Syracuse Player Quotes
Syracuse vs. Tulane
December 1, 2007
Syracuse, N.Y. - Carrier Dome
Syracuse, N.Y. - Carrier Dome
Jonny Flynn, Fr., G
On defensive improvements:
“You can see we went on an 11-0 run to start the game off, had a couple steals, a lot of help-side defense, going down and stripping the big men when they’re putting the ball on the floor. That just comes from the hard work we put in during practice and that 107 points UMass put up on us.”
“You can see we went on an 11-0 run to start the game off, had a couple steals, a lot of help-side defense, going down and stripping the big men when they’re putting the ball on the floor. That just comes from the hard work we put in during practice and that 107 points UMass put up on us.”
On the 11-0 run to start the game:
“It felt really good, coming off a game like that when a team comes into your place, your home and just embarrasses you like that and gets the win. If you don’t come back and take a little pride in your defense you’re not a basketball player. We just wanted to come out here and make a statement to teams across the country that you just can’t run over us like they (UMass) did.”
“It felt really good, coming off a game like that when a team comes into your place, your home and just embarrasses you like that and gets the win. If you don’t come back and take a little pride in your defense you’re not a basketball player. We just wanted to come out here and make a statement to teams across the country that you just can’t run over us like they (UMass) did.”
On Arinze Onuaku and Paul Harris offensive rebounding performances:
“Arinze (Onuaku) and Paul (Harris) played a great game. If we can get games like this out of them on nights like this, or even the nights when we’re on if we can get this out of them we’re going to be a team to reckon with.”
“Arinze (Onuaku) and Paul (Harris) played a great game. If we can get games like this out of them on nights like this, or even the nights when we’re on if we can get this out of them we’re going to be a team to reckon with.”
On Virginia:
“Of course they have Sean Singletary and a good crew of complimentary players. We’re going to just try and keep him out of the lane and make somebody else beat us. I just think it’s a lot on our part if we just play defense and its one of those nights when the shots are falling or just half the shots are falling, just a night not like this one we can come out with the win.”
“Of course they have Sean Singletary and a good crew of complimentary players. We’re going to just try and keep him out of the lane and make somebody else beat us. I just think it’s a lot on our part if we just play defense and its one of those nights when the shots are falling or just half the shots are falling, just a night not like this one we can come out with the win.”
On Josh Wright:
“It helped us a lot. You see tonight he came in and brought up the defensive intensity. He’s a senior, senior leadership, he has been through this for three years so that leadership on the court and that experience really helps us.”
“It helped us a lot. You see tonight he came in and brought up the defensive intensity. He’s a senior, senior leadership, he has been through this for three years so that leadership on the court and that experience really helps us.”
On his 17 points:
“I just attribute that to my teammates, my coaches saw that I had kind of a high hand and was getting into the lane and creating for myself and others. On a night like this sometimes you just have to step up when you have your two leading scorers not having the game that they wish they were having. So I just saw that, came in at halftime, talked to a couple of the assistant coaches and they told me to go out there and do what I do best.”
“I just attribute that to my teammates, my coaches saw that I had kind of a high hand and was getting into the lane and creating for myself and others. On a night like this sometimes you just have to step up when you have your two leading scorers not having the game that they wish they were having. So I just saw that, came in at halftime, talked to a couple of the assistant coaches and they told me to go out there and do what I do best.”
Arinze Onuaku, Jr., F
On defensive improvements:
“As you saw we gave up 107 last game so the last two days of practice we’ve just been trying to take a lot of pride in our defense, making stops. It wasn’t the defense we were playing, it was the hustle plays.”
“As you saw we gave up 107 last game so the last two days of practice we’ve just been trying to take a lot of pride in our defense, making stops. It wasn’t the defense we were playing, it was the hustle plays.”
On the team’s low shooting percentage:
“You’re going to have nights when you’re not shooting the ball well so you have to do other things well. As you see we played pretty good defense tonight, so we stopped them a lot and we got the win.”
“You’re going to have nights when you’re not shooting the ball well so you have to do other things well. As you see we played pretty good defense tonight, so we stopped them a lot and we got the win.”
On being competitive in the BIG EAST:
“We just have to learn every day. A lot of teams in the BIG EAST are very experienced, and we’re very young. Each game is like a learning experience for us.”
“We just have to learn every day. A lot of teams in the BIG EAST are very experienced, and we’re very young. Each game is like a learning experience for us.”
On Virginia:
“It’s our first test on the road. They’re a tough team so we’re going to go down there, play hard and hopefully come out with a win.”
“It’s our first test on the road. They’re a tough team so we’re going to go down there, play hard and hopefully come out with a win.”
On the team’s offensive rebounding performance:
“As you see we weren’t shooting well, so there were a lot of shots coming off and we just tried to get in position. We’ve been working on that the last couple of days also, just getting in the right positions to get the offensive rebounds.”
“As you see we weren’t shooting well, so there were a lot of shots coming off and we just tried to get in position. We’ve been working on that the last couple of days also, just getting in the right positions to get the offensive rebounds.”
Paul Harris, So., F
On his offensive performance:
“I just try to do what coach tells me to do. He tells me to go to the hole. I shot a couple bad shots and he got mad at me and said I don’t respect him, but I really do respect him. I just felt that I could make the shot. Hopefully next time I’ll just keep going to the basket.”
“I just try to do what coach tells me to do. He tells me to go to the hole. I shot a couple bad shots and he got mad at me and said I don’t respect him, but I really do respect him. I just felt that I could make the shot. Hopefully next time I’ll just keep going to the basket.”
On playing the entire game:
“I’ll be tired some games and I’ll be telling coach that after the game. I’ve been running two miles every day on the treadmill and doing three miles on the stair master so hopefully in about two weeks my wind will be coming up more because I do get tired out there.”
“I’ll be tired some games and I’ll be telling coach that after the game. I’ve been running two miles every day on the treadmill and doing three miles on the stair master so hopefully in about two weeks my wind will be coming up more because I do get tired out there.”
On the bench players:
“You just never know when your opportunity is going to come. Last year I came off the bench the whole season and then one game I started, played bad and broke a team rule and then I didn’t start anymore. That was my opportunity and I threw it away so you never know when it will come.”
“You just never know when your opportunity is going to come. Last year I came off the bench the whole season and then one game I started, played bad and broke a team rule and then I didn’t start anymore. That was my opportunity and I threw it away so you never know when it will come.”
On defense:
“I think it was just effort and having our mind set that we were going to stop these guys on this possession. We were up 10 and I told Jonny (Flynn) this is where we have to stop them right now. I think we got a stop and then Jonny got a layup so we went up 12.”
“I think it was just effort and having our mind set that we were going to stop these guys on this possession. We were up 10 and I told Jonny (Flynn) this is where we have to stop them right now. I think we got a stop and then Jonny got a layup so we went up 12.”
On being a young team:
“I don’t want to hear that we’re a young team anymore. These guys are doing things that people in four or five years never do. Jonny Flynn’s making buzzer beaters. Donte’ Greene’s averaging 20 points. Some people don’t even do that in their whole career and these guys are doing it already. I don’t really consider us that young.”
“I don’t want to hear that we’re a young team anymore. These guys are doing things that people in four or five years never do. Jonny Flynn’s making buzzer beaters. Donte’ Greene’s averaging 20 points. Some people don’t even do that in their whole career and these guys are doing it already. I don’t really consider us that young.”
