St. John's University Athletics
PREGAME QUOTES: St. John’s Men’s Basketball vs. Xavier
St. John’s Head Coach Rick Pitino, Daniss Jenkins and Joel Soriano met with the media ahead of the Red Storm’s matchup with Xavier on Wednesday
St. John’s Head Coach Rick Pitino
On if the team is ready for BIG EAST play…
“I don’t know. Everything for me with this team is a guess. As you look at the schedule sometimes you play – ‘What would our record be?’. I was hoping at best it would be 8-2, so we are not far off that. The Boston College game was a very big disappointment. Not that they are not good, they are a very talented team. It's just that when you have a 10-point lead and you know you have to stop the three and then give up three threes, it's just very disappointing but we are getting better and we are improving. We are playing against a [Xavier] team that's a much better team than us right now. Not saying they have better talent, but a much better team. It’s a system that beat UConn twice last year, beat St. John’s twice, and they have a great system that they are playing to right now. [Xavier Head Coach] Sean [Miller] is not just an outstanding coach, but he has a great system and whether or not we are ready for that system remains to be seen.”
On BIG EAST Conference…
“It’s the best basketball conference since the inception and Dave Gavitt starting it. On a given year, the ACC could be a little bit stronger, the SEC could be a little bit stronger, but the BIG EAST, since the forming of it in the early 1980s has been just incredible. Now it’s strong once again with a National Champion [UConn], Marquette, Creighton, Butler has been a big surprise. Seton Hall has been playing great, Xavier has played Houston, Purdue and Cincinnati. They have all played a very tough schedules and it’s going to be a heck of a year for a lot of teams.”
On his feelings returning to BIG EAST play…
“Exciting and apprehensive because you have to get ready for these teams in a very short period of time with 14 new players. Our system is not in. Our system is based off relentless defense, what I’ve always called the “mother-in-law defense” - constant pressure and harassment. We are nowhere near that yet. It’s going to take recruiting quickness, athleticism, speed, size to get to that point, but we are just going to keep building towards that goal.”
On the improvement shown in the Fordham game…
“We took a big step forward defensively with our intensity. … We still have a long way to go. We just wanted to see more aggressiveness, we wanted to see taking teams out of what they do. Taking the scouting report and saying we know what they are going to do, now take them out of what they do best, and we did a good job of that.”
On playing at Carnesecca Arena…
“Carnesecca Arena is a very strong home-court advantage. The Garden, not yet, but I have to say, the Fordham crowd was terrific, but Carnesecca Arena is a very strong home court, as the Cintas Center is for Xavier. Most of the teams in the BIG EAST have a very strong home court. We have to make sure we zoom in on scouting and not the crowd because it can work against you. … You have to make sure you stay focused on this basketball team.”
St. John’s guard Daniss Jenkins
On if he sees a new urgency in Coach Pitino with BIG EAST play starting…
“I wouldn’t say a new [sense of urgency] because like I said, at Iona, it was like we were in the BIG EAST. That’s just who he is. That’s what is so great about Coach P, he holds every team he has ever coached to this same standard. I’m used to him being this way. No matter what level he was at he believed that we could play with the best team he had ever had. That’s how he viewed us. It’s not like, ‘Oh, I have a different team, or this is not my same team.’ He doesn’t think like that. It’s my best team did it so every team can do it. That’s just how he views it.”
On how close the team is to playing Coach Pitino’s press defense…
“Here at St. John’s, I think our biggest thing is getting into the press. Once we set up and get into it, I think we are pretty good. Outside of sometimes we give up easy catches and don’t trap as much in the backcourt. If we communicate and get into it early – like everyone knowing what press we are in and knowing how to play it – I think we are pretty good at it. We are close to being there, but we still got to know which one we are in based off what type of basket we score.”
On leadership and mentoring Simeon Wilcher…
“My approach to things like that is you just have to go out and do it at practice. My biggest thing is to be an example rather than go out and just tell him. I don’t want to come to him like that. ... I just try to go out and try to be the best example I can be. Like small stuff – running the team, calling out plays for the team, telling guys where to go and just talking to the team and being that leader. … That is pretty much my relationship with him. Whenever I see something, I will say it, but I just try to be an example.”
St John’s center Joel Soriano
On how ready this team is for BIG EAST play compared to prior seasons…
“This is probably one of the deeper teams I’ve played on. I think we shoot the ball way better than past teams. I think we are more connected and I think we are very ready for the BIG EAST. It’s going to be tough for sure, but I think we are up for the challenge.”
On what his mentality is heading into BIG EAST play…
“My mentality is definitely to win as many games as possible. To be honest man, I just come in with the mindset of outworking my opponent, step on the court and have a killer mindset, to be honest with you. As a man and as a person I don’t think there is anyone on this Earth better than me – NBA players, anybody. That’s the type of confidence you have to have in yourself. So, I just try to come with a killer instinct because in this conference if you let it get the best of you it will get the best of you.”
On importance of BIG EAST play…
“I think it is very important, because you want to build momentum. Especially since we have Xavier coming in that’s our main focus right now. Then we are going into a tough environment at UConn. The BIG EAST is a very, very tough conference because you are going to have to fight every night. Stacking up as many wins as possible is key. Just build as much momentum as you can because every team is going to give you their best shot. Tomorrow is going to be a big test and we have to see how we respond to that.”
