St. John's University Athletics
POSTGAME QUOTES: St. John’s vs. No. 14/14 DePaul
St. John’s Head Coach Joe Tartamella and Junior Guard Qadashah Hoppie spoke with the media after Friday’s 71-65 loss to DePaul
St. John’s Head Coach Joe Tartamella
Opening statement…
“I thought we played really well for a better part of the game. Unfortunately, we just didn’t play well in the fourth quarter, which has been a problem at times. Giving up 31 points in the fourth quarter to close the game is probably not the way you want to finish. We lost Alisha [Kebbe] with five to go, but I thought we battled and just kind of let it slip through our fingers. This is certainly one that’s a backbreaker, especially where we were in the game and how we played. We have to turn around and try to make sure we get one Sunday, but obviously, it was a missed opportunity today.”
On Hoppie’s performance…
“I thought she played well, but we still have to make better decisions down the stretch and how we shoot. We need to understand time and score and what a good shot is. Against the good teams, you can’t give them extra possessions and we’ve done that.”
On the team’s defensive efforts…
“Well, we were great for three quarters. They were off, but once they feel it, teams like that are going to get going. We just have this slippage and unfortunately, it’s been late in the games. We did that at Seton Hall, we’ve done it in other games, where we’ve been able to finish the deal, but some others we just haven’t. This would’ve been a big one for us, obviously. We’ve got to just play smarter. We have got to finish.”
St. John’s junior guard Qadashah Hoppie
On what transpired in the fourth quarter…
“As Coach T said, we played a good game for the better part of that game. I guess in the fourth quarter, we let a lot of rebounds go, and we let them have a lot of second chances. That was a key thing that made us have the lead in the beginning and we let that go away. We just need to close the game better and tune into the details in the end and we should have these games.”
On what her mindset was while leading the team offensively…
“I knew that for this game, we were going to need energy from the start. I was just trying to bring my energy and have everyone bring the same energy as me so we can be pumped up and play this game.”
On being able to finish games…
“I’ve seen this all year. I know what we can do and we just have to finish these games.”
Opening statement…
“I thought we played really well for a better part of the game. Unfortunately, we just didn’t play well in the fourth quarter, which has been a problem at times. Giving up 31 points in the fourth quarter to close the game is probably not the way you want to finish. We lost Alisha [Kebbe] with five to go, but I thought we battled and just kind of let it slip through our fingers. This is certainly one that’s a backbreaker, especially where we were in the game and how we played. We have to turn around and try to make sure we get one Sunday, but obviously, it was a missed opportunity today.”
On Hoppie’s performance…
“I thought she played well, but we still have to make better decisions down the stretch and how we shoot. We need to understand time and score and what a good shot is. Against the good teams, you can’t give them extra possessions and we’ve done that.”
On the team’s defensive efforts…
“Well, we were great for three quarters. They were off, but once they feel it, teams like that are going to get going. We just have this slippage and unfortunately, it’s been late in the games. We did that at Seton Hall, we’ve done it in other games, where we’ve been able to finish the deal, but some others we just haven’t. This would’ve been a big one for us, obviously. We’ve got to just play smarter. We have got to finish.”
St. John’s junior guard Qadashah Hoppie
On what transpired in the fourth quarter…
“As Coach T said, we played a good game for the better part of that game. I guess in the fourth quarter, we let a lot of rebounds go, and we let them have a lot of second chances. That was a key thing that made us have the lead in the beginning and we let that go away. We just need to close the game better and tune into the details in the end and we should have these games.”
On what her mindset was while leading the team offensively…
“I knew that for this game, we were going to need energy from the start. I was just trying to bring my energy and have everyone bring the same energy as me so we can be pumped up and play this game.”
On being able to finish games…
“I’ve seen this all year. I know what we can do and we just have to finish these games.”