St. John's University Athletics
POSTGAME QUOTES: BIG EAST Tournament Semifinals vs No. 5 Marquette
St. John’s Men’s Basketball Head Coach Rick Pitino and Red Storm players spoke with the media following the team’s 79-63 victory over No. 5 Marquette in the BIG EAST Semifinals on Friday at Madison Square Garden
Head Coach Rick Pitino
Opening statement…
“Tonight, what I said after the game, there's no panic in this stock market. These guys don't panic. Down, they dig in, they play hard. That's a very good Marquette team. We were almost the perfect five tonight. Michael Jordan is a five-plus now, so understand that. But we were like a five, five-minus tonight. We were brilliant at all phases of the game. This guy [Aaron Scott], with a bad thumb at the end of the game, got every loose ball. The big dog over here [Zuby Ejiofor] just was tremendous. Last night, he got a little frustrated because he didn't get the ball much, and tonight, he just showed unbelievable leadership every time out. I don't know what was better, his play or his leadership tonight. They were both pretty extraordinary. These two guys are what St. John's basketball should be about. It's all about the team. They're all about each other and I'm really proud of them. This was a brilliant night for us and now we're in the championship game.”
On Zuby Ejiofor…
“When Zuby came in, I put him through a hard player development session. First thing I noticed is he never complained about the drills. He went through it. Then he shot the ball really well. I said to his dad, ‘I got myself a hell of a player here.’ He said, ‘I've been telling everybody Zuby can shoot.’ I said, ‘Well, Zuby can do a lot of things.’ But every coach wants to have a player like him: selfless, just cares about the team. You get blessed in coaching him. I've been coaching 50 years, and there are very few Zubys that come along that just think about the team. Whether he scores 33 or 3, it's all about the team. Every timeout he's saying something positive to the guys. We're lucky. We got him back again and we're lucky to have him. He's our captain.”
On Zuby Ejiofor’s defense…
“Yeah, Zuby is getting better. We talked about his stance all day. He's getting better and better defensively. The good thing about him is he's had so much more growth. By the end of the summer, I want him to be a knock-down shooter, play some power forward as well. He has the ability because he has a very good-looking shot. He's improved his passing.”
On the team’s defensive and offensive efforts tonight…
“Tonight, when you look at it, they're a really good team. They have six assists and 17 turnovers to our 17 assists and 11 turnovers. That's huge. We did a terrific job of switching, matching up. Our coaches did a fabulous job of preparing with very little time. They paid us strict attention. I'm most proud that they all got Zuby [Ejiofor] the ball. We ran some plays where they thought they would play behind him, and he got the ball, but they got him the ball. Kadary [Richmond] is very good at that. The whole team is very good at that. He made some great loose ball situations with a really sore thumb at the end of the game. Just dug in. Awesome, awesome young men.”
On coaching this year’s team…
“I tell you, people keep saying to me, what about this year? What about this year is I've been so blessed to have such nice young men that I'm coaching. That, to me, is worth more than anything else. I'm very, very lucky.”
St John’s forward Zuby Ejiofor
On setting a St. John’s record for most points in a BIG EAST Tournament Game…
“It was just an amazing feeling and I got it going early. I just want to thank my coaching staff and my teammates for putting me in a position to be successful. They told me to come out and be a lot more aggressive than I did last game and that's exactly what I did. So, I just want to give all the props to them. Coach [Pitino] does a great job of just challenging us to be better every single game. Now it's on to the championship game and we are looking forward to it.”
On how far he has come this season…
“I mean, it's been a crazy ride. Last year didn't go as planned. We want to be in these moments and we want to go into the NCAA Tournament. This year we've put ourselves in a great position to do that. Individually, I knew I had a bigger role to fill. I want to thank Coach [Pitino] and the staff for preparing me for these moments. All the player development sessions and the amount of time that I have put in on and off the court to be able to do the things that I did tonight.”
On coming back in tonight’s game…
“I think it's just the way we practice and our identity is on defense. It starts with defense and our willingness to win every single game. Pretty much everybody on this team hates losing. Coach [Pitino] the most. We just love these types of moments. Whether we're down 15 or up, we stay level-headed and do whatever it takes to win.
