St. John's University Athletics
PREGAME QUOTES: No. 7/7 St. John’s at Butler
St. John’s Men’s Basketball guard Kadary Richmond and forward RJ Luis Jr. spoke with the media ahead of the team’s matchup against Butler on Wednesday at Hinkle Fieldhouse
St John’s guard Kadary Richmond…
On his health status…
“Doing alright now, I'll be ready. We're managing it as it goes on. So, it's not much I could do, but just go out there and do what I can to get a win.”
On Coach Pitino defending his toughness in the media…
“It just shows you the type of person he is, because I try to block all that stuff out. I could have spoken on that at my time [at Seton Hall] and at any media availability I had, I could have spoken on that, but I chose not to. It just goes to show the type of person he is and how much he cares about his players.”
On his mentality entering the final stretch of the season…
“We started this all as one, so we're going to finish it all as one. If it's not to the point where I feel like I have to sit out or miss anything, I'll be out there.”
On being ranked No. 7/7 in the latest polls.
“We've been in the single digits this season before and then we fell to Villanova, at Villanova, so it's not really much of a big reaction. We just have to keep going out there and winning and let the people decide what number they want to give us.”
On the prospect of clinching a BIG EAST Regular Season Title this week…
“This is what we spoke about when we all came together in July. So, it's nice to have this feeling that it’s right there for us to take. Nobody's giving it to us. It's all up to us to go out there and take it. It's a great feeling to have.”
On the team coming together as one group…
“That's what we all came for. We all have goals, personal goals, team goals, and you don't achieve your personal goals unless the team wins. So, with us winning, everybody is succeeding in their own way, getting whatever they want and doing whatever they want. I'm happy to see us all flourishing.”
On the recognition the team has been getting around New York City…
“It's nice to go around and be noticed for the work that we're putting in as a group, just going out, seeing our faces on Madison Square Garden, seeing the flag poles, people noticing it wherever you go. It's a good feeling to have.”
On his mentality playing banged up…
“I've told myself, once I get out there, I'm out there, it's no time to complain or try to put on a show like I'm hurting. I'm hurting. I just keep playing and going as I can go and just monitoring it with the staff, the trainers, while I'm out there.”
On playing with Deivon Smith…
“I'll probably say just understanding each other's games and when to create, when to be aggressive, when to pass, when to shoot. I feel like just allowing each other to have room to be who we have made it effective for everyone around us because we both pass the ball at a high level and can create for ourselves at a high level. I feel like if we're both doing that on a consistent basis, we'll be fine.”
St. John’s forward RJ Luis Jr.:
On if he felt rusty against UConn…
“Definitely felt rusty. I didn't do anything for the past four days prior to that game. So, it was just good to be back on the court. We have practice today, so I can get a little bit of rhythm back and get ready for Wednesday [against Butler].”
On talking to fans prior to Sunday’s game…
“It's a great feeling. Definitely a blessing, just to get the type of recognition, where you got people wanting to take pictures with you and wanting to come by and talk to you., I think it's great. I try to do my best to take every picture I can and say hello to everybody, just because it might make their day as well as mine. I am just trying to give the fans, the supporters, some type of interaction.”
On if there’s enough time and opportunity to shake off the rust ahead of Wednesday against Butler…
“Yeah, definitely. I feel like just being out there, getting my body moving and stuff like that, is what I needed to see. More like a mental aspect and kind of a little bit of physical just to see. I played 37 minutes and felt good, like another game. Like I said, the little rust is probably just from the shots not falling, but I definitely feel like my defense was there. Building on from that and just trying to take care of these last three games and win them all.”
On what it feels like to be so close to a BIG EAST Title…
“It feels great. The job is not finished. So, we're going to continue to do what we've been doing, to continue to prepare, no matter who we play. We're going to take it as it’s a big game for us. We feel like we feel like we deserve it, and we worked very, very hard for it before the season started. Those are kind of the goals we had planned as a team and the whole coaching staff is putting in the effort. We're putting in the effort. It just feels great to be in arms reach, but anything can happen. So, just staying focused, staying humble, and really just staying hungry. Knowing that we definitely could win it all, but we just got to keep on playing together and having fun with it.”
On not letting the winning get to the team’s head…
“It's just kind of one of those feelings where we kind of don't know how to react. I feel like we see the little number by the St. John’s and it's like, we're number seven in the country, but we kind of don't really know what that means yet. It's our first time being there. It's definitely just being hungry and having the determination to win. Coach Pitino says, ‘We're all a bunch of humble guys.’ So, none of us have played in the [NCAA] Tournament, except for Zuby [Ejiofor], but I don’t even think he played that much when he was at Kansas. It's really just wanting to go out there and play for the name on the front. That's really it at the end of the day. I feel like the best team is going to win. Whoever plays the hardest on both sides of the ball. I think we're doing a great job with that. We're going to continue to do that.”
On representing his Dominican and Ecuadorian roots…
“It’s great being in New York. It’s the Mecca of basketball and there's a great Dominican and Ecuadorian community. I’m just trying to put on for the Latin community the best that I can. My Dad and I were trying to put something out there that I’m one of the first Ecuadorians of national descent to be playing at such a high Division I level. Also, Dominicans, we've been doing a really good job. Joel Soriano is actually playing with the COPA America team right now, so, shout out to him. It's just great to have that extra support and that extra boost.”
On Kadary Richmond playing through injuries…
“I think [Kadary Richmond] has done a great job. I mean you can't tell. It’s that part of the season where your body starts getting banged up, you can't hide from it. He’s hurting and he's in pain. So, just to see him play through and it means I have to do the same thing. ... With sports, the main thing is as athletes, your body is your temple. You just try and keep it healthy because you need your body so much. He's doing a very good job of distributing and being aggressive at the point guard position. I think his play is what's helping us be successful. It takes a whole team to win these big games and we're going to need everybody's best game, moving on from here.”
