Player Interview

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First Person: What it’s Like to Play Against the Huskies

December 15, 2009 in Uncategorized by Themod | 6 comments

John McLellan / UW Daily

John McLellan / UW Daily

We’ve done a bunch of pregame interviews with opposing players this season, but haven’t caught up yet with any of the guys from other teams after they’ve played the Huskies.

I thought it would be interesting to hear from someone who’d been in the college game for a while and had played against a wide range of teams, including national title contenders, and see how the Huskies stacked up.

Cal State Northridge senior forward Willie Galick spent his first two seasons with Pepperdine before transferring, and has played against national powers like UCLA, UCONN, and Memphis (in the NCAA Tournament).

Galick was kind enough to give me his candid take on facing Washington, and how they compare to some of the better teams he’d faced before. Here’s what we discussed:

Montlake Madness: Compared to the way you guys scouted the Huskies, how did their play surprise you?

Willie Galick: The way we scouted the Huskies is how they played, they crashed the boards hard and had athletes. We knew they weren’t going to shoot a lot from the outside, but knew they sent at least four guys to the offensive boards every time.

MM: Which players impressed or surprised you on Washington?

WG: The player that impressed me the most was Isaiah. He lived up to his ability and for such a young player shows a lot of skill and confidence. He uses his body very well and is getting a better jumper as the months go by.

MM: Compared to some of the better teams you’ve played against during your four seasons of college ball, how do the Huskies stack up? Best case, how far do you sense they can go?

WG: I have played against many teams in the top 10 over my four years thus far, and unfortunately the Huskies just don’t have the same caliber of a team game as they should. They rely on their talent and skills but seem to only rely on their teammates from time to time.

If they can build on their halfcourt game and execute their plays better and lock up their defense a little better, they can make it to the Sweet 16, for sure. But, as of right now, they might struggle against a well-coached team with athletes just as good if it was March right now.

MM: If you were to draw UW in the NCAA tournament this year, how might your team approach the game now, knowing what you know after playing them once?

WG: I would approach them with an attack mentality. We played passive and we were hesitant. I would take them off the dribble and force them to step up and stop the drive, and make sure we had our shooters in the corners. . . We were selfish as well and that led to charges and turnovers on our part.

MM: Anything else you want to say about your team, or about the game against UW?

WG: I’ve played the Huskies twice over my career (once with Pepperdine and another with CSUN), and I enjoy playing in the gym very much. The refs are never the best there, but that’s always to be expected when you play a top-25 team in their gym. I wish them the best of luck and maybe if we win our conference we can meet again come Madness time.

MM: What have you learned about your own team so far this season?

WG: I’ve learned that our team has even more potential than I anticipated. When we play as a unit and put in the effort on the defensive end and not just the offensive, we can play basketball with just about anybody. The trick of course is playing that way for 40 minutes, that is where we need to get to, but just haven’t gotten to yet.

Thanks for coming!!

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Montlake Madness Speaks to Cal State Northridge Head Coach, Bobby Braswell

December 5, 2009 in Uncategorized by Themod | 1 comment

Cal St Northridge Gonzaga BasketballCal State Northridge’s head coach, Bobby Braswell, was kind enough to take some time to answer our questions in advance of Sunday night’s contest. Here’s our interview:

Montlake Madness: Please give me the capsule scouting report on your team as you see it at this point — style of play, strengths, weaknesses, etc.

Coach Braswell: We won four of our last five games so I think we’re improving. Obviously we got off to a rough start having to go play at Purdue who’s the number-four ranked team in the country right now. They’re a very good basketball team and we kind of got our nose bloodied a little bit but we’ve steadily made improvements as the season’s progressed.

We’re known as a defensive-minded team. It’s still early in the year for us, we’ve got a lot of new guys that are here and are learning how to play defense the way I want to play defense.

MM: What’s your strategy for beating Washington?

CB: We have to try and control the tempo as much as we can. Washington obviously wants to get the ball up and down the floor and we’ve got to be smart and not turn the basketball over and try to slow them down. That’s the main objective, try and control the tempo.

MM: You led Memphis with 7:45 to go in the game during last year’s NCAA Tournament, and wound up losing the game by 11. How do your games against ranked opponents during the regular season help you prepare you to pull off the upset the next time you’re in a similar situation in the Tournament?