On how he bounced back after his performance last game…
“I just leave the past in the past. Obviously, I didn't play to the level and to the standard that Coach [Pitino] and everybody expects of me. So, I just came out more aggressive today and my teammates were able to find me in situations where I could be successful. It really paid off. I'm proud of how we stuck through it the entire night. When we're playing off each other and when everybody is locked in defensively, we're a really scary team. I'm just so proud of each and every one of us for how we stepped up today.”
St John’s forward Aaron Scott
On the team’s comeback in tonight’s game…
“The way we practice, we've been through it. We knew it was going to be a 40-minute game and we knew they were going to make their runs. We just keep telling each other to stay positive. Our captain, Zuby [Ejiofor], encourages us in every huddle and every time-out to just stay positive and keep getting stops.”
On Coach Pitino…
“[Coach Pitino] keeps us going all the time, whether it's bad or good, He stays solid. He never gets too low and never gets too high. He stays sane and that's what we need each and every game, and that's what he brings.”
On his will to win…
“That's the type of team we've got. That's our identity. Nothing stops us from playing: injuries, bloody lips, messed-up thumbs, hamstring, nothing. I want to be out there to help my team win.”
On his hustle and intensity…
“I always had that in me, but Coach Pitino pushed me to another level that I have never been pushed to. I love being here. I love doing what I do, and I just love this team.”
On playing in front of The Garden crowd tonight…
“It's crazy. The Garden crowd is always crazy. Very energized, very excited. I'm glad they're on our side. It feels like home court. Happy for tomorrow, one more game.”
On Zuby Ejiofor’s growth…
“His improvement has been crazy. [BIG EAST} Most Improved Player. We're just happy he's on our side and on our team. He's become one of our better leaders and our captain. We need him. He's the man in the middle, and I'm just proud of what he has done so far.”
St John’s guard Kadary Richmond:
On if this is what he envisioned when he transferred to St. John’s…
“Definitely, I came here to win, and it's starting to come to life now. So, I'm happy, happy to see it. So, happy with the decision I made. Got a big one tomorrow.”
On if he is playing with a chip on his shoulder after not being named to the All-BIG EAST First Team…
“I couldn’t care less about that stuff. I'm just here to win. Keep winning. I'm a winner. Just go out and win.”
On how Coach Pitino has elevated his game…
“Just understanding the pace of the game. Understanding what's going on out there, how to make plays, when to shoot, when to score and helping my decision-making.”
St. John’s forward RJ Luis Jr.:
On the team’s performance in tonight’s game…
“It feels great. It's a great win. Very exciting for me to play in my first championship the BIG EAST Tournament. It’s a team sport; everybody is going to come ready to play. I appreciate my brothers for having my back. It was a great win, I'm very excited. Zuby [Ejiofor] had a career night. He was destroying. [Marquette] couldn't guard him. So, everybody's trying to do their best to get him the ball and keep hitting him.”
On Head Coach Rick Pitino when the team is down…
“He's a great coach. He does a great job getting us going and being very energetic when things aren't going our way. Just sticking to our principles, our identity and just digging it out as a whole team, as a unit.”
On coming back to win when down double-digits…
“I mean, it's just this unit. It’s this team, we don't want to lose. I feel like it's the end of the world when we all lose. Everybody hates losing here. So, like I said, the game of basketball is a game of runs. So, just sticking to our identity. It was just playing together, having fun, and just knowing that even though we're down, we still got a chance to win the game and just playing hard.”
On Aaron Scott’s performance…
“He’s a Swiss Army knife. It doesn’t matter if Aaron Scott’s mouth is bleeding, his nose is gushing or he has blood all over his jersey. He’s still going to go hard and I’m happy for him. It takes a whole team and Aaron is one of those guys that you might not see those stats on paper, but he brings a lot of energy and guys feed off of him. “
On if Zuby Ejiofor’s performance yesterday motivated him for tonight…
“You never know how the game is going to go. You always try to do your best. And I think Zuby did a great job of bouncing back, and he definitely made his presence felt tonight.”
St John’s legend Walter Berry:
On RJ Luis Jr. winning BIG EAST Player of the Year…
“I’m very happy anytime they come from my alma mater, St. John’s. I'm happy about that. Chris [Mullin] got player of the year and I came back and got it. We've been waiting for the next one. [RJ Luis Jr.] deserves it.”
