bother me as long as I get to play. I might lose my starting spot because there are a lot of good players on this team, but I'll be ready no matter what. Even if I'm the last man to get in the game, I'm still going to play how I always play."
On the difficulty of opening against Detroit:
"They are a very athletic group. They have one of the best athletes, Doug Anderson, in college basketball. Ray McCallum is really good, I've known him since I was a little kid. We can't turn the ball over because they will capitalize off of it. After the film we watched, we made it clear to the younger guys that they can play with anyone in the country."
Sophomore Swingman Sir'Dominic Pointer
On learning from last year's game against Detroit:
"It's a real tough team. They like to get in the passing lanes, pressure and run like we do. I told our younger guys to go out there and play hard and don't let them out-tough us. They are just as athletic as us, so if we don't box them out, they will be dunking on us and getting tip-ins all night. We have to go out, play our game, box out, and do what we do."
On D'Angelo Harrison's growth as a team leader:
"Sometimes he channeled his emotions in the wrong way last year. He took energy; now he's giving energy. He's talking more on defense, he's being more vocal. Even though he didn't play during the game against Concordia, he was talking to us and letting us know where to be."
On getting a chance to defend McCallum:
"I hope I'm starting on him. Whatever Coach Lavin says that's what I'll do, but I hope I get the first crack at him. I just want to show everyone that I'm the best defender on the team."
