Coach Boeheim Quotes
Syracuse vs. Colgate
November 25, 2012
Coach Boeheim Quotes
Carrier Dome – Syracuse, N.Y.
Opening Statement:
“I thought Colgate really improved their outside shooting this year. I think they started three-out- of- five or possibly even four -out-of- five, and then we did a better job defensively the rest of the half and got up on their shooters. They have three very capable shooters and I thought we did a good job with them. Michael’s [Carter-Williams] doing a great job of finding open guys – he’s really playing as well as any point guard we’ve had in a long time, in terms of getting the ball to people and making plays for other people even when there’s not a play there, he’s making a play there for them. I think he could have had 17 or 18 assists easy here tonight just like the last game – he could have had another five or six. We're missing open shots, we have to start making some of those.
Our defense was good and I thought it was a good opportunity to get everybody in. Jerami [Grant] did some really nice things. I thought DaJuan was much better around the basket. Rakeem [Christmas] was good. I think it was just a good opportunity for those guys all to get some time and now we have a week to get ready. Arkansas is very difficult at home, they’ve lost two road games, but they are a different team at home. Any pressing team is always much more difficult to play on their home court, so that will be a real test for us on Friday. We’re in a good position after these first four games, so we’ll see what we do Friday.”
Are you concerned about Trevor [Cooney] or is he just in a slump?
“He’s a shooter, he’s just got to keep shooting – he’ll make some.”
This is the second game in a row where James [Southerland] played pretty well. What did you see today that you liked from James?
“James [Southerland] gets shots and he makes them. He gets a lot of shots, he could have had 30 at the half. He’s playing well, his defense is good, he’s rebounding and he’s just playing well.”
Coach, in the urgency of progression in terms of Rakeem’s [Christmas] all-around plays – he had the five blocks at San Diego State, now a 10-in-9 performance, but no blocks tonight.
“I think he’s moving well. I think he’s doing a good job, he’s getting better. He’s making that little jump shot which is good, but I think he’s getting better. Our big guys are getting better, they’re working hard and they work hard every day. We have a long way to go, we’re just barely getting started and we have a lot of work ahead of us and we just have to keep working. We need to get the young guys as many opportunities as we can, get them comfortable and just go from there.”
Coach can you talk about the leadership of Michael Carter-Williams, he had 13 assists today and more than 30 assists in the last three games.
“He’s playing the position as well as you can play it, getting the ball to people, making plays and good decisions. I think he had one turnover, he made one bad play today and that’s it, so overall he’s playing well.”
Coach, is that something you’re born with or that you just develop over time?
“No, actually that’s something I taught him over the last year. The first year, I didn’t have enough opportunity to work with him, but this year – well, you’ll see.”
Coach, DaJaun [Coleman] was pretty patient in the paint for a young guy.
“Yes, I think he’s there. It’s going to take some time – everybody has to be patient. With big guys especially, it takes a little time, but our big guys are playing well and they’re going to keep getting better. I like the way they’re playing and they’ll keep getting better.”
With DaJuan [Coleman] so far on defense, have you liked him more in the middle or out on the wing?
“He’s mostly played the middle. I think it’s a little easier, a little more comfortable there. Rakeem’s [Christmas] had the experience of playing a year at forward, so I think that was a pretty easy move.”
November 25, 2012
Coach Boeheim Quotes
Carrier Dome – Syracuse, N.Y.
Opening Statement:
“I thought Colgate really improved their outside shooting this year. I think they started three-out- of- five or possibly even four -out-of- five, and then we did a better job defensively the rest of the half and got up on their shooters. They have three very capable shooters and I thought we did a good job with them. Michael’s [Carter-Williams] doing a great job of finding open guys – he’s really playing as well as any point guard we’ve had in a long time, in terms of getting the ball to people and making plays for other people even when there’s not a play there, he’s making a play there for them. I think he could have had 17 or 18 assists easy here tonight just like the last game – he could have had another five or six. We're missing open shots, we have to start making some of those.
Our defense was good and I thought it was a good opportunity to get everybody in. Jerami [Grant] did some really nice things. I thought DaJuan was much better around the basket. Rakeem [Christmas] was good. I think it was just a good opportunity for those guys all to get some time and now we have a week to get ready. Arkansas is very difficult at home, they’ve lost two road games, but they are a different team at home. Any pressing team is always much more difficult to play on their home court, so that will be a real test for us on Friday. We’re in a good position after these first four games, so we’ll see what we do Friday.”
Are you concerned about Trevor [Cooney] or is he just in a slump?
“He’s a shooter, he’s just got to keep shooting – he’ll make some.”
This is the second game in a row where James [Southerland] played pretty well. What did you see today that you liked from James?
“James [Southerland] gets shots and he makes them. He gets a lot of shots, he could have had 30 at the half. He’s playing well, his defense is good, he’s rebounding and he’s just playing well.”
Coach, in the urgency of progression in terms of Rakeem’s [Christmas] all-around plays – he had the five blocks at San Diego State, now a 10-in-9 performance, but no blocks tonight.
“I think he’s moving well. I think he’s doing a good job, he’s getting better. He’s making that little jump shot which is good, but I think he’s getting better. Our big guys are getting better, they’re working hard and they work hard every day. We have a long way to go, we’re just barely getting started and we have a lot of work ahead of us and we just have to keep working. We need to get the young guys as many opportunities as we can, get them comfortable and just go from there.”
Coach can you talk about the leadership of Michael Carter-Williams, he had 13 assists today and more than 30 assists in the last three games.
“He’s playing the position as well as you can play it, getting the ball to people, making plays and good decisions. I think he had one turnover, he made one bad play today and that’s it, so overall he’s playing well.”
Coach, is that something you’re born with or that you just develop over time?
“No, actually that’s something I taught him over the last year. The first year, I didn’t have enough opportunity to work with him, but this year – well, you’ll see.”
Coach, DaJaun [Coleman] was pretty patient in the paint for a young guy.
“Yes, I think he’s there. It’s going to take some time – everybody has to be patient. With big guys especially, it takes a little time, but our big guys are playing well and they’re going to keep getting better. I like the way they’re playing and they’ll keep getting better.”
With DaJuan [Coleman] so far on defense, have you liked him more in the middle or out on the wing?
“He’s mostly played the middle. I think it’s a little easier, a little more comfortable there. Rakeem’s [Christmas] had the experience of playing a year at forward, so I think that was a pretty easy move.”