CB: We don’t necessarily think about getting ready for the Tournament. We just feel like any game that we play, especially against high-major institutions, top-10 teams or top-25 teams gives us an opportunity to get ourselves prepared for our conference. We always play a difficult schedule and this schedule is no different. Obviously Washington is one of the top teams in the country and if we can have a positive showing against them and compete then hopefully the obstacle that some people may see is an opportunity for something special.

MM: Can you give me your brief scouting report on the Huskies?

CB: I just know that they’re extremely athletic and really get after you defensively. They really want to run the ball and get the scores up in transition so, that’s why I said before, it’s important for us control that. They’ve got a couple guys averaging 20 points a game and one of them is a 20 and 10 so we’ve got to try to find a way to limit those guys as much as we can. They’re a very good, very young, very athletic team and they’ve got a lot of speedsters so we’ll have to find a way to keep up with them.

MM: You used to be an assistant at Oregon, an arch-nemesis of the Huskies. Do you hold any residual feelings of Pac-10 rivalry from that time in your career?

CB: Not at all. Lorenzo Romar is a good friend and I’m happy that he’s had the success that he’s had. He’s done a great job up there but there is no rivalry there.

MM: What’s your coaching philosophy? How do you approach being a basketball coach and also being a role model to your players?

CB: Coaching philosophy is that we want our teams to play extremely hard. We want them to play unselfish basketball and we want them to represent the University and represent themselves in a positive way. We demand that they play hard every day and compete and we also encourage our guys to be good citizens on and off the floor and I think part of that responsibility is how I live my life and how my coaching staff lives their lives. We want to be more than just people who tell you how to live but exemplify that in how we do things.

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Montlake Madness Talks to Wright State Head Coach, Brad Brownell

November 12, 2009 in Uncategorized by Themod | 1 comment

Wright St Butler BasketballQuick programming note on this crazy busy weekend for Husky hoops: We’ll post our full preview of the season opener against Wright State this afternoon, and have previews and interviews up for the Belmont and Portland State games before you wake up on Saturday and Sunday as well.

In advance of the Huskies’ first game of the season, and hoping to get some insight on our opponent, I caught up with Brad Brownell, who’s about to start his fourth season as the Head Coach at Wright State.

Montlake Madness: Please give me the capsule scouting report on Wright State as you see it at this point — style of play, strengths, weaknesses, etc.

Coach Brownell: We stress defense with mostly a man-to-man type of defense. This year, we have nine older players who have experience in the program and have scored in double figures at various times so it will not be up to just one or two players to be scorers or defenders–we spread it out.

MM: What’s your strategy for beating Washington?

CB: We will need to take care of the ball, get quality shots and get back in the transition to defend quickly.

MM: How much extra meaning do your games against bigger conference schools take on, knowing there are so few opportunities before tournament time to test yourselves against those schools likely to get the high seeds come tournament time?

CB: We treat every game the same with preparation and take one game at a time, though we appreciate the opportunity to challenge our players against the nation’s top teams like Washington.

MM: How does your team suffer not having Vaughn Duggins, one of your most talented players, during the three games in Seattle?

CB: We will be hurt by depth and the loss of a major scorer and his experience.

MM: Can you give me your brief scouting report on the Huskies?

CB: Washington has tremendous perimeter speed and athleticism at all positions as well as a fast-paced transition while applying defensive pressure.

MM: Anything else you want to mention about your team?

CB: Thanks for your time and we look forward to the weekend of games.

Hey, thanks for coming!

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2011 Husky Recruit Jabari Brown Says Huskies Are High On His Unofficial List

November 9, 2009 in Uncategorized by Themod | No comments

recruit d Jabari Brown copyHad a chance recently to catch up with Jabari Brown, a Bay Area shooting guard from the class of 2011 ranked #58 nationally by ESPN. Brown will be playing for Findlay Prep in Nevada this season honing his already top-flight skills on the court.

We covered Jabari in our State of the 2011 Recruiting Class post a few months back, and at the time thought there was only a slim chance he’d wind up at the Dub. But after speaking with him, our chances sound a whole lot better.

Montlake Madness: Are the Huskies still on your radar?

Jabari Brown: Yeah, they are.

MM: How many other schools in the running?

