Syracuse vs. Fordham Coach Boeheim Quotes
Syracuse vs. Fordham
November 12, 2011
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Coach Boeheim Quotes
Opening Statement:
“I thought our defense was good. I think Fordham is a pretty good basketball team, but I think our defense was good. We didn’t give them a lot of easy looks. Offensively, we struggled a little bit in the first half. We had too many bad turnovers and that cost us some opportunities.
The second half we only turned it over five times, and that’s much more efficient. First game of the year so it was interesting but it was good to get a win and we’ll be right back in here in on Monday. I was happy with the way we played the second half. I think we did a lot of good things.”
What were your thoughts on Michael (Carter-Williams) and Dion (Waiters) coming off of the bench?
“Well I’m trying to get them to understand they need to play like starters, and they feel they’re good enough and they need to play like that. They’re going to play, and some days they’ll play better than others and same thing with the starters, some days they’ll play better. They’ll all play, it’ll give you guys (the media) something to talk about as far as who should be playing, but they all will be playing and whichever one is playing good, he’s who should be playing the most and that’s just the way it will be all year.
I thought C.J. [Fair] and James [Southerland] were good. James [Southerland] was really good in the first half. He made a couple big defensive plays; I thought he did some good things. Fab [Melo] and Baye [Keita] were very good in the middle defensively, really good in there, and our defense was really good. Fordham is a team that’s going to score a lot of points this year and our defensive was very good.”
Do you think Kris Joseph looks like he’s getting back to being healthy?
“Yea I think Kris [Joseph] is healthy and he showed me a lot more movement tonight. It’s a process -- I think he’ll get back, hopefully pretty quick.”
With a year of experience under his belt, what kind of poise difference did you see from Dion Waiters as he was anchoring the point?
“I think Dion [Waiters] is a very good offensive player, we all know that. I think when he gets open shots he’s going to make them. I think his defense is a lot better. He’s 10 times better on defense at least. I think when Michael [Carter-Williams] and he are out there our defensive is good, and offensively they’ll be fine. I think with those two guys, they’re young guys and they’re going to have they’re ups and downs and they’re going to make mistakes, but that is just a part of the process.”
What was the key to the defensive performance tonight?
“I think the perimeter guys did a really good job, and when they got inside our big guys were there. Fab [Melo] drew the charge and blocked a couple shots.
Gaston’s a very good player -- he’ll average 20-22 points a game -- we just made it difficult for him to get shots in there. Again, our perimeter defense was good and our overall defense was good.”
Fab didn’t get his first foul until five minutes in to the 2nd half -- what do you think that
means?
“I think his positioning is better. His movement is better so he gets in to a position where he doesn’t have to foul. I think that he’ll continue to improve as we go along. He’s still basically a guy that’s been playing basketball a couple years. He’s still learning the game and I think he’s going to make progress as we go through the year. But now, he’s good enough on defense that he can stay in the game because he helps our defense. His offense is going to take time -- it’s not going to be there right away. But his defense -- last year he couldn’t stay in the game because his defense wasn’t good enough, so we couldn’t afford to have him in the game. Now he can stay in the game because he can do that. And Baye [Keita] is an exceptional defensive player, and that’s the key in the position. Hopefully they’re offense will get better.”
What did you think was the key to rebounding better than in the exhibition game with St. Rose?
“They’re both different (Fordham and St. Rose). The St. Rose game was a little different the way they attacked, and this was a more traditional game. I think we did a better job on the defensive boards. I think we can still get better on the offensive boards. I think that’s something we want to work at. I think we were alright, but I think we can get better.
I talked to Brandon [Triche] about rebounding and he went in there and got seven rebounds. That’s huge for us. I’d like to see our guards get in there and rebound. That’s something they can do and we need to see that.”
Were you impressed with the way Kris Joseph drove to the hoop tonight?
“Well, that’s his game. He goes to the basket, that’s what he does best. He’s fine, he’s going to play. When you don’t play all summer and practice as many days as he’s missed, you’re going to be off a little bit. It’s going to take time. There’s nothing else about it besides its going to take a little time to get back to where you were playing. He was good tonight.”
Fordham came out aggressive on defense -- what’d you guys do to cut down on the turnovers in the second half?
“We just took care of the ball better. Most of the turnovers in the first half were unforced. They were just unforced turnovers and you just can’t have those.”
Were you happy with the balance of the offense tonight?
“Yes. I think we’re going to be balanced. I think we’ve got a lot of guys that can score and I think that the minutes are spread right now. I think some games we’ll play everybody, I think some days it will be a shorter rotation. It depends on how the game goes and how guys play. James played really well today. CJ played really well in the second half. So that’s good.”