On RJ Luis Jr.’s game…
“He’s got a pro game. He's going to the NBA. He’s just got to take his time a little bit. He's going to be a pro. He's going to be a good pro.”
Opening statement…
“Tonight, what I said after the game, there's no panic in this stock market. These guys don't panic. Down, they dig in, they play hard. That's a very good Marquette team. We were almost the perfect five tonight. Michael Jordan is a five-plus now, so understand that. But we were like a five, five-minus tonight. We were brilliant at all phases of the game. This guy [Aaron Scott], with a bad thumb at the end of the game, got every loose ball. The big dog over here [Zuby Ejiofor] just was tremendous. Last night, he got a little frustrated because he didn't get the ball much, and tonight, he just showed unbelievable leadership every time out. I don't know what was better, his play or his leadership tonight. They were both pretty extraordinary. These two guys are what St. John's basketball should be about. It's all about the team. They're all about each other and I'm really proud of them. This was a brilliant night for us and now we're in the championship game.”
On Zuby Ejiofor…
“When Zuby came in, I put him through a hard player development session. First thing I noticed is he never complained about the drills. He went through it. Then he shot the ball really well. I said to his dad, ‘I got myself a hell of a player here.’ He said, ‘I've been telling everybody Zuby can shoot.’ I said, ‘Well, Zuby can do a lot of things.’ But every coach wants to have a player like him: selfless, just cares about the team. You get blessed in coaching him. I've been coaching 50 years, and there are very few Zubys that come along that just think about the team. Whether he scores 33 or 3, it's all about the team. Every timeout he's saying something positive to the guys. We're lucky. We got him back again and we're lucky to have him. He's our captain.”
On Zuby Ejiofor’s defense…
“Yeah, Zuby is getting better. We talked about his stance all day. He's getting better and better defensively. The good thing about him is he's had so much more growth. By the end of the summer, I want him to be a knock-down shooter, play some power forward as well. He has the ability because he has a very good-looking shot. He's improved his passing.”
On the team’s defensive and offensive efforts tonight…
“Tonight, when you look at it, they're a really good team. They have six assists and 17 turnovers to our 17 assists and 11 turnovers. That's huge. We did a terrific job of switching, matching up. Our coaches did a fabulous job of preparing with very little time. They paid us strict attention. I'm most proud that they all got Zuby [Ejiofor] the ball. We ran some plays where they thought they would play behind him, and he got the ball, but they got him the ball. Kadary [Richmond] is very good at that. The whole team is very good at that. He made some great loose ball situations with a really sore thumb at the end of the game. Just dug in. Awesome, awesome young men.”
On coaching this year’s team…
“I tell you, people keep saying to me, what about this year? What about this year is I've been so blessed to have such nice young men that I'm coaching. That, to me, is worth more than anything else. I'm very, very lucky.”
St John’s forward Zuby Ejiofor
On setting a St. John’s record for most points in a BIG EAST Tournament Game…
“It was just an amazing feeling and I got it going early. I just want to thank my coaching staff and my teammates for putting me in a position to be successful. They told me to come out and be a lot more aggressive than I did last game and that's exactly what I did. So, I just want to give all the props to them. Coach [Pitino] does a great job of just challenging us to be better every single game. Now it's on to the championship game and we are looking forward to it.”
On how far he has come this season…
“I mean, it's been a crazy ride. Last year didn't go as planned. We want to be in these moments and we want to go into the NCAA Tournament. This year we've put ourselves in a great position to do that. Individually, I knew I had a bigger role to fill. I want to thank Coach [Pitino] and the staff for preparing me for these moments. All the player development sessions and the amount of time that I have put in on and off the court to be able to do the things that I did tonight.”
On coming back in tonight’s game…
“I think it's just the way we practice and our identity is on defense. It starts with defense and our willingness to win every single game. Pretty much everybody on this team hates losing. Coach [Pitino] the most. We just love these types of moments. Whether we're down 15 or up, we stay level-headed and do whatever it takes to win.
On how he bounced back after his performance last game…
“I just leave the past in the past. Obviously, I didn't play to the level and to the standard that Coach [Pitino] and everybody expects of me. So, I just came out more aggressive today and my teammates were able to find me in situations where I could be successful. It really paid off. I'm proud of how we stuck through it the entire night. When we're playing off each other and when everybody is locked in defensively, we're a really scary team. I'm just so proud of each and every one of us for how we stepped up today.”