JB: I’m wide open right now, so i don’t have an exact number. Washington is high on that unofficial list though.

MM: Planning to visit the school anytime soon?

JB: I want to, but I’m not sure. I talked to Desmond (Simmons) about it a couple days ago.

MM: Has UW offered a scholarship to you?

JB: No, not yet.

MM: But, they’re in touch?

JB: Yeah.

MM: You and Desmond are friends, right?

JB: Yeah, we’re real close.

MM: What’s the most important thing to you when choosing a school?

JB: Coaching, playing style, and playing time freshman year.

MM: Has UW given you an indication that the playing time would be there?

JB: We haven’t had any conversations about that.

MM: Which coach is in touch with you from UW?

JB: Paul Fortier.

Thanks for coming!

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Montlake Madness Talks to 2010 Husky Freshman Forward, Desmond Simmons – Part II

October 30, 2009 in Uncategorized by Themod | 1 comment

Desmond dunking copyIn case you missed it, here’s part I of our Desmond Simmons interview (you can also scroll down).

In today’s portion, Desmond talks about his summer in AAU ball. Some of the media coverage about Desmond’s summer alluded to some unexpected struggles on the court, and we discuss that in the portion of the interview below.

Montlake Madness: What college team did you grow up rooting for?

Desmond Simmons: I never really had a team in college basketball. I just watched it. I had my select players that I loved to watch. I never had a particular college I was rooting for. Just favorite players I loved watching play.

MM: Give me an example of players you’ve enjoyed watching.

DS: I loved to watch Blake Griffin last year. Jerryd Bayless was fun to watch…

MM: Have you played with or against any of the current Huskies?

DS: I played against Clarence Trent his sophomore year, which was my freshman year, in a basketball tournament in San Diego.

MM: What was it that ultimately made you choose UW?

DS: I would say how down to earth Coach Romar was. That pretty much sealed my deal. I went up there and saw the campus and the campus is beautiful, and the school is nice itself. The Pac-10…

But, I think it was just talking to Coach Romar. Just how honest he was. And how down to earth. He wasn’t trying to sell me anything. He was real honest and straightforward with me about everything and he just told me he wasn’t promising me anything and that I had to come in and work. And, if I earned minutes, then I’d get minutes. As honest as he was with me, I respected that a whole lot. And, I heard a lot of good things about Romar prior to going up to visit, and people were telling me a ton of stuff about how great of a coach he is and just how good of a person he is. And, when I met him, he was everything that everybody told me. So, he wasn’t just giving me a bunch of hot air.

MM: Did you feel that there were others during the recruiting process that were maybe more “full of hot air”? Or, making promises they might not be able to keep?

DS: I mean, I felt that most of the coaches I was talking to were pretty sincere. I was talking to Oregon State for a while. And, Coach (Nate) Pomeday and Coach Robinson, they seemed real sincere about what they were talking about. I don’t think they were just blowing smoke up my butt. But, I think that I got a better vibe from Coach Romar than the other coaches I had met with.

MM: I’ve heard that this summer in AAU ball was a little bit of a mixed bag for you. There were times you played really well, and times you struggled a little too. Tell me a little about how you feel the summer went and how your game progressed.

DS: I played probably more on the wing than I ever have in my AAU career. So, there were ups and downs with that, because I’m still learning, still currently learning, how to become a wing player. So, you know, I mean I played a lot on the wing this year, so there were a lot of kinks I needed to work out. A lot of things I learned from myself sometimes the hard way that, y’know… Things like making plays from the wing, things like that. So, it was kind of an up-and-down… I had some ups and downs in some tournaments this year. And, probably just because of playing on the wing more than I ever have before, so it was something new.

MM: Are you going to play on the wing for your high school team this year?

DS: I’ll play on the wing, probably, all year.

MM: Is that a decision you make with your coach with an eye on your future?

DS: Me and my coach have discussed it. My freshman year, going into Salesian High School, we had discussed that eventually I was going to work my way to the wing. Last year, he intended to play me on the wing more, but I ended up playing in the post more than on the wing. Next year, we’re going to focus on me playing on the wing in practice, and during the season. It was also something about, since I was going to Washington next year, I would have to get used to playing on the wing, so it wouldn’t do me any good playing in the post my senior year and then heading to Washington to play on the wing.

