Syracuse Student-Athlete Quotes - Duke
Syracuse Men’s Basketball
Syracuse vs. Duke
February 22, 2017
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
John Gillon, Gr., G
What was your mindset tonight?
“I was just really one-track minded. I really wanted to win. We needed to win. That was my one focus.”
What happened on that final play?
“Tyus (Battle) threw it to me and I thought we had 20 seconds left. I looked up and we only had five. I tried to speed up the court and three people were on me. I was (thinking) ‘I can get this off’. I kept my elbow in, followed through, and it went in.”
Did you see it go in?
“Yeah, I saw it go in.”
And what was your reaction?
“I was (thinking) ‘Dang, I made that’. I was happy. We needed that one.”
Was the idea to attack the basket in the second half?
“I figured it out at the end of the first half, where they struggled defensively, and I felt there wasn’t an answer in the second half.”
Where would you rank this shot amongst your shots this season?
“Number one.”
Why?
“Top-10 team. Huge crowd at home. We needed this. It was huge.”
This was your first time playing in the Duke and Syracuse rivalry. What was that like?
“It brought back a lot of childhood memories watching Duke and Syracuse play on TV. I’ve always seen myself as a guard at this level but I’ve never had the opportunity until this year. To be able to play in this game and play against Duke, it was a dream come true. I don’t take it for granted. I’m glad I could play like that on that stage.”
Tyus Battle, Fr., G
Can you run us through the last 10 seconds of the game?
“I got the rebound, looked up at the clock and saw there were about five to six seconds left and passed it off to John (Gillon). I made sure I ran just in case he passed it to me, but he put it up and I had a feeling it was going in. I just lost it after that. It was amazing.”
Can you talk about the team’s resiliency?
“This team, we just keep on fighting, we are always battling and we never give up. I think that's what makes us really special. Hopefully, we’re proving that we’re a pretty good team.”
What has been the difference in these close games?
“I think we’re getting pretty comfortable playing close games. We just keep on battling, keep on fighting. We don't give up until we see zeros on the board.”
Are you more comfortable playing close games than other games?
“I like big moments like that. I like being aggressive, running my shot or getting my teammates involved – especially when you have a crowd like we do. It makes it so much better.”
Tyler Lydon, So. F
What did it feel like to be in the middle of the craziness after John Gillon hit the shot?
“It took me a little bit to realize what had happened. I just stood there. I was down by the paint. I kind of just looked at the basket like, ‘Thank you, Lord’. It felt really good, obviously.”
Did you know the shot was going in?
“Honestly, I was just trying to prepare for an offensive rebound, so I was doing what I could to get in position to make a play if it came off. Thankfully, it didn't.”
Can you talk about the team’s free throw shooting?
“I think it comes down to guys staying composed and knowing that each one really does matter. I think that helps us out a lot. In the beginning of the season, we weren’t shooting great from the line but we’ve been able to get back up.”
Taurean Thompson, Fr., F
With a lot of new faces on this team, what can you say about the trust you have in John Gillon, who’s made a lot of big plays this year?
“I trust him in any situation. When we are running and have a lot of momentum going, that’s when he’s at his best. He makes plays for other people and gets into the gaps because he’s so quick and so hard to guard. I have a lot of confidence in him and everyone else on the team when we get going.”
Tyus Battle had a quiet first half, but can you talk about what changed for him in the second?
“Tyus realized that he wasn’t contributing a lot [in the first half], and in the second half he came from out of nowhere and started putting points on the board. He’s a great scorer. He can shoot it. He had three step-backs at the end of the game. He’s a really good scorer.”
What worked for you in the first half?
“I think it was the way they were playing their defense. The way they were playing the pick-and-roll opened me up a lot in the middle.”
Syracuse vs. Duke
February 22, 2017
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
John Gillon, Gr., G
What was your mindset tonight?
“I was just really one-track minded. I really wanted to win. We needed to win. That was my one focus.”
What happened on that final play?
“Tyus (Battle) threw it to me and I thought we had 20 seconds left. I looked up and we only had five. I tried to speed up the court and three people were on me. I was (thinking) ‘I can get this off’. I kept my elbow in, followed through, and it went in.”
Did you see it go in?
“Yeah, I saw it go in.”
And what was your reaction?
“I was (thinking) ‘Dang, I made that’. I was happy. We needed that one.”
Was the idea to attack the basket in the second half?
“I figured it out at the end of the first half, where they struggled defensively, and I felt there wasn’t an answer in the second half.”
Where would you rank this shot amongst your shots this season?
“Number one.”
Why?
“Top-10 team. Huge crowd at home. We needed this. It was huge.”
This was your first time playing in the Duke and Syracuse rivalry. What was that like?
“It brought back a lot of childhood memories watching Duke and Syracuse play on TV. I’ve always seen myself as a guard at this level but I’ve never had the opportunity until this year. To be able to play in this game and play against Duke, it was a dream come true. I don’t take it for granted. I’m glad I could play like that on that stage.”
Tyus Battle, Fr., G
Can you run us through the last 10 seconds of the game?
“I got the rebound, looked up at the clock and saw there were about five to six seconds left and passed it off to John (Gillon). I made sure I ran just in case he passed it to me, but he put it up and I had a feeling it was going in. I just lost it after that. It was amazing.”
Can you talk about the team’s resiliency?
“This team, we just keep on fighting, we are always battling and we never give up. I think that's what makes us really special. Hopefully, we’re proving that we’re a pretty good team.”
What has been the difference in these close games?
“I think we’re getting pretty comfortable playing close games. We just keep on battling, keep on fighting. We don't give up until we see zeros on the board.”
Are you more comfortable playing close games than other games?
“I like big moments like that. I like being aggressive, running my shot or getting my teammates involved – especially when you have a crowd like we do. It makes it so much better.”
Tyler Lydon, So. F
What did it feel like to be in the middle of the craziness after John Gillon hit the shot?
“It took me a little bit to realize what had happened. I just stood there. I was down by the paint. I kind of just looked at the basket like, ‘Thank you, Lord’. It felt really good, obviously.”
Did you know the shot was going in?
“Honestly, I was just trying to prepare for an offensive rebound, so I was doing what I could to get in position to make a play if it came off. Thankfully, it didn't.”
Can you talk about the team’s free throw shooting?
“I think it comes down to guys staying composed and knowing that each one really does matter. I think that helps us out a lot. In the beginning of the season, we weren’t shooting great from the line but we’ve been able to get back up.”
Taurean Thompson, Fr., F
With a lot of new faces on this team, what can you say about the trust you have in John Gillon, who’s made a lot of big plays this year?
“I trust him in any situation. When we are running and have a lot of momentum going, that’s when he’s at his best. He makes plays for other people and gets into the gaps because he’s so quick and so hard to guard. I have a lot of confidence in him and everyone else on the team when we get going.”
Tyus Battle had a quiet first half, but can you talk about what changed for him in the second?
“Tyus realized that he wasn’t contributing a lot [in the first half], and in the second half he came from out of nowhere and started putting points on the board. He’s a great scorer. He can shoot it. He had three step-backs at the end of the game. He’s a really good scorer.”
What worked for you in the first half?
“I think it was the way they were playing their defense. The way they were playing the pick-and-roll opened me up a lot in the middle.”
