Met with Josh Pastner and guard Lance Terry ahead of Tech's game against VaTech who have killed GT since joining through all three coaches. I did ask Pastner about the noise and his seat being hot. I'll add the video as well. GT has a -101 FT differential compared to their opponents and Josh talked about his frustrations there and gave some thoughts on the ACC issues with officiating as much as he could say anyway.
PASTNER
On Saturday’s game had some opportunities there and should’ve won the game, had the chances to win the game, just ended up on the wrong side of the result. Really tough game playing a very good VaTech team and Mike Young is one of the best coaches in the ACC and in the country. I told people at ACC Media Day that they could win the league and they had a tough stretch with Catoor out for a while, we will have to play really well to win the game.
On playing a high scoring team with good inside scoring,
There big man had 33 points and Mutts is a really good passer too. We will play multiple defenses, but we will have to play very good defense. If we got to NC State we would’ve won and we got to 70 at Wake and should’ve won the game, we have to score.
On FT differential negative 101 against opponents,
Mark Packer sent this to me, we are last in FT attempts and most in difference in fouls. It is very hard for me to understand, I’m not saying anything against the officials, whether it is us, are we not driving enough, there are times where we do foul and the officials have made the foul. 10.1.4 is the rule about hand checking, it is automatic, I tell my guys 10.1.4 and I tell the officials, we have to defend without fouling in the halfcourt, but I have tremendous respect for officials and I think it is so important at the youth level, we set good examples for the youth level on treating officials the right way. You can’t have sports without officials, you have to treat everyone properly, so that is most important. That being said, I think 10.1.4 is a big rule and that needs to be looked at, is that being called for us when we drive to the rim. You can agree to disagree, but I think that is the most important rule, you can read the rule book, if you have a hand on an offensive player, that is a NCAA rule not an ACC rule, that is something we are constantly looking at.
On hearing back from the league on the WF game,
I talked to the league on Sunday, I don’t want to share that publicly, but I had a good discussion and if they want to say anything I’ll leave it to them.
On talking to the director of officials if he feels like anything has changed,
I have the highest level of respect for Brian Kersey, he was at the highest level of doing it. He has great officials in this league, we are not always to agree, folks will disagree with officials and I think Brian is excellent, to Brian’s credit he allows communication and he wants the coaches to communicate with him. Brian is in charge of the officials and we might see things different ways, just like I see things one way and the players might see it differently from their lens. If Brian feels an official makes a wrong call he will hold them accountable, then he feels like they got an accurate call, he is the head of officials and I respect him 100%.
On what he has learned about his team and his staff during this stretch,
I’ve never gone through this and we’ve had a tough season, but I’ve told our guys we have a chance to show integrity and toughness. Do you show up every day and bring it and do your job with focus, those are part of it. With character and integrity and being principled, you will go through tough times, how do you handle it. We’ve all experienced things. You’ve got to show up every day and you’ve got to do you job.
On dealing with the outside noise right now,
I hope to be here the next 25 years and I want to be here as long as J Batt and President Cabrera want me here, I know how special this job is, how special GT is and how special it is to be a student-athlete here and to be on the same faculty as these tremendous professors and the things that have been invented. I love it here and I have tremendous love for it here. We have not had the results we want to have and our guys are fighting to get as many wins as they can. Mr. Batt and President Cabrera are the bosses and yes we want to win games and that can be gut-wrenching, but you have to pick yourself up and be ready to go on Wednesday and keep fighting and do the best we can. I love our young men, they are good people and they’ve been fantastic and I have a great staff. We’ve been snakebitten this year and ther is no excuse for that. There is a scoreboard and you want to win the game, I hope to be at GT as long as Mr. Batt and President Cabrera allow me. I don’t take it for granted and I want to be here.
LANCE TERRY
I feel like this does motivate us to keep playing with the same energy and keep fighting, things didn’t go our way in that game, but it doesn’t keep us from wanting to win this one.
On the blocking foul,
The one that called it didn’t give me an explanation, but the one behind the play said I ran underneath him, I don’t see how that can happen since I was in the post already.
On the offense being better,
We are playing more connected and sharing the ball and it showed in the ND game and we’ve been getting better.
On the final games of the season,
We have to play it one game at a time and stay positive and keep playing one game at a time.
On VaTech having a good offense,
We have to be the tougher team and we will go over today, giving out effort and being a tougher team.
On the FT differential in games like Wake,
We didn’t really notice it until the end of the game in the box score.
On being back in Atlanta and playing in the ACC this year,
I love it, missing those four games I hated, but hopefully I can finish out the rest of the year.
On Lance and Ja’von Franklin coming up to the ACC from a mid-major, do they embrace this more since they didn’t experience high-major hoops from day one,
I think we have, Ja’von started out at a higher level and got hurt, for him he is redeeming himself. I am definitely enjoying it and working my way up and want to keep going.
