-Here's some notes from Grant on the happenings of a blowout win over UAPB.
Opening Statement:
"Credit to Pine Bluff and coach Bozeman. I've actually tried to hire him several years ago, and he's a grinder, and their team is too. And I don't know, life on the road for a team like Pine Bluff, they got to go play so many road games with a new team. He's got a good team for that league. I'm anxious. He's gotten better every year, and have a lot of respect for the way he works. They lost their best player to to another program. And life at that level is difficult because you got to go play on the road and then get on a bus and then go to the next place, sometimes you get to fly. And I just have a lot of respect for the way they finished the game. I mean, we had a hard time guarding them late. They shot 50% from three in the second half, and we didn't close the game well enough defensively. And Christian Moore, who I actually got the opportunity to coach as a true freshman at North Texas, I thought he had an awesome game and was really difficult to defend in the middle of the floor. And you know, just a lot of respect for their program and the way they competed tonight."
Were you surprised by the 3-2 zone?
"Well, you know, I knew they'd have to do something, and they showed it, and we actually prepared for it, and it prepared for it a couple of different ways. The first time we prepared for it. We had (Federiko) out there, and so it did change up when we had four guards. And you know, the thing about those are difficult. You want your guys to play with confidence, but if you just shoot perimeter threes, the numbers aren't in your favor. Even as good as shooters as we are, you got to get it inside, and you got to shoot inside out threes. And just, I mean, the very first possession of the game, we didn't get it in the paint and we fired a three. I was like dang. And that's what's difficult about this game. And if you are going to do that, you better be a great rebounder. You better fly in there and figure out a way. We just didn't have enough of that combination early of if you are going to shoot them, then you better go flying in there and figure out a way to make a play and get it offensive rebound if you miss. I think we settled too much early, and then we started figuring it out later. They do change it up and guard different ways, because it's a 3-2, but they morph it into kind of a, you know, a 2-1-2, and back it up. And so, you know, teaching the new team the nuances of that. With the different lineups, it took us a little bit to get a beat on it, but unfortunately, we settled early. But I felt like we as the game went on. You saw Elijah, you start throwing it down in there to JT, and we start getting in the paint and it'll be great to watch on film and learn from that. We don't see that zone a lot. You see 1-3-1, you see some 2-3, but a but a 3-2 with a drop, you don't see it a ton in our league, so, but it'll be great film to to grow from."
What was going on with the wing back-cuts?
"I actually told our staff we need to work on how to defend those better than what we were. You know, the first two they got were penetration to the middle of the paint. We did a great job defending. And we were trying to push them out. We were trying to make them I mean, they were one for seven from three, so we didn't want to give Inside Out threes. But we we closed out too high, and then got back cut. And we were all spread out when they were going five out and driving it in the paint. Those were the first two. And then they came out of the first time out and got on the right side. Then they got us to start the second half with D5. Just got to do a better job of knowing how to play that inside out. We were trying to take away threes and catches and be aggressive. I mean, we turned them over 23 times, so we were trying to push up and be a little more aggressive, but we got to do it with better ball pressure and help."
How has Elijah settled in?
"I mean, if you're quarterbacking a team, this is a fun one to quarterback because you got so many options. I mean, the key is just don't try to do too much. Just try to make sure you take what the defense gives you and live to fight another day because they still have to guard you on the next action with so many great offensive players. I think he's finding that rhythm. He's so good in transition. I mean, unfortunately, those were a majority of our turnovers were in transition. And what I'd like to see us do is attack the basket for layups and then make the simple play. Looked like we were trying to make too many great passes instead of, you know, attack the basket. We need more practice time, I mean, honestly. We kind of got in the crux of what we were doing in this season and he's been hurt, so it was hard for us. It's hard for us to get a rhythm and transition. We're not going up and down a ton right now with the limited bodies and trying to make sure people are healthy, so we're having to get that rhythm in the games. And you can tell it kind of exposed us, but Elijah so much fun to coach, and he so much because he sees it, and he knows not only what he sees, but he knows how to deliver the ball to em."
How difficult is it to rebound against a zone like that?
"Yeah, I think the biggest thing is just knowing where you want to go. I challenged our team on a shot where it's depends on where it's taken. But we weren't flooding the weak side. We kept kind of getting caught on the ball side, where it's shot. And those are some things that you have to do well. I mean, you put yourself in the right position. And when you have this many perimeter shooters, sometimes you get stuck with too many guys on the perimeter, and we don't have enough physicality. That's where Fede makes a big difference for us when he's an anchor down there, he just is able to wedge and create the leverage, and then you can fly in there off of him. And JT obviously had 11 rebounds in 24 minutes, and he's been our best offensive rebounder, but Fede is that one two punch that we missed tonight, and we hope to get him back on Thursday."
Thoughts on St. Joe's?
"I really look forward to this game honestly, and I have a ton of respect for St Joe's, and I think they returned two of the best players in college basketball honestly. And, and they've got guard play and size at the rim. They play the game aggressively. I watched the game live when they played Villanova and won up in the office in preparation for other games, and just the opportunity to play at such a great venue. And man this is a one game season. Don't get it confused this is what I challenged our team with. This could end up being the best non conference win for us. So I do think they got that much upside and that much experience and they got a great team."