Thanks for coming!

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Montlake Madness Talks to 2010 Husky Freshman Forward, Desmond Simmons – Part I

October 29, 2009 in Uncategorized by Themod | 5 comments

Desmond awardThere’s been a lot of focus lately on which of the still-uncommited top basketball players the Huskies might entice to come to UW, so it’s been easy to forget that we’ve got one guy we know is coming to Montlake in 2010.

Desmond Simmons is a 6’7″ forward from Salesian High School in the Bay Area. We were thrilled to catch up with him recently and talk basketball, UW, and about some of the difficulty he had during AAU ball this summer. You’ll have to come back tomorrow to get the whole interview, but here’s part I:

Montlake Madness: Introduce yourself to the Husky fans. We want to know more about you.

Desmond Simmons: On the court, I play really hard. A lot of energy. Dive for loose balls, rebounding, crashing. A lot of energy. Off the court, I would say I’m a pretty laid-back kind of mellow person. A lot of people say I’m a mellow kind of guy. That’s me off-the-court — just a real chill person.

MM: What do you like to do when you’re not playing ball?

DS: I listen to a lot of music. I like all kinds of music. I like to draw. I’ve been drawing since I was little. It’s a big hobby of mine.

MM: What kind of stuff do you draw?

DS: I draw a lot of cartoon characters. Sometimes I draw pictures of sports players, like I take a picture of an actual athlete and I just draw it out on a big poster board or something.

MM: What college or pro player does your game resemble the most?

DS: Some people tell me, I would say, someone like Boris Diaw, an inside-out kind of guy with range. I guess Boris Diaw to some extent.

MM: Are you more of a post player or a wing man? I know Boris Diaw is kind of a hybrid, but where do you think you fit in on the Huskies?

DS: Kind of like Boris, a little bit of both: inside and out. Most of my basketball career, I’ve been playing the post, but the last, I would say, since freshman and sophomore year, I’ve been getting out on the wing more. So, I mean, for the Huskies, I would be, uh, a guard with multiple positions. So, I could probably guard some posts, guard some guys on the wing. Play some post, play some wing. A little bit of both.

MM: Have you watched Quincy Pondexter play much?

DS: Yes.

MM: So, compare your games, since you’ll be coming in after he’s leaving. I know some people are going to hope you come in and fill a similar role to some degree.

DS: Well, Quincy Pondexter is an exceptional player. I like his game a lot, because he also goes inside-out. And so, I guess, his mid-range and my mid-range are kind of alike. He has a good mid-range game. I think my mid-range game is pretty decent.

MM: How often are you in touch with coaches or players at UW at this point?

DS: I talk to Coach Romar and Coach Fortier pretty often. I call them up a little bit here and there. I’m in touch with them very frequently. Maybe a couple of times a week. I call Coach Fortier maybe twice per week. He’ll probably give me a call once or twice a week.

MM: Have they given you stuff they want you to focus on between now and next season? Areas of your game they want you to strengthen?

DS: Yeah. They’ve told me to work on getting consistent with my jump shot. Getting consistent where I can knock down open jump shots. And my ball-handling is improving, but making it more sound. Getting bigger, getting stronger. That’s always something you need to work on because you think you’re strong in high school, but when you get to college, it’s a whole different game.

MM: What are you most looking forward to about playing at UW?

DS: I heard the fans are real crazy out there. They get a lot of fan support out there. It’ll be nice to play in front of a big crowd every night (we’re) at home. That’s something to be excited about.

I’m also just looking forward to getting better. Just going to the next level. It’s something exciting itself, y’know, moving on to college, Division I basketball, playing in the Pac-10. Playing against UCLA, USC, Arizona. You know, that’s just really exciting. . .

***

Tomorrow, part II, in which Desmond discusses some of the much-talked-about struggles he had in some of his AAU tournaments this summer.

Thanks for coming!

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Elston Turner Talks to Montlake Madness About Having a Coach at School, and a Coach at Home

October 27, 2009 in Uncategorized by Themod | 1 comment

Elston Trey copyWhen you look at all of the scoring the Huskies will have to make up for this season when accounting for the losses of Jon Brockman and Justin Dentmon (approximately 37% of last season’s points), it’s going to take more than small increases from several returning players to bridge the gap. One guy Montlake Madness is looking to for a greatly increased role in the offense this season is Elston Turner.

