Syracuse Student-Athlete Quotes
Syracuse Men’s Basketball vs. Texas Southern
November 18, 2017
Carrier Dome
Student-Athlete Quotes
Geno Thorpe, Gr., G
After Tyus (Battle) went out you became the x-factor. Can you explain that?
“I just tried to come in and bring energy on the defensive end. Credit to my teammates. They found me on the open shots and I just wanted to capitalize on those and knock them down.”
Do you still feel a little behind the rest of the team with the practice time you missed and your ankle?
“I’m practicing every day, I’m getting my rhythm back, and I feel more comfortable every day.”
Tyus Battle, So., G
Talk about the new guys stepping up tonight
“Geno is the one who kept us in the game in the first half. He made some big shots. He’s playing well. Marek is still always hustling. I think we have a really good team and anyone can step up on a given night.”
In the second half you really seemed to take over. Take me through your mindset, especially not playing much in the first half
“Just be aggressive. That’s always what is going through my mind.”
How much did sitting on the bench that long bother you?
“It did bother me. I’m not really used to that so it definitely did bother me, but foul trouble happens and I had to get it going in the second half.”
On that spin on the baseline, what was your mindset?
“I was actually trying to pull it out but he [the defender] forced me back so I just spun around and the lane was open so I took it.”
You mentioned Geno keeping you guys in it in the first half. You had five double-digit scorers. How did it feel to not have to score every single basket with all this teamwork?
“These guys can score the ball. It’s early in the season, people are going to get more comfortable with the system, with our team, with our coaching staff, so guys are going to step up every night.”
Frank Howard, Jr., G
How do you feel the offense played, especially in regard to playing with Geno Thorpe?
“I think overall we got a bit stagnant and we needed some plays. Geno brought some heat and got a few buckets, proved himself as an individual, got in the lane, and showed what he can do. ”
How does your dynamic change when Geno is on the court?
“I know I can get off the ball a little bit and pick my spot. I got some good shoots in the first half, I think I just rushed those. I shot them a little quick, I normally just step in and hit. I think I can get more shots and more looks when he plays. We can be a two-headed point guard.”
Marek Dolezaj, Fr., F
How do you think the game went?
“I think it was a tough game. Once we concentrated we saw improvement. There was two minutes in the second half where we practically stopped playing and I think we need to fix that.”
How do you feel you moved the ball tonight?
“I tried to find the players and we had a lot of free shots we missed. We’ve got to keep working, keep shooting and we’ll make it work.”
Oshae Brissett, Fr, F
How hard is it to come directly from the spin move and go to the basket?
“That’s tough, you don’t really see a lot of people doing that but people that do, do stuff like that is guys like him (Tyus). It’s just skill, guys that know where to be and how to play the game, so you can expect that from him a lot.”
How much did Geno Thorpe help you guys out, especially with Tyus Battle out in foul trouble and pick up your offense toward the later half of the first half?
“He helped us out a lot. He picked us up at the end and got 13 points early, hitting those couple 3’s and the and-one’s and stuff like that gets us excited. It’s easier to play when everyone’s hyped and everyone wants to play and win. It was good for him to come off the bench and create that spark for us.”
It’s been a couple games and he (Geno) hadn’t really found his stride yet. I imagine his teammates – you’re rooting for him, for a guy like that?
“Of course. Geno’s a guy who just wants to win and just wants to play and he loves the game. You see a guy like that workout everyday and you just want him to do well and he’s getting it now so you can see that coming into games.”
How important is it that, especially against a team like that, to have an eight-point lead at halftime even when the offense wasn’t great?
“Yeah, we would obviously like to get it higher than that but you know a lead is a lead and we were able to come out in the second half and play a lot stronger.”
You struggled through most of this game, only two for twelve from the floor, was it a defensive effort from Texas Southern, or just a tough night from the floor?