St John’s forward Aaron Scott
On the team’s comeback in tonight’s game…
“The way we practice, we've been through it. We knew it was going to be a 40-minute game and we knew they were going to make their runs. We just keep telling each other to stay positive. Our captain, Zuby [Ejiofor], encourages us in every huddle and every time-out to just stay positive and keep getting stops.”
On Coach Pitino…
“[Coach Pitino] keeps us going all the time, whether it's bad or good, He stays solid. He never gets too low and never gets too high. He stays sane and that's what we need each and every game, and that's what he brings.”
On his will to win…
“That's the type of team we've got. That's our identity. Nothing stops us from playing: injuries, bloody lips, messed-up thumbs, hamstring, nothing. I want to be out there to help my team win.”
On his hustle and intensity…
“I always had that in me, but Coach Pitino pushed me to another level that I have never been pushed to. I love being here. I love doing what I do, and I just love this team.”
On playing in front of The Garden crowd tonight…
“It's crazy. The Garden crowd is always crazy. Very energized, very excited. I'm glad they're on our side. It feels like home court. Happy for tomorrow, one more game.”
On Zuby Ejiofor’s growth…
“His improvement has been crazy. [BIG EAST} Most Improved Player. We're just happy he's on our side and on our team. He's become one of our better leaders and our captain. We need him. He's the man in the middle, and I'm just proud of what he has done so far.”
St John’s guard Kadary Richmond:
On if this is what he envisioned when he transferred to St. John’s…
“Definitely, I came here to win, and it's starting to come to life now. So, I'm happy, happy to see it. So, happy with the decision I made. Got a big one tomorrow.”
On if he is playing with a chip on his shoulder after not being named to the All-BIG EAST First Team…
“I couldn’t care less about that stuff. I'm just here to win. Keep winning. I'm a winner. Just go out and win.”
On how Coach Pitino has elevated his game…
“Just understanding the pace of the game. Understanding what's going on out there, how to make plays, when to shoot, when to score and helping my decision-making.”
St. John’s forward RJ Luis Jr.:
On the team’s performance in tonight’s game…
“It feels great. It's a great win. Very exciting for me to play in my first championship the BIG EAST Tournament. It’s a team sport; everybody is going to come ready to play. I appreciate my brothers for having my back. It was a great win, I'm very excited. Zuby [Ejiofor] had a career night. He was destroying. [Marquette] couldn't guard him. So, everybody's trying to do their best to get him the ball and keep hitting him.”
On Head Coach Rick Pitino when the team is down…
“He's a great coach. He does a great job getting us going and being very energetic when things aren't going our way. Just sticking to our principles, our identity and just digging it out as a whole team, as a unit.”
On coming back to win when down double-digits…
“I mean, it's just this unit. It’s this team, we don't want to lose. I feel like it's the end of the world when we all lose. Everybody hates losing here. So, like I said, the game of basketball is a game of runs. So, just sticking to our identity. It was just playing together, having fun, and just knowing that even though we're down, we still got a chance to win the game and just playing hard.”
On Aaron Scott’s performance…
“He’s a Swiss Army knife. It doesn’t matter if Aaron Scott’s mouth is bleeding, his nose is gushing or he has blood all over his jersey. He’s still going to go hard and I’m happy for him. It takes a whole team and Aaron is one of those guys that you might not see those stats on paper, but he brings a lot of energy and guys feed off of him. “
On if Zuby Ejiofor’s performance yesterday motivated him for tonight…
“You never know how the game is going to go. You always try to do your best. And I think Zuby did a great job of bouncing back, and he definitely made his presence felt tonight.”
St John’s legend Walter Berry:
On RJ Luis Jr. winning BIG EAST Player of the Year…
“I’m very happy anytime they come from my alma mater, St. John’s. I'm happy about that. Chris [Mullin] got player of the year and I came back and got it. We've been waiting for the next one. [RJ Luis Jr.] deserves it.”
On RJ Luis Jr.’s game…
“He’s got a pro game. He's going to the NBA. He’s just got to take his time a little bit. He's going to be a pro. He's going to be a good pro.”