Turner had more ups and downs than the average freshman last year. He averaged 17 minutes per game as a key scoring option off the bench early on, before an ankle injury caused him to miss four games. When he returned, his scoring touch was there, but his minutes went way down. Then, in the NCAA Tournament, Elston Turner averaged 20 minutes per contest, showing off a more well-rounded game and raising expectations for this season.

I had a chance to speak with Turner recently. Here’s what we discussed:

Montlake Madness: What’s new? What part of your game have you been working on this off-season?

Elston Turner: You’re gonna see how much more I’m gonna be aggressive. Not just being a three-point shooter, but getting to the foul line, going to the basket, a lot of mid-range. You know, that’s 80-85% of the main things I’ve worked on this summer: being more aggressive and not just settling for the three-point jumper.

MM: How much do the increased minutes you saw very late last year in the NCAA Tournament bolster your confidence coming into this year?

ET: It helps a good deal. Going into the tournament, my dad was talking about how I have to be more aggressive, and if I have an open shot, don’t pass it up. And, if I feel like I can do something with the ball, then go ahead and do it. And, I started to do it in the Tournament and a lot of people could see it then.

MM: What’s it like having a coach at home (NBA coach, Elston Turner, Sr.) and a coach at school? Any discrepancy between the advice that they suggest to you?

ET: No, not really, because they talk all the time. They played in the NBA together. They both know what’s the best thing for me. When they both tell me one thing, it’s likely right. So, I haven’t had a problem with that yet.

MM: What’s the path from here to a professional career for you? What do you need to develop?

ET: Being more aggressive. Having more people notice me. Doing little things. Not just being an offensive player, but also playing defense and rebounding. Getting to the ball, stuff like that. Just so I can stay on the court and have more people notice me.

MM: What’s the battle like for rotation spots at practice? How do you work that out with being friends off the court? You and C.J. (Wilcox) particularly?

ET: You really don’t think about it as a player. Like you said, we’re real good friends. (C.J. and I) are roommates. We hang out a lot. And, I mean, really we’re just encouraging each other, so whoever gets the minutes, we’re not gonna be mad. We’re gonna be encouraging. I’m just trying to tell him a little bit about the offense. Because, I’ve been through it last year. I’m just trying to help him out and have him be the best player he can be.

MM: Would you rather start or finish?

ET: I’d rather finish.

Hey, thanks for coming.

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Jon Brockman Talks NBA with Montlake Madness

October 23, 2009 in Uncategorized by Themod | 8 comments

Jon in training camp copyI had a chance to catch up with #40 this week. Husky legend Jon Brockman is currently plying his trade as a rookie with the Sacramento Kings, and was kind enough to answer some questions from Montlake Madness.

The Kings start their regular season on November 2. Here’s some nice words Jon’s coach Paul Westphal had to say about him recently. Before we start, here’s a recap of Jon’s six games (all preseason contests) as a pro so far:

Brockman preseason stats copy

You can also follow Jon on Twitter if you want to get up-to-the-minute updates on the former Husky star.

Montlake Madness: Give me your initial impressions of the League. What’s been the toughest part of the NBA adjustment?

Jon Brockman: The largest adjustment thus far has been the difference in roles for me as a player. While at Washington, I was a rebounder, but also a scorer, team leader, captain, etc. In a way I feel like a freshman again and, while my main focus is still rebounding, a lot of what I do is give our other players better opportunities to score.

MM: What’s been the most unexpected part of life so far as an NBA ballplayer?

JB: The most unexpected part of being an NBA player would have to be the free time. We work hard and work for a long time while in the gym but when you don’t have class and tutoring and all the other extra things that come along with college sports you have a lot of time to yourself.

MM: How are you spending all of that additional free time?

JB: All my free time right now is spent just relaxing. I have been getting all settled in to the house I am renting. So I am either doing that or hanging out with Spencer (Hawes) watching movies or playing video games. Just normal stuff I would be doing if I was in Snohomish.

MM: What’s the biggest difference as far as the perks and lifestyle between big-time college basketball and the NBA?

