Just two of us Chad and myself for Damon Stoudamire's Monday media avail ahead of the Cincinnati game. None of the GT media are traveling for the game due to it being Thanksgiving Eve on the road during Hate Week.
I asked Damon about going on the road for the first time and going against a good Cincinnati team, he said they are 4-0 but he isn't worried about Cincinnati right now. He is really concentrating on his own team. He said they need to limit turnovers and win the rebounding battle and if they do those two things they will have a shot to win and they have to do that every game. He said they need to be better in transition on defense as well and that is his primary focus right now. Cincy has really good guards and they pressure the ball. He said he has been working with the team to understand the scouting reports and how Cincy will play in the half-court and they'll get specific at times but he wants them to stay within their normal preparations and have the same approach to every game and that is what he is trying to teach them.
Damon said one thing that has bothered him so far is the inability of the team to push leads out when they get up on teams like in the last game against U-Mass Lowell they got up seven and didn't deny a high-low catch that was defendable and broke their scoring streak. He said little details like that bothered him. He said how the team plays when they are up 6, down 6, or up 15, the details in those moments are big for him and preaching that it is a one-possession-at-a-time game and a next-play mentality. He said the crowd will be an interesting factor in this upcoming game and he also said he doesn't like the loose ball turnovers that turn into fastbreak baskets. He said throw the ball 30-feet into the stands before you let someone steal it from you because at least you can set the defense then. (Seems like he was displeased with some of the ballhandling).
I asked him how to get Miles Kelly going earlier in games and just overall and he said it is about efficiency with Miles. He is being inefficient with his scoring and dribbling too much. He said sometimes he takes three dribbles when he should take two and pull up and shoot the ball or he needs to make a pass when he is forcing a shot. He also said he jogs at times when he needs to run and runs when he should be pacing himself by jogging. Miles has to work on his efficiency overall on the court. He said he is more worried about how poorly the team is starting overall than the slow starts Miles has had. He said they can't start a game down 10-2 as a collective group.
Lance Terry is still out, no timetable for him yet. Baye Ndongo is day-to-day now and he hopes he is ready to go for Mississippi State worst case scenario. Sounds like Baye might play Wednesday if he is okay.
I asked him about Deebo Coleman's role and he said he views Deebo as the sixth starter and he doesn't want to mess with the rotation yet and change the starting lineup. He likes the energy that second group (Deebo, Kyle Sturdivant and Ibrahima Sacko) are bringing off the bench and he wants to keep that going. He said that Deebo is having his best season statistically and while he would probably like to start, he doesn't want to mess with what is working. He said Deebo is playing smarter and bringing it off the bench and doing a great job and he wants him to continue that going forward.
Stoudamire said he has not changed much with the road game plans for the team. He said he is a guy who loves road games because it limits distractions and you get a chance to bond more as a team so he likes going on the road and it is a better experience in some ways for coaches and players. He said they will cherish those times on the road together more down the road and you go into a gym with one common goal.
I also asked about his two new signees,
Jaeden Mustaf, "he is a downhill guy, he does a really good job of getting downhill and getting contact and finishing through contact. He will be a really good on-the-ball defender for us and I'm a big strong guard so he checks a lot of boxes."
Cole Kirouac, "I think Cole will be really good for us. He has the length and he has the size you want. He is going to get stronger, but he can finish with both hands and I love his ability to block shots. I love his ability as a big to change ends of the floor so I'm looking forward to having him on board as well."
I asked Damon about going on the road for the first time and going against a good Cincinnati team, he said they are 4-0 but he isn't worried about Cincinnati right now. He is really concentrating on his own team. He said they need to limit turnovers and win the rebounding battle and if they do those two things they will have a shot to win and they have to do that every game. He said they need to be better in transition on defense as well and that is his primary focus right now. Cincy has really good guards and they pressure the ball. He said he has been working with the team to understand the scouting reports and how Cincy will play in the half-court and they'll get specific at times but he wants them to stay within their normal preparations and have the same approach to every game and that is what he is trying to teach them.
Damon said one thing that has bothered him so far is the inability of the team to push leads out when they get up on teams like in the last game against U-Mass Lowell they got up seven and didn't deny a high-low catch that was defendable and broke their scoring streak. He said little details like that bothered him. He said how the team plays when they are up 6, down 6, or up 15, the details in those moments are big for him and preaching that it is a one-possession-at-a-time game and a next-play mentality. He said the crowd will be an interesting factor in this upcoming game and he also said he doesn't like the loose ball turnovers that turn into fastbreak baskets. He said throw the ball 30-feet into the stands before you let someone steal it from you because at least you can set the defense then. (Seems like he was displeased with some of the ballhandling).
I asked him how to get Miles Kelly going earlier in games and just overall and he said it is about efficiency with Miles. He is being inefficient with his scoring and dribbling too much. He said sometimes he takes three dribbles when he should take two and pull up and shoot the ball or he needs to make a pass when he is forcing a shot. He also said he jogs at times when he needs to run and runs when he should be pacing himself by jogging. Miles has to work on his efficiency overall on the court. He said he is more worried about how poorly the team is starting overall than the slow starts Miles has had. He said they can't start a game down 10-2 as a collective group.
Lance Terry is still out, no timetable for him yet. Baye Ndongo is day-to-day now and he hopes he is ready to go for Mississippi State worst case scenario. Sounds like Baye might play Wednesday if he is okay.
I asked him about Deebo Coleman's role and he said he views Deebo as the sixth starter and he doesn't want to mess with the rotation yet and change the starting lineup. He likes the energy that second group (Deebo, Kyle Sturdivant and Ibrahima Sacko) are bringing off the bench and he wants to keep that going. He said that Deebo is having his best season statistically and while he would probably like to start, he doesn't want to mess with what is working. He said Deebo is playing smarter and bringing it off the bench and doing a great job and he wants him to continue that going forward.
Stoudamire said he has not changed much with the road game plans for the team. He said he is a guy who loves road games because it limits distractions and you get a chance to bond more as a team so he likes going on the road and it is a better experience in some ways for coaches and players. He said they will cherish those times on the road together more down the road and you go into a gym with one common goal.
I also asked about his two new signees,
Jaeden Mustaf, "he is a downhill guy, he does a really good job of getting downhill and getting contact and finishing through contact. He will be a really good on-the-ball defender for us and I'm a big strong guard so he checks a lot of boxes."
Cole Kirouac, "I think Cole will be really good for us. He has the length and he has the size you want. He is going to get stronger, but he can finish with both hands and I love his ability to block shots. I love his ability as a big to change ends of the floor so I'm looking forward to having him on board as well."
