All-Access at the West Regional in Los Angeles: Alabama-North Carolina

Posted on March 30, 2024 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Los Angeles with a recap of Alabama-North Carolina.

There were plenty of basketball alumni in the crowd from both schools who know a LOT about winning titles including 7-time NBA champ Robert Horry…

3-time NCAA champ Roy Williams…

3-time NBA champ Danny Green…

3-time NBA champ James Worthy (which is surreal because his retired Lakers jersey is hanging up in the rafters of this arena!)…

And 10-time NBA champ (3 as a player/7 as an executive) Mitch Kupchak

I expected plenty of offense in a game featuring 2 of the top offenses in the nation…and they did not disappoint. I knew that the senior stars in the Bama backcourt would show up and they did: Aaron Estrada made jump shots from all over the court, while Mark Sears knocked down a pair of threes and a couple of layups. The surprise was their sophomore teammate Rylan Griffen, who must have been “ryled” up before the game because he came out and drilled 4 shots from behind the arc during the 1st half. However, UNC SR G Cormac Ryan matched him with 4 of his own, while his teammates Harrison Ingram/Elliot Cadeau each made 2, and SR F Armando Bacot was dominating the paint with layup after dunk as the Tar Heels cruised to a 54-46 halftime lead.

Bacot kept playing like an All-American in the 2nd stanza, finishing with a double-double, and his fellow SR RJ Davis FINALLY started to contribute with a couple of layups and a pull-up jumper. While Estrada answered Davis shot for shot, it was HIS fellow SR Grant Nelson who ended up the hero. The 6’11” transfer from North Dakota State had the best 20 minutes of his life (making a couple of reverse layups, a 3, and an old-fashioned 3-PT play) to end up with 24 PTS/12 REB/5 BLK and a spot in the Elite 8 after a hard-fought 89-87 victory.

Instead of attending the postgame press conference I headed