Student-Athlete Quotes - Fordham
Syracuse Men’s Basketball vs. Fordham
Student Athlete Quotes
Carrier Dome Syracuse, N.Y.
November 12, 2013
DaJuan Coleman, Sophomore, Forward
Have you been working on keeping the ball higher in the post?
“Yes definitely. I’ve worked on keeping the ball high so the guards or anybody else can snatch it. That’s been my main focus -- keeping the ball high so I can score.”
How big of an effect does it have on the team when you’re able to come down with those offensive rebounds?
“It has a big effect, because we get those second-chance shots and we get a couple buckets off of that. It helps the team out a lot.”
What were you guys saying to each other when Fordham was making its run?
“They made a little run so we basically had to buckle down on defense. They made a couple tough shots so we stepped up and played more defense.”
C.J. Fair, Senior, Forward
Did you focus on improving your number of turnovers at halftime?
“I knew I had four turnovers. I thought a couple of them were questionable. That’s something that I don’t want to be known for. I don’t want to be turnover prone. But that’s not usually what I do so I knew I had to cut down on it.”
It seems like you’ve been dribbling more and more. Is that something that you worked on more?
“Yes definitely. Coming into this year I knew I had to handle the ball a little more and create more offense for myself and for my teammates. In the offseason I did spend a lot of time on it.”
Tyler Ennis, Freshman, Guard
What are your thoughts on the excessive amount of fouls called tonight?
“I think it’s something we need to adjust to. We know how the games are being called now with two games under our belts and watching a lot of film, so it’s something we just need to prepare for and play fundamentally sound.”
You were more aggressive today than you were against Cornell. Was that because of the way they were playing you or did you have that mindset coming into the game?
“A little bit of both. I think because of the tape from the Cornell game they keyed a lot more on Trevor [Cooney], and everyone was running the floor well so there were a lot of open lanes for me to attack. As long as everyone is running the floor, the game really opens up for everyone.”
With the new hand-checking rules, how tough is it going to be to adjust to the new style of play, or do you think players will adjust quickly?
“I think we will be able to adjust to it. For us, playing the 2-3 zone, it’s a little bit tougher getting around screens, but the first couple of games have been called pretty much the same, so we’re going to have to play more disciplined and avoid fouling.”
Jerami Grant, Sophomore, Forward
How difficult is it going to be for you guys to get used to the referees and the new rules in place this year?
“It’s definitely going to take a little time to adjust, it’s something we’re going to go over in practice and get used to.”
It seemed like the new hand-checking rule actually helped your game on the offensive end. What did you notice about your game offensively that was different or easier now?
“Yes, I always try to get to the basket. Today, as a team, we also hit a lot of free throws, which is very important. I personally think I could have shot a little better from the free-throw line. I also missed a few open jumpers, but the team as a whole shot extremely well.”
What is the aspect of your game you are most proud of, and where would you like to see yourself improve most this season?
“I would really like to shoot better from the free-throw line, and I can always improve my jump shooting.”
Student Athlete Quotes
Carrier Dome Syracuse, N.Y.
November 12, 2013
DaJuan Coleman, Sophomore, Forward
Have you been working on keeping the ball higher in the post?
“Yes definitely. I’ve worked on keeping the ball high so the guards or anybody else can snatch it. That’s been my main focus -- keeping the ball high so I can score.”
How big of an effect does it have on the team when you’re able to come down with those offensive rebounds?
“It has a big effect, because we get those second-chance shots and we get a couple buckets off of that. It helps the team out a lot.”
What were you guys saying to each other when Fordham was making its run?
“They made a little run so we basically had to buckle down on defense. They made a couple tough shots so we stepped up and played more defense.”
C.J. Fair, Senior, Forward
Did you focus on improving your number of turnovers at halftime?
“I knew I had four turnovers. I thought a couple of them were questionable. That’s something that I don’t want to be known for. I don’t want to be turnover prone. But that’s not usually what I do so I knew I had to cut down on it.”
It seems like you’ve been dribbling more and more. Is that something that you worked on more?
“Yes definitely. Coming into this year I knew I had to handle the ball a little more and create more offense for myself and for my teammates. In the offseason I did spend a lot of time on it.”
Tyler Ennis, Freshman, Guard
What are your thoughts on the excessive amount of fouls called tonight?
“I think it’s something we need to adjust to. We know how the games are being called now with two games under our belts and watching a lot of film, so it’s something we just need to prepare for and play fundamentally sound.”
You were more aggressive today than you were against Cornell. Was that because of the way they were playing you or did you have that mindset coming into the game?
“A little bit of both. I think because of the tape from the Cornell game they keyed a lot more on Trevor [Cooney], and everyone was running the floor well so there were a lot of open lanes for me to attack. As long as everyone is running the floor, the game really opens up for everyone.”
With the new hand-checking rules, how tough is it going to be to adjust to the new style of play, or do you think players will adjust quickly?
“I think we will be able to adjust to it. For us, playing the 2-3 zone, it’s a little bit tougher getting around screens, but the first couple of games have been called pretty much the same, so we’re going to have to play more disciplined and avoid fouling.”
Jerami Grant, Sophomore, Forward
How difficult is it going to be for you guys to get used to the referees and the new rules in place this year?
“It’s definitely going to take a little time to adjust, it’s something we’re going to go over in practice and get used to.”
It seemed like the new hand-checking rule actually helped your game on the offensive end. What did you notice about your game offensively that was different or easier now?
“Yes, I always try to get to the basket. Today, as a team, we also hit a lot of free throws, which is very important. I personally think I could have shot a little better from the free-throw line. I also missed a few open jumpers, but the team as a whole shot extremely well.”
What is the aspect of your game you are most proud of, and where would you like to see yourself improve most this season?
“I would really like to shoot better from the free-throw line, and I can always improve my jump shooting.”