JB: The perks would have to be the nice dinners that the vets take you out to, and just the overall way you are treated. Top of the line hotels. Always flying on private planes with huge first class seats that you can stretch out fully in. It is for sure a better way to fly!

MM: What are your expectations this season as far as playing time? What do you need to do to earn time on the court?

JB: For me to get time on the court, I need to work as hard as I possibly can whenever I am in the game. The NBA is a game of specialists. There are scorers, passers, defenders, and I need to focus on what I do well in rebounding and just do whatever the team needs me to do to get better. Be that garbage man!

MM: What’s the number-one piece of advice you’d give to a kid that wants to rebound as well as you do? Is there a secret to getting an advantage on the boards?

JB: The number-one tip I would give any basketball player about rebounding is simple as it comes. Effort is everything. Having a desire to get every single rebound, and a mindset that every rebound is yours, is all you need to know to be a rebounder. Yes, you have to be smart and get a read on the ball, but the majority of what I do is simply based on going to the boards every single time the shot goes up.

MM: Describe the feeling of stepping onto the court with a guy like Kobe Bryant, or guarding Ron Artest. Are you in awe at all, or is it all the same to you?

JB: Well, I was actually never on the court with Kobe, but I did get to guard Ron Artest for a little while, and it was an eye opening experience, that’s for sure. The first play I was in, I actually turned my head on Ron — something a rebounder should never do — and he knocked me on my butt. That was the hit I needed to wake up. After that, I remembered it was just basketball and as long as I work hard things will be fine.

MM: As expected, you’ve rebounded very well so far, but I’ve seen a lot of fouls in the boxscore too. What do you need to do to avoid those while still being the aggressive player you need to be out there?

JB: (Laughs) Yeah, I have been averaging a good number of fouls. Really, I am fine with that. I just need to make sure I get my money’s worth on each foul. I get six of them now, so for me it’s like a dream come true. But I do know when I start learning a few more tricks of the trade I will be able to get away with more without the refs noticing me!

MM: Has it taken any getting used to going from Seattle-area celebrity and All-America candidate to being a rookie having to start from scratch to earn respect in the League?

JB: It hasn’t been too bad. In fact, I am really enjoying “starting from scratch” and just being a little rookie. Sacramento is a great city and with the Kings being the only team in town, there’s a lot of attention focused on us. As long as I work as hard as I did with my time at UW, only good things will happen.

MM: What’s your scouting report on this year’s Huskies? If you’re Coach Romar, what’s your rotatoin, and how do you compensate for the loss of Jon Brockman?

JB: That is a tough question. I know that if all the guys work hard and take the approach we had last year where they work together as a team, good things will happen. They need to realize personal stats don’t mean anything. What matters is wins, and they will get much more attention nationally if they win rather than if one person is putting up great numbers and they are losing. Obviously they have very talented guards which will be the focus, but I believe a lot of people are sleeping on the talent they have down low as well. Interested to see what the young boys can bring to the table. They have all the potential in the world and just need to come together as a group, not get cocky, and good things will happen.

MM: Based on what you know of the team, who’s the player you think might surprise some people this year — your sleeper pick on the Huskies?

JB: My sleeper pick for the Huskies will have to be Tyreese (Breshers). He is a beast down low and when he gets healthy will be a huge part of the Dawgs success this season.

Thanks to Jon for joining us, and thanks to you all for coming!

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Montlake Madness Speaks to Abdul Gaddy

October 21, 2009 in Uncategorized by Themod | 3 comments

Gaddy close copyAbdul Gaddy is the highest-rated recruit to come play basketball for UW since Spencer Hawes. Billed as a poised, pass-first point guard, Gaddy should compete for a starting spot next month when the Huskies tip off the 2009/2010 season.

What can’t come through in an interview, but is clear when you watch him work out, or speak with him in person, is that Abdul has a presence about him. I was glad to catch up with him recently. Here’s what we discussed:

Montlake Madness: What’s your philosophy on leading a team? How do you approach the game to make the players around you better?

Abdul Gaddy: You just gotta come out, play basketball, make the right plays. If somebody has an easier shot than you, you just gotta give them the ball and make plays for them.

It’s all about reading the defense. I like to say that I can read plays three or four steps ahead. That’s what my coach tried to teach me to do: try to see the play before it happens. So, that’s what I try to do. I just go out and try to make the right plays. I’m not trying to get my points or anything like that.