“It was just a tough night. I wasn’t able to find my rhythm. I’ll go back in the gym and watch some film and see what I can attack later. “
November 18, 2017
Carrier Dome
Student-Athlete Quotes
Geno Thorpe, Gr., G
After Tyus (Battle) went out you became the x-factor. Can you explain that?
“I just tried to come in and bring energy on the defensive end. Credit to my teammates. They found me on the open shots and I just wanted to capitalize on those and knock them down.”
Do you still feel a little behind the rest of the team with the practice time you missed and your ankle?
“I’m practicing every day, I’m getting my rhythm back, and I feel more comfortable every day.”
Tyus Battle, So., G
Talk about the new guys stepping up tonight
“Geno is the one who kept us in the game in the first half. He made some big shots. He’s playing well. Marek is still always hustling. I think we have a really good team and anyone can step up on a given night.”
In the second half you really seemed to take over. Take me through your mindset, especially not playing much in the first half
“Just be aggressive. That’s always what is going through my mind.”
How much did sitting on the bench that long bother you?
“It did bother me. I’m not really used to that so it definitely did bother me, but foul trouble happens and I had to get it going in the second half.”
On that spin on the baseline, what was your mindset?
“I was actually trying to pull it out but he [the defender] forced me back so I just spun around and the lane was open so I took it.”
You mentioned Geno keeping you guys in it in the first half. You had five double-digit scorers. How did it feel to not have to score every single basket with all this teamwork?
“These guys can score the ball. It’s early in the season, people are going to get more comfortable with the system, with our team, with our coaching staff, so guys are going to step up every night.”
Frank Howard, Jr., G
How do you feel the offense played, especially in regard to playing with Geno Thorpe?
“I think overall we got a bit stagnant and we needed some plays. Geno brought some heat and got a few buckets, proved himself as an individual, got in the lane, and showed what he can do. ”
How does your dynamic change when Geno is on the court?
“I know I can get off the ball a little bit and pick my spot. I got some good shoots in the first half, I think I just rushed those. I shot them a little quick, I normally just step in and hit. I think I can get more shots and more looks when he plays. We can be a two-headed point guard.”
Marek Dolezaj, Fr., F
How do you think the game went?
“I think it was a tough game. Once we concentrated we saw improvement. There was two minutes in the second half where we practically stopped playing and I think we need to fix that.”
How do you feel you moved the ball tonight?
“I tried to find the players and we had a lot of free shots we missed. We’ve got to keep working, keep shooting and we’ll make it work.”
Oshae Brissett, Fr, F
How hard is it to come directly from the spin move and go to the basket?
“That’s tough, you don’t really see a lot of people doing that but people that do, do stuff like that is guys like him (Tyus). It’s just skill, guys that know where to be and how to play the game, so you can expect that from him a lot.”
How much did Geno Thorpe help you guys out, especially with Tyus Battle out in foul trouble and pick up your offense toward the later half of the first half?
“He helped us out a lot. He picked us up at the end and got 13 points early, hitting those couple 3’s and the and-one’s and stuff like that gets us excited. It’s easier to play when everyone’s hyped and everyone wants to play and win. It was good for him to come off the bench and create that spark for us.”
It’s been a couple games and he (Geno) hadn’t really found his stride yet. I imagine his teammates – you’re rooting for him, for a guy like that?
“Of course. Geno’s a guy who just wants to win and just wants to play and he loves the game. You see a guy like that workout everyday and you just want him to do well and he’s getting it now so you can see that coming into games.”
How important is it that, especially against a team like that, to have an eight-point lead at halftime even when the offense wasn’t great?
“Yeah, we would obviously like to get it higher than that but you know a lead is a lead and we were able to come out in the second half and play a lot stronger.”
You struggled through most of this game, only two for twelve from the floor, was it a defensive effort from Texas Southern, or just a tough night from the floor?
“It was just a tough night. I wasn’t able to find my rhythm. I’ll go back in the gym and watch some film and see what I can attack later. “