On if the team is ready for BIG EAST play…
“I don’t know. Everything for me with this team is a guess. As you look at the schedule sometimes you play – ‘What would our record be?’. I was hoping at best it would be 8-2, so we are not far off that. The Boston College game was a very big disappointment. Not that they are not good, they are a very talented team. It's just that when you have a 10-point lead and you know you have to stop the three and then give up three threes, it's just very disappointing but we are getting better and we are improving. We are playing against a [Xavier] team that's a much better team than us right now. Not saying they have better talent, but a much better team. It’s a system that beat UConn twice last year, beat St. John’s twice, and they have a great system that they are playing to right now. [Xavier Head Coach] Sean [Miller] is not just an outstanding coach, but he has a great system and whether or not we are ready for that system remains to be seen.”
On BIG EAST Conference…
“It’s the best basketball conference since the inception and Dave Gavitt starting it. On a given year, the ACC could be a little bit stronger, the SEC could be a little bit stronger, but the BIG EAST, since the forming of it in the early 1980s has been just incredible. Now it’s strong once again with a National Champion [UConn], Marquette, Creighton, Butler has been a big surprise. Seton Hall has been playing great, Xavier has played Houston, Purdue and Cincinnati. They have all played a very tough schedules and it’s going to be a heck of a year for a lot of teams.”
On his feelings returning to BIG EAST play…
“Exciting and apprehensive because you have to get ready for these teams in a very short period of time with 14 new players. Our system is not in. Our system is based off relentless defense, what I’ve always called the “mother-in-law defense” - constant pressure and harassment. We are nowhere near that yet. It’s going to take recruiting quickness, athleticism, speed, size to get to that point, but we are just going to keep building towards that goal.”
On the improvement shown in the Fordham game…
“We took a big step forward defensively with our intensity. … We still have a long way to go. We just wanted to see more aggressiveness, we wanted to see taking teams out of what they do. Taking the scouting report and saying we know what they are going to do, now take them out of what they do best, and we did a good job of that.”
On playing at Carnesecca Arena…
“Carnesecca Arena is a very strong home-court advantage. The Garden, not yet, but I have to say, the Fordham crowd was terrific, but Carnesecca Arena is a very strong home court, as the Cintas Center is for Xavier. Most of the teams in the BIG EAST have a very strong home court. We have to make sure we zoom in on scouting and not the crowd because it can work against you. … You have to make sure you stay focused on this basketball team.”
St. John’s guard Daniss Jenkins
On if he sees a new urgency in Coach Pitino with BIG EAST play starting…
“I wouldn’t say a new [sense of urgency] because like I said, at Iona, it was like we were in the BIG EAST. That’s just who he is. That’s what is so great about Coach P, he holds every team he has ever coached to this same standard. I’m used to him being this way. No matter what level he was at he believed that we could play with the best team he had ever had. That’s how he viewed us. It’s not like, ‘Oh, I have a different team, or this is not my same team.’ He doesn’t think like that. It’s my best team did it so every team can do it. That’s just how he views it.”
On how close the team is to playing Coach Pitino’s press defense…
“Here at St. John’s, I think our biggest thing is getting into the press. Once we set up and get into it, I think we are pretty good. Outside of sometimes we give up easy catches and don’t trap as much in the backcourt. If we communicate and get into it early – like everyone knowing what press we are in and knowing how to play it – I think we are pretty good at it. We are close to being there, but we still got to know which one we are in based off what type of basket we score.”
On leadership and mentoring Simeon Wilcher…
“My approach to things like that is you just have to go out and do it at practice. My biggest thing is to be an example rather than go out and just tell him. I don’t want to come to him like that. ... I just try to go out and try to be the best example I can be. Like small stuff – running the team, calling out plays for the team, telling guys where to go and just talking to the team and being that leader. … That is pretty much my relationship with him. Whenever I see something, I will say it, but I just try to be an example.”
St John’s center Joel Soriano
On how ready this team is for BIG EAST play compared to prior seasons…
“This is probably one of the deeper teams I’ve played on. I think we shoot the ball way better than past teams. I think we are more connected and I think we are very ready for the BIG EAST. It’s going to be tough for sure, but I think we are up for the challenge.”
On what his mentality is heading into BIG EAST play…
“My mentality is definitely to win as many games as possible. To be honest man, I just come in with the mindset of outworking my opponent, step on the court and have a killer mindset, to be honest with you. As a man and as a person I don’t think there is anyone on this Earth better than me – NBA players, anybody. That’s the type of confidence you have to have in yourself. So, I just try to come with a killer instinct because in this conference if you let it get the best of you it will get the best of you.”
On importance of BIG EAST play…
“I think it is very important, because you want to build momentum. Especially since we have Xavier coming in that’s our main focus right now. Then we are going into a tough environment at UConn. The BIG EAST is a very, very tough conference because you are going to have to fight every night. Stacking up as many wins as possible is key. Just build as much momentum as you can because every team is going to give you their best shot. Tomorrow is going to be a big test and we have to see how we respond to that.”