St. John's University Athletics
QUOTES: Media Availability on Wednesday, August 3
St. John's Men’s Basketball Head Coach Mike Anderson, junior guard Posh Alexander and senior center Joel Soriano spoke with the media ahead of the team’s Foreign Tour to the Dominican Republic
St. John’s Head Coach Mike Anderson
Opening Statement…
“First off, it’s good to see everybody. We’ve put a lot of things behind us and we’re looking forward. All of our guys are in town and they’ve been working extremely hard. The most important thing as we get ready to go on this foreign tour is the practices. It’s an opportunity to get the guys on the floor and see what they bring to the table. That’s what we’ve been doing. I think we’re on day 3 or 4 of practice. We haven’t had a full-tilt practice, but getting them out there and familiar with one another, that’s the most important thing as we get ready to go on this trip. I know they’re excited. I’m looking forward to it. We get a little snapshot of what is to become of this basketball team. I feel like we have the pieces and now we want to go out and see how these guys play together for right now and create a bond. The biggest thing we talked about this summer is bringing these guys in and being around one another. We have eight guys coming back from last year, which hasn’t happened since I’ve been here. Just to have that many guys back and hopefully maturity, they can see the game a little slower. Not only that, they’re hungry. We want to be one of the last teams standing. That is our goal, that is our quest. This is a start for us.”
On the new point guard duo with Posh Alexander and Andre Curbelo…
“I think they each bring something different to the table. Of course, defensively, which is an area we really want to be good at. If you put those two guys out on the floor, that could be a pretty potent backcourt.”
On his expectations for the newcomers on the foreign tour…
“I want to see what they bring to the table. To me, that’s what this is all about. ... [David Jones and Andre Curbelo] have played a lot of basketball, when you think about the two transfers. But for the young guys, this is a different avenue, because the pace is different, the intensity and how hard you have to play. They are learning that from the [returning] guys on the team.”
On Joel Soriano’s progression during the summer…
“When you think about late January until the end of the year, Joel [Soriano] was playing some of his better basketball, which bodes confidence. … This summer, his eating regiment has been really good. He is in the gym everyday now. I couldn’t say that last year. He’s hunting down managers and the coaches to work with him and get extra reps in. He is continuing to add moves to his repertoire. We’re going to see a guy that is going to help this basketball team in a big way, on and off the floor.”
On competition within the team…
“The beauty of it is that there is going to be a lot of competition for minutes and that’s when your team can rise up. Everybody’s got to be on their best game, they got to give me everything they got, because if not, the next guy will step up.”
Junior guard Posh Alexander…
On playing with Andre Curbelo…
“I think both of us on the court will be great. We both can make plays for others, we both can create for any one of us. Having him is just a blessing. It’s just good to have him as a teammate.”
On how he is developing his game…
“I’m personally just trying to work on shooting the three-point ball better, getting in shape, but just really working on shooting the ball consistently.”
On what he has learned through his first two years playing at this level…
“What I learned from when I was coming from high school, the pace is a lot different. Learning the game, understanding the game a lot better. Understanding what it takes to be playing at the [Division I] level. In high school, it was much easier you just run and go. And now, there’s guys bigger than us, stronger than us and that’s why we’re in the weight room continuing to get stronger and better every day. That’s stuff that’s different.”
On the addition of freshman guards AJ Storr and Kolby King…
“I really like the new guys. AJ is so athletic. He can shoot the ball, he can finish around the rim and I enjoy having a fastbreak with him, throwing him alleys. [I] just can’t wait for the fans to see that. Kolby, he’s such a tough player. He gets in on defense, he can shoot the ball really good and he just challenges everybody in practice.”
Senior center Joel Soriano…
On how he hopes to progress for the upcoming season …
“Going back to last year, just getting a feel for the BIG EAST, seeing how competition is, how the speed is, how everything is really, it just opened my eyes. For me the biggest thing, I sat down with Coach we went down the negatives about my game, what he needs me to bring to the table and he needs a leader. So Posh and I are trying to be leaders on this team, to bring us where we need to be. I’m just trying to be consistent, take it one day at a time and be the best version of myself I can be.”
On how he is transforming his body in preparation for the year…
“Really just staying consistent. I’m working with our new strength coach [Brandon Kuhn]. Just diet and working out with him on extra days, part of weekends, part of two-a-days, just really been doing cardio and just getting into shape.”