November 12, 2011
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Coach Boeheim Quotes
Opening Statement:
“I thought our defense was good. I think Fordham is a pretty good basketball team, but I think our defense was good. We didn’t give them a lot of easy looks. Offensively, we struggled a little bit in the first half. We had too many bad turnovers and that cost us some opportunities.
The second half we only turned it over five times, and that’s much more efficient. First game of the year so it was interesting but it was good to get a win and we’ll be right back in here in on Monday. I was happy with the way we played the second half. I think we did a lot of good things.”
What were your thoughts on Michael (Carter-Williams) and Dion (Waiters) coming off of the bench?
“Well I’m trying to get them to understand they need to play like starters, and they feel they’re good enough and they need to play like that. They’re going to play, and some days they’ll play better than others and same thing with the starters, some days they’ll play better. They’ll all play, it’ll give you guys (the media) something to talk about as far as who should be playing, but they all will be playing and whichever one is playing good, he’s who should be playing the most and that’s just the way it will be all year.
I thought C.J. [Fair] and James [Southerland] were good. James [Southerland] was really good in the first half. He made a couple big defensive plays; I thought he did some good things. Fab [Melo] and Baye [Keita] were very good in the middle defensively, really good in there, and our defense was really good. Fordham is a team that’s going to score a lot of points this year and our defensive was very good.”
Do you think Kris Joseph looks like he’s getting back to being healthy?
“Yea I think Kris [Joseph] is healthy and he showed me a lot more movement tonight. It’s a process -- I think he’ll get back, hopefully pretty quick.”
With a year of experience under his belt, what kind of poise difference did you see from Dion Waiters as he was anchoring the point?
“I think Dion [Waiters] is a very good offensive player, we all know that. I think when he gets open shots he’s going to make them. I think his defense is a lot better. He’s 10 times better on defense at least. I think when Michael [Carter-Williams] and he are out there our defensive is good, and offensively they’ll be fine. I think with those two guys, they’re young guys and they’re going to have they’re ups and downs and they’re going to make mistakes, but that is just a part of the process.”
What was the key to the defensive performance tonight?
“I think the perimeter guys did a really good job, and when they got inside our big guys were there. Fab [Melo] drew the charge and blocked a couple shots.
Gaston’s a very good player -- he’ll average 20-22 points a game -- we just made it difficult for him to get shots in there. Again, our perimeter defense was good and our overall defense was good.”
Fab didn’t get his first foul until five minutes in to the 2nd half -- what do you think that
means?
“I think his positioning is better. His movement is better so he gets in to a position where he doesn’t have to foul. I think that he’ll continue to improve as we go along. He’s still basically a guy that’s been playing basketball a couple years. He’s still learning the game and I think he’s going to make progress as we go through the year. But now, he’s good enough on defense that he can stay in the game because he helps our defense. His offense is going to take time -- it’s not going to be there right away. But his defense -- last year he couldn’t stay in the game because his defense wasn’t good enough, so we couldn’t afford to have him in the game. Now he can stay in the game because he can do that. And Baye [Keita] is an exceptional defensive player, and that’s the key in the position. Hopefully they’re offense will get better.”
What did you think was the key to rebounding better than in the exhibition game with St. Rose?
“They’re both different (Fordham and St. Rose). The St. Rose game was a little different the way they attacked, and this was a more traditional game. I think we did a better job on the defensive boards. I think we can still get better on the offensive boards. I think that’s something we want to work at. I think we were alright, but I think we can get better.
I talked to Brandon [Triche] about rebounding and he went in there and got seven rebounds. That’s huge for us. I’d like to see our guards get in there and rebound. That’s something they can do and we need to see that.”
Were you impressed with the way Kris Joseph drove to the hoop tonight?
“Well, that’s his game. He goes to the basket, that’s what he does best. He’s fine, he’s going to play. When you don’t play all summer and practice as many days as he’s missed, you’re going to be off a little bit. It’s going to take time. There’s nothing else about it besides its going to take a little time to get back to where you were playing. He was good tonight.”
Fordham came out aggressive on defense -- what’d you guys do to cut down on the turnovers in the second half?
“We just took care of the ball better. Most of the turnovers in the first half were unforced. They were just unforced turnovers and you just can’t have those.”
Were you happy with the balance of the offense tonight?
“Yes. I think we’re going to be balanced. I think we’ve got a lot of guys that can score and I think that the minutes are spread right now. I think some games we’ll play everybody, I think some days it will be a shorter rotation. It depends on how the game goes and how guys play. James played really well today. CJ played really well in the second half. So that’s good.”
