St. John's University Athletics
POSTGAME QUOTES: ST. JOHN’S VS. VILLANOVA
St. John’s Men’s Basketball Head Coach Rick Pitino, senior forward Zuby Ejiofor and sophomore guard Ian Jackson spoke with the media after defeating Villanova, 89-57, at Madison Square Garden on Saturday
Head Coach Rick Pitino
On Ian Jackson…
“Ian [Jackson], I told him that he’s one of two people that are most improved on the team. He probably doesn’t see it as much as I do because he just wants to score 40 points a game, but he’s gotten to become a better defensive player. He’s picking up a lot of different things from rebounding and steals and making himself a total player, not just a scorer. That’s what we’re trying to do more than anything else because he has that ability.”
On Zuby Ejiofor’s triple double…
“Zuby had a triple double, which is incredible for a five-man on your team to get 10 assists, but he is the team leader in assists.”
On his relationship with Zuby Ejiofor…
“I get along great with every player that works hard. I don’t get along with players that don’t work hard. I feel when you put that St. John’s uniform on or you put that Louisville uniform on, Kentucky or Providence, you’re coming to get better. You’re coming to bring it every single day because the coaching staff is going to bring it every single day, and that’s Zuby. It’s a great match [with me] because he brings it every single day. That’s what the great ones do.”
On Ian Jackson’s trajectory as a defender…
“He can be the best defensive player on the team. He just has never been known as that and he’s focused on it. I took him out because he went under on [Tyler] Perkins, and I said, ‘I’m putting you right back in, but don’t ever go under a shooter again.’ And he says, ‘I got you Coach,’ and he went back in and played terrific.”
Senior forward Zuby Ejiofor
On his relationship with Coach Pitino…
“It’s a great relationship. He gets on me as much as he would get on a guy like [Lefteris Liotopolous] or [Fotis Konstantinidis] or anybody else on the team. And that’s how [we] got to be able to just create a special bond. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to experience a regular season title and a tournament title under him as well, so that’s something we’re chasing again.”
On what his time at St. John’s has meant…
“I became a man in this program. Coach Pitino, for the last three years now, has been guiding me through this whole process. Not just with the game of basketball, but just life in general. I’m really blessed to be able to put on this jersey each and every night. Playing at Madison Square Garden, calling that your home court and just putting on a performance like this in front of the best fans in the country. It means everything to have this type of performance, especially with my family in the crowd as well.”
On Coach Pitino’s personal impact on him…
“The way [Coach Pitino] carries himself every single day, his passion for basketball, coming in every single day and being energetic, being loud and being who he is, and you can see what the game means to him. And like I said, not just the basketball, but I feel like I grew. I literally grew up here the past three years.”
Sophomore guard Ian Jackson
On his play tonight…
“I think for me, it’s just having the mentality of just trying to impact winning, whatever it takes that night. Whether it’s on defense, offense, whatever I could do to help us win is what I’m willing to do. And tonight, defense sparked it for me, getting five steals, being active on the ball, being active in the lanes. It started there, and it made something great happen.”
On Ian Jackson…
“Ian [Jackson], I told him that he’s one of two people that are most improved on the team. He probably doesn’t see it as much as I do because he just wants to score 40 points a game, but he’s gotten to become a better defensive player. He’s picking up a lot of different things from rebounding and steals and making himself a total player, not just a scorer. That’s what we’re trying to do more than anything else because he has that ability.”
On Zuby Ejiofor’s triple double…
“Zuby had a triple double, which is incredible for a five-man on your team to get 10 assists, but he is the team leader in assists.”
On his relationship with Zuby Ejiofor…
“I get along great with every player that works hard. I don’t get along with players that don’t work hard. I feel when you put that St. John’s uniform on or you put that Louisville uniform on, Kentucky or Providence, you’re coming to get better. You’re coming to bring it every single day because the coaching staff is going to bring it every single day, and that’s Zuby. It’s a great match [with me] because he brings it every single day. That’s what the great ones do.”
On Ian Jackson’s trajectory as a defender…
“He can be the best defensive player on the team. He just has never been known as that and he’s focused on it. I took him out because he went under on [Tyler] Perkins, and I said, ‘I’m putting you right back in, but don’t ever go under a shooter again.’ And he says, ‘I got you Coach,’ and he went back in and played terrific.”
Senior forward Zuby Ejiofor
On his relationship with Coach Pitino…
“It’s a great relationship. He gets on me as much as he would get on a guy like [Lefteris Liotopolous] or [Fotis Konstantinidis] or anybody else on the team. And that’s how [we] got to be able to just create a special bond. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to experience a regular season title and a tournament title under him as well, so that’s something we’re chasing again.”
On what his time at St. John’s has meant…
“I became a man in this program. Coach Pitino, for the last three years now, has been guiding me through this whole process. Not just with the game of basketball, but just life in general. I’m really blessed to be able to put on this jersey each and every night. Playing at Madison Square Garden, calling that your home court and just putting on a performance like this in front of the best fans in the country. It means everything to have this type of performance, especially with my family in the crowd as well.”
On Coach Pitino’s personal impact on him…
“The way [Coach Pitino] carries himself every single day, his passion for basketball, coming in every single day and being energetic, being loud and being who he is, and you can see what the game means to him. And like I said, not just the basketball, but I feel like I grew. I literally grew up here the past three years.”
Sophomore guard Ian Jackson
On his play tonight…
“I think for me, it’s just having the mentality of just trying to impact winning, whatever it takes that night. Whether it’s on defense, offense, whatever I could do to help us win is what I’m willing to do. And tonight, defense sparked it for me, getting five steals, being active on the ball, being active in the lanes. It started there, and it made something great happen.”