On expectations versus reality in the ACC,
It is a lot different and the talent from every team is tougher to go against, but I like it.
PASTNER
On Saturday’s game had some opportunities there and should’ve won the game, had the chances to win the game, just ended up on the wrong side of the result. Really tough game playing a very good VaTech team and Mike Young is one of the best coaches in the ACC and in the country. I told people at ACC Media Day that they could win the league and they had a tough stretch with Catoor out for a while, we will have to play really well to win the game.
On playing a high scoring team with good inside scoring,
There big man had 33 points and Mutts is a really good passer too. We will play multiple defenses, but we will have to play very good defense. If we got to NC State we would’ve won and we got to 70 at Wake and should’ve won the game, we have to score.
On FT differential negative 101 against opponents,
Mark Packer sent this to me, we are last in FT attempts and most in difference in fouls. It is very hard for me to understand, I’m not saying anything against the officials, whether it is us, are we not driving enough, there are times where we do foul and the officials have made the foul. 10.1.4 is the rule about hand checking, it is automatic, I tell my guys 10.1.4 and I tell the officials, we have to defend without fouling in the halfcourt, but I have tremendous respect for officials and I think it is so important at the youth level, we set good examples for the youth level on treating officials the right way. You can’t have sports without officials, you have to treat everyone properly, so that is most important. That being said, I think 10.1.4 is a big rule and that needs to be looked at, is that being called for us when we drive to the rim. You can agree to disagree, but I think that is the most important rule, you can read the rule book, if you have a hand on an offensive player, that is a NCAA rule not an ACC rule, that is something we are constantly looking at.
On hearing back from the league on the WF game,
I talked to the league on Sunday, I don’t want to share that publicly, but I had a good discussion and if they want to say anything I’ll leave it to them.
On talking to the director of officials if he feels like anything has changed,
I have the highest level of respect for Brian Kersey, he was at the highest level of doing it. He has great officials in this league, we are not always to agree, folks will disagree with officials and I think Brian is excellent, to Brian’s credit he allows communication and he wants the coaches to communicate with him. Brian is in charge of the officials and we might see things different ways, just like I see things one way and the players might see it differently from their lens. If Brian feels an official makes a wrong call he will hold them accountable, then he feels like they got an accurate call, he is the head of officials and I respect him 100%.
On what he has learned about his team and his staff during this stretch,
I’ve never gone through this and we’ve had a tough season, but I’ve told our guys we have a chance to show integrity and toughness. Do you show up every day and bring it and do your job with focus, those are part of it. With character and integrity and being principled, you will go through tough times, how do you handle it. We’ve all experienced things. You’ve got to show up every day and you’ve got to do you job.
On dealing with the outside noise right now,
I hope to be here the next 25 years and I want to be here as long as J Batt and President Cabrera want me here, I know how special this job is, how special GT is and how special it is to be a student-athlete here and to be on the same faculty as these tremendous professors and the things that have been invented. I love it here and I have tremendous love for it here. We have not had the results we want to have and our guys are fighting to get as many wins as they can. Mr. Batt and President Cabrera are the bosses and yes we want to win games and that can be gut-wrenching, but you have to pick yourself up and be ready to go on Wednesday and keep fighting and do the best we can. I love our young men, they are good people and they’ve been fantastic and I have a great staff. We’ve been snakebitten this year and ther is no excuse for that. There is a scoreboard and you want to win the game, I hope to be at GT as long as Mr. Batt and President Cabrera allow me. I don’t take it for granted and I want to be here.
LANCE TERRY
I feel like this does motivate us to keep playing with the same energy and keep fighting, things didn’t go our way in that game, but it doesn’t keep us from wanting to win this one.
On the blocking foul,
The one that called it didn’t give me an explanation, but the one behind the play said I ran underneath him, I don’t see how that can happen since I was in the post already.
On the offense being better,
We are playing more connected and sharing the ball and it showed in the ND game and we’ve been getting better.
On the final games of the season,
We have to play it one game at a time and stay positive and keep playing one game at a time.
On VaTech having a good offense,
We have to be the tougher team and we will go over today, giving out effort and being a tougher team.
On the FT differential in games like Wake,
We didn’t really notice it until the end of the game in the box score.
On being back in Atlanta and playing in the ACC this year,
I love it, missing those four games I hated, but hopefully I can finish out the rest of the year.
On Lance and Ja’von Franklin coming up to the ACC from a mid-major, do they embrace this more since they didn’t experience high-major hoops from day one,
I think we have, Ja’von started out at a higher level and got hurt, for him he is redeeming himself. I am definitely enjoying it and working my way up and want to keep going.
On expectations versus reality in the ACC,
It is a lot different and the talent from every team is tougher to go against, but I like it.
