Syracuse Player Quotes
Syracuse vs. Connecticut
February 6, 2008
Syracuse, N.Y. – Carrier Dome
Donte’ Greene, Fr., F
On problem in the second half:
“We weren’t taking it at [Hasheem] Thabeet enough in the second half. First half, we were fine, but second half, we should have taken it more at Thabeet.”
On what needs to be worked on offensively:
“Nothing, I think we’re fine. It was just difficult to get the ball inside tonight with Thabeet in there.”
On going against Hasheem Thabeet:
“We just really didn’t take it at him that much. In the second half, the referees shied away from calling the bump. He was still throwing his body, but he can do that and we just have to keep playing. Shots weren’t coming for us tonight.”
On thinking about not making the NCAA Tournament:
“No, you never think about not making the NCAA Tournament. We’re still in the NCAA Tournament. The only way we’ll get out of that is by losing the rest of our games and I think we’re still in it. We just have to play hard, play smart and we’ll be fine.”
On whether or not he got good looks:
“Some of them, they just weren’t falling. A lot of shots were in and out, and I don’t know what it was.”
On lessons learned from Connecticut:
“You have to be smart and you have to go to the bucket hard, you can’t just throw it up there. You have to either dunk it or be aggressive and put in up there.”
Paul Harris, So., G
On the second half:
“I think actually Thabeet didn’t score that much. I didn’t see it but I think the blocked shots changed the game. Some guys had layups and they’d go up but they have to go at him. We just fell real short.”
On rebounding:
“We know Connecticut is a tough rebounding team but I thought we were a tough rebounding team, too. We just let them out-physical us on some plays and we just can’t do this. This is the BIG EAST and we have to be ready to play.”
On Arinze Onuaku:
“We need him, he doesn’t understand how much he means to this team, he means a lot. We miss Arinze in the middle, even if he doesn’t score. Just getting rebounds, do something, make some game-changing plays - just keep your head up and keep playing. “
On how frustrating the loss is:
“It is hard because I’d rather something like the West Virginia loss when we lose by 20. I’d rather have that then you fight so hard and lose by two. We had the lead, we had UConn and we let it slip away but it is in the past now. We just have to be ready to take this week off and be ready for South Florida.”
Jonny Flynn, Fr., G
On the loss:
“I think we played really well, it was just that stretch in the second half where I think four straight possessions in a row we got our shots blocked, either the shot was blocked or Thabeet just altered the shot and that just changed the whole game. It had us hesitating on going to the rim like we weren’t good enough to go in there and finish without a shot block. When you start having that thought in your mind that you can’t go in there or you have to settle for a three-point shot, the game is over from right there.”
On Hasheem Thabeet:
“He is a heck of a defensive player, not only does he block shots but he alters every shot around the rim and when you have something like that, when you have someone 7’3” and as athletic as he is, then every time you go to the rim you’re looking over your shoulder like where is he? Just to have him in your mind can kind of mess you up a little bit.”
On the final play:
“Everything went out as coach drew up in the huddle. Rick [Jackson] flashed up high, it would have been better if he caught it a little lower but it is good that we had a chance to get a shot off. Paul Harris went backdoor, that was the initial play that was supposed to happen and just take the game into overtime but it is hard with two seconds left, judging the time like that and trying to make a decision that quick is hard. So then I was supposed to come off a little screen from Rick and shoot the ball, I maybe could have taken an extra dribble but like I said before just judging the time it is so hard and we had a chance to win the game with that shot. “
On the matchup with A.J. Price:
“It was fun. A.J. Price is a great player, one of the best guys in the BIG EAST. He is very physical out there and there was a lot of trash talking and a lot of mouthing back and forth but that is my game so I like that. He is a great player and he led his team to victory.”