"We specialize in high quality autographed sports memorabilia."
Opening Statement:
"Credit to Pine Bluff and coach Bozeman. I've actually tried to hire him several years ago, and he's a grinder, and their team is too. And I don't know, life on the road for a team like Pine Bluff, they got to go play so many road games with a new team. He's got a good team for that league. I'm anxious. He's gotten better every year, and have a lot of respect for the way he works. They lost their best player to to another program. And life at that level is difficult because you got to go play on the road and then get on a bus and then go to the next place, sometimes you get to fly. And I just have a lot of respect for the way they finished the game. I mean, we had a hard time guarding them late. They shot 50% from three in the second half, and we didn't close the game well enough defensively. And Christian Moore, who I actually got the opportunity to coach as a true freshman at North Texas, I thought he had an awesome game and was really difficult to defend in the middle of the floor. And you know, just a lot of respect for their program and the way they competed tonight."
Were you surprised by the 3-2 zone?
"Well, you know, I knew they'd have to do something, and they showed it, and we actually prepared for it, and it prepared for it a couple of different ways. The first time we prepared for it. We had (Federiko) out there, and so it did change up when we had four guards. And you know, the thing about those are difficult. You want your guys to play with confidence, but if you just shoot perimeter threes, the numbers aren't in your favor. Even as good as shooters as we are, you got to get it inside, and you got to shoot inside out threes. And just, I mean, the very first possession of the game, we didn't get it in the paint and we fired a three. I was like dang. And that's what's difficult about this game. And if you are going to do that, you better be a great rebounder. You better fly in there and figure out a way. We just didn't have enough of that combination early of if you are going to shoot them, then you better go flying in there and figure out a way to make a play and get it offensive rebound if you miss. I think we settled too much early, and then we started figuring it out later. They do change it up and guard different ways, because it's a 3-2, but they morph it into kind of a, you know, a 2-1-2, and back it up. And so, you know, teaching the new team the nuances of that. With the different lineups, it took us a little bit to get a beat on it, but unfortunately, we settled early. But I felt like we as the game went on. You saw Elijah, you start throwing it down in there to JT, and we start getting in the paint and it'll be great to watch on film and learn from that. We don't see that zone a lot. You see 1-3-1, you see some 2-3, but a but a 3-2 with a drop, you don't see it a ton in our league, so, but it'll be great film to to grow from."
What was going on with the wing back-cuts?
"I actually told our staff we need to work on how to defend those better than what we were. You know, the first two they got were penetration to the middle of the paint. We did a great job defending. And we were trying to push them out. We were trying to make them I mean, they were one for seven from three, so we didn't want to give Inside Out threes. But we we closed out too high, and then got back cut. And we were all spread out when they were going five out and driving it in the paint. Those were the first two. And then they came out of the first time out and got on the right side. Then they got us to start the second half with D5. Just got to do a better job of knowing how to play that inside out. We were trying to take away threes and catches and be aggressive. I mean, we turned them over 23 times, so we were trying to push up and be a little more aggressive, but we got to do it with better ball pressure and help."
How has Elijah settled in?
"I mean, if you're quarterbacking a team, this is a fun one to quarterback because you got so many options. I mean, the key is just don't try to do too much. Just try to make sure you take what the defense gives you and live to fight another day because they still have to guard you on the next action with so many great offensive players. I think he's finding that rhythm. He's so good in transition. I mean, unfortunately, those were a majority of our turnovers were in transition. And what I'd like to see us do is attack the basket for layups and then make the simple play. Looked like we were trying to make too many great passes instead of, you know, attack the basket. We need more practice time, I mean, honestly. We kind of got in the crux of what we were doing in this season and he's been hurt, so it was hard for us. It's hard for us to get a rhythm and transition. We're not going up and down a ton right now with the limited bodies and trying to make sure people are healthy, so we're having to get that rhythm in the games. And you can tell it kind of exposed us, but Elijah so much fun to coach, and he so much because he sees it, and he knows not only what he sees, but he knows how to deliver the ball to em."
How difficult is it to rebound against a zone like that?
"Yeah, I think the biggest thing is just knowing where you want to go. I challenged our team on a shot where it's depends on where it's taken. But we weren't flooding the weak side. We kept kind of getting caught on the ball side, where it's shot. And those are some things that you have to do well. I mean, you put yourself in the right position. And when you have this many perimeter shooters, sometimes you get stuck with too many guys on the perimeter, and we don't have enough physicality. That's where Fede makes a big difference for us when he's an anchor down there, he just is able to wedge and create the leverage, and then you can fly in there off of him. And JT obviously had 11 rebounds in 24 minutes, and he's been our best offensive rebounder, but Fede is that one two punch that we missed tonight, and we hope to get him back on Thursday."
Thoughts on St. Joe's?
"I really look forward to this game honestly, and I have a ton of respect for St Joe's, and I think they returned two of the best players in college basketball honestly. And, and they've got guard play and size at the rim. They play the game aggressively. I watched the game live when they played Villanova and won up in the office in preparation for other games, and just the opportunity to play at such a great venue. And man this is a one game season. Don't get it confused this is what I challenged our team with. This could end up being the best non conference win for us. So I do think they got that much upside and that much experience and they got a great team."
"We specialize in high quality autographed sports memorabilia."