MM: When is the time on the floor that you say to yourself “It’s time for me to score now”?

AG: When it’s time to score is, honestly, if I see my team struggling and nobody’s scoring and everything, I say, okay now I gotta turn it up and be more aggressive. If I make more plays then it makes their shot easier where they just get layups now. They don’t have to worry about making a tough jump shot or anything. I could worry about taking that shot. So, I try to relieve the pressure off my teammates.

MM: When you’ve got the ball in your hands and you’ve got, say, a teammate down low, and, say, Isaiah to your left, and maybe another option too, what’s the thought process for you as far as ball distribution? Is it a conscious thing? Or is passing done completely within the flow of the game?

AG: Well, Isaiah is a good enough player that he can score whenever he wants to. Our offense is like kind of generated around him and Quincy. So where those guys are. . . Defenses are gonna key on those two, but they’re good enough players where they’re making plays for us too. So, if they see somebody is wide open because they haven’t been getting touches or anything, defenses are going to be on them, and they’re going to be able to pass the ball for us to have open shots. They’re good enough players to make all of us better.

MM: What’s more important to you starting games or finishing games?

AG: Finishing games. Because that’s where the games mostly are won. Y’know, a lot of people will say a lot of stuff, like “who’s gonna start?” Honestly, I really don’t care if I start or not. A lot of people have expectations…

MM: You really don’t care? Opening night, there’s no part of you that wants to be…?

AG: Nah… I mean, there’s gonna be people who would say something like “Oh, why didn’t you start?,” but this is a team thing between us. This is our brotherhood. I feel like I’ve earned my respect to get playing time. It don’t really matter if I start or not. I deserve playing time. That’s what I’m playing for. I’m playing for playing time. And, to help the team win.

MM: Finishing games, though. That makes a difference?

AG: Yes. I wanna be in the game at the end of the game when Coach is like “I need somebody that’s gonna help me win this game.” And I wanna be like “Coach, I’m gonna help you win this game.”

Thanks for coming!

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Montlake Madness Talks to Husky Freshman Guard, C.J. Wilcox

October 19, 2009 in Uncategorized by Themod | 2 comments

CJ shootingC.J. Wilcox’s reputation as a terrific shooter precedes him even before playing a game as a Husky. He’s being called the team’s best shooter by some (although Elston Turner might have something to say about that). And, Wilcox won this weekend’s three-point contest, teaming with a UW student to defeat Elston Turner and his partner.

Some of you have asked about the possibility of C.J. redshirting this season. For what it’s worth, I don’t think it’s very likely with only a 12-man team. What seems like a deep rotation, that will be difficult to break into, could become dangerously thin with an injury or two. Here’s what we discussed:

Montlake Madness: Everyone talks about your shooting. What aspect of your game are people missing? What should they be talking about?

C.J. Wilcox: They could also talk about my quickness, I guess. My agility. Stuff like that. But, mostly it’s my shooting. That’s what I spend most of my time on, is my shooting.

MM: Does there come a point where you know you’re a good shooter so you work on other things more? How do you decide to mix between polishing your strengths and working on the things you need to improve on?

C.J.: I’ll do the same shooting every day. I’ll do other stuff. I mean, I’ll do ball-handling. Of course, weights and stuff. But, I never miss a shooting practice. If you can shoot, you can play anywhere you want to.

MM: What don’t we know about you?

C.J.: I play guitar. A lot of people don’t know that.

MM: What kind of music do you play?

C.J. Just anything that sounds good, really.

MM: Who’s your favorite guitarist?

C.J.: I’d probably have to say, Jimi Hendrix.

MM: What’s been unexpected so far about your experience at UW?

C.J.: I guess it’s the transition. The physical part of playing. Playing with people as fast as you. Jumping as high. Everything like that. It’s just an adjustment, the whole thing.

MM: How’s the adjustment to Seattle been, being away from home?

C.J.: I came in the summer, so I kinda got used to being away from home. So, right now, it’s not that big of a deal. But early in the summer, I kinda missed home. But, now I can wait, so. . .

MM: Do you guys get to go home at all during the season?

C.J.: I know we go home at Christmas, but that’s the only time I can think of.

Thanks for coming.

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