On his health status…
“Doing alright now, I'll be ready. We're managing it as it goes on. So, it's not much I could do, but just go out there and do what I can to get a win.”
On Coach Pitino defending his toughness in the media…
“It just shows you the type of person he is, because I try to block all that stuff out. I could have spoken on that at my time [at Seton Hall] and at any media availability I had, I could have spoken on that, but I chose not to. It just goes to show the type of person he is and how much he cares about his players.”
On his mentality entering the final stretch of the season…
“We started this all as one, so we're going to finish it all as one. If it's not to the point where I feel like I have to sit out or miss anything, I'll be out there.”
On being ranked No. 7/7 in the latest polls.
“We've been in the single digits this season before and then we fell to Villanova, at Villanova, so it's not really much of a big reaction. We just have to keep going out there and winning and let the people decide what number they want to give us.”
On the prospect of clinching a BIG EAST Regular Season Title this week…
“This is what we spoke about when we all came together in July. So, it's nice to have this feeling that it’s right there for us to take. Nobody's giving it to us. It's all up to us to go out there and take it. It's a great feeling to have.”
On the team coming together as one group…
“That's what we all came for. We all have goals, personal goals, team goals, and you don't achieve your personal goals unless the team wins. So, with us winning, everybody is succeeding in their own way, getting whatever they want and doing whatever they want. I'm happy to see us all flourishing.”
On the recognition the team has been getting around New York City…
“It's nice to go around and be noticed for the work that we're putting in as a group, just going out, seeing our faces on Madison Square Garden, seeing the flag poles, people noticing it wherever you go. It's a good feeling to have.”
On his mentality playing banged up…
“I've told myself, once I get out there, I'm out there, it's no time to complain or try to put on a show like I'm hurting. I'm hurting. I just keep playing and going as I can go and just monitoring it with the staff, the trainers, while I'm out there.”
On playing with Deivon Smith…
“I'll probably say just understanding each other's games and when to create, when to be aggressive, when to pass, when to shoot. I feel like just allowing each other to have room to be who we have made it effective for everyone around us because we both pass the ball at a high level and can create for ourselves at a high level. I feel like if we're both doing that on a consistent basis, we'll be fine.”
St. John’s forward RJ Luis Jr.:
On if he felt rusty against UConn…
“Definitely felt rusty. I didn't do anything for the past four days prior to that game. So, it was just good to be back on the court. We have practice today, so I can get a little bit of rhythm back and get ready for Wednesday [against Butler].”
On talking to fans prior to Sunday’s game…
“It's a great feeling. Definitely a blessing, just to get the type of recognition, where you got people wanting to take pictures with you and wanting to come by and talk to you., I think it's great. I try to do my best to take every picture I can and say hello to everybody, just because it might make their day as well as mine. I am just trying to give the fans, the supporters, some type of interaction.”
On if there’s enough time and opportunity to shake off the rust ahead of Wednesday against Butler…
“Yeah, definitely. I feel like just being out there, getting my body moving and stuff like that, is what I needed to see. More like a mental aspect and kind of a little bit of physical just to see. I played 37 minutes and felt good, like another game. Like I said, the little rust is probably just from the shots not falling, but I definitely feel like my defense was there. Building on from that and just trying to take care of these last three games and win them all.”
On what it feels like to be so close to a BIG EAST Title…
“It feels great. The job is not finished. So, we're going to continue to do what we've been doing, to continue to prepare, no matter who we play. We're going to take it as it’s a big game for us. We feel like we feel like we deserve it, and we worked very, very hard for it before the season started. Those are kind of the goals we had planned as a team and the whole coaching staff is putting in the effort. We're putting in the effort. It just feels great to be in arms reach, but anything can happen. So, just staying focused, staying humble, and really just staying hungry. Knowing that we definitely could win it all, but we just got to keep on playing together and having fun with it.”
On not letting the winning get to the team’s head…
“It's just kind of one of those feelings where we kind of don't know how to react. I feel like we see the little number by the St. John’s and it's like, we're number seven in the country, but we kind of don't really know what that means yet. It's our first time being there. It's definitely just being hungry and having the determination to win. Coach Pitino says, ‘We're all a bunch of humble guys.’ So, none of us have played in the [NCAA] Tournament, except for Zuby [Ejiofor], but I don’t even think he played that much when he was at Kansas. It's really just wanting to go out there and play for the name on the front. That's really it at the end of the day. I feel like the best team is going to win. Whoever plays the hardest on both sides of the ball. I think we're doing a great job with that. We're going to continue to do that.”
On representing his Dominican and Ecuadorian roots…
“It’s great being in New York. It’s the Mecca of basketball and there's a great Dominican and Ecuadorian community. I’m just trying to put on for the Latin community the best that I can. My Dad and I were trying to put something out there that I’m one of the first Ecuadorians of national descent to be playing at such a high Division I level. Also, Dominicans, we've been doing a really good job. Joel Soriano is actually playing with the COPA America team right now, so, shout out to him. It's just great to have that extra support and that extra boost.”
On Kadary Richmond playing through injuries…
“I think [Kadary Richmond] has done a great job. I mean you can't tell. It’s that part of the season where your body starts getting banged up, you can't hide from it. He’s hurting and he's in pain. So, just to see him play through and it means I have to do the same thing. ... With sports, the main thing is as athletes, your body is your temple. You just try and keep it healthy because you need your body so much. He's doing a very good job of distributing and being aggressive at the point guard position. I think his play is what's helping us be successful. It takes a whole team to win these big games and we're going to need everybody's best game, moving on from here.”