On playing with Posh Alexander and Andre Curbelo…
“They’re two guys with eyes behind their heads. So it’s great having both of them on the floor. I’ve just got another guy passing me the ball. They’re both very unselfish and look for others before looking for their own shot. It’s great.”
Opening Statement…
“First off, it’s good to see everybody. We’ve put a lot of things behind us and we’re looking forward. All of our guys are in town and they’ve been working extremely hard. The most important thing as we get ready to go on this foreign tour is the practices. It’s an opportunity to get the guys on the floor and see what they bring to the table. That’s what we’ve been doing. I think we’re on day 3 or 4 of practice. We haven’t had a full-tilt practice, but getting them out there and familiar with one another, that’s the most important thing as we get ready to go on this trip. I know they’re excited. I’m looking forward to it. We get a little snapshot of what is to become of this basketball team. I feel like we have the pieces and now we want to go out and see how these guys play together for right now and create a bond. The biggest thing we talked about this summer is bringing these guys in and being around one another. We have eight guys coming back from last year, which hasn’t happened since I’ve been here. Just to have that many guys back and hopefully maturity, they can see the game a little slower. Not only that, they’re hungry. We want to be one of the last teams standing. That is our goal, that is our quest. This is a start for us.”
On the new point guard duo with Posh Alexander and Andre Curbelo…
“I think they each bring something different to the table. Of course, defensively, which is an area we really want to be good at. If you put those two guys out on the floor, that could be a pretty potent backcourt.”
On his expectations for the newcomers on the foreign tour…
“I want to see what they bring to the table. To me, that’s what this is all about. ... [David Jones and Andre Curbelo] have played a lot of basketball, when you think about the two transfers. But for the young guys, this is a different avenue, because the pace is different, the intensity and how hard you have to play. They are learning that from the [returning] guys on the team.”
On Joel Soriano’s progression during the summer…
“When you think about late January until the end of the year, Joel [Soriano] was playing some of his better basketball, which bodes confidence. … This summer, his eating regiment has been really good. He is in the gym everyday now. I couldn’t say that last year. He’s hunting down managers and the coaches to work with him and get extra reps in. He is continuing to add moves to his repertoire. We’re going to see a guy that is going to help this basketball team in a big way, on and off the floor.”
On competition within the team…
“The beauty of it is that there is going to be a lot of competition for minutes and that’s when your team can rise up. Everybody’s got to be on their best game, they got to give me everything they got, because if not, the next guy will step up.”
Junior guard Posh Alexander…
On playing with Andre Curbelo…
“I think both of us on the court will be great. We both can make plays for others, we both can create for any one of us. Having him is just a blessing. It’s just good to have him as a teammate.”
On how he is developing his game…
“I’m personally just trying to work on shooting the three-point ball better, getting in shape, but just really working on shooting the ball consistently.”
On what he has learned through his first two years playing at this level…
“What I learned from when I was coming from high school, the pace is a lot different. Learning the game, understanding the game a lot better. Understanding what it takes to be playing at the [Division I] level. In high school, it was much easier you just run and go. And now, there’s guys bigger than us, stronger than us and that’s why we’re in the weight room continuing to get stronger and better every day. That’s stuff that’s different.”
On the addition of freshman guards AJ Storr and Kolby King…
“I really like the new guys. AJ is so athletic. He can shoot the ball, he can finish around the rim and I enjoy having a fastbreak with him, throwing him alleys. [I] just can’t wait for the fans to see that. Kolby, he’s such a tough player. He gets in on defense, he can shoot the ball really good and he just challenges everybody in practice.”
Senior center Joel Soriano…
On how he hopes to progress for the upcoming season …
“Going back to last year, just getting a feel for the BIG EAST, seeing how competition is, how the speed is, how everything is really, it just opened my eyes. For me the biggest thing, I sat down with Coach we went down the negatives about my game, what he needs me to bring to the table and he needs a leader. So Posh and I are trying to be leaders on this team, to bring us where we need to be. I’m just trying to be consistent, take it one day at a time and be the best version of myself I can be.”
On how he is transforming his body in preparation for the year…
“Really just staying consistent. I’m working with our new strength coach [Brandon Kuhn]. Just diet and working out with him on extra days, part of weekends, part of two-a-days, just really been doing cardio and just getting into shape.”
On playing with Posh Alexander and Andre Curbelo…
“They’re two guys with eyes behind their heads. So it’s great having both of them on the floor. I’ve just got another guy passing me the ball. They’re both very unselfish and look for others before looking for their own shot. It’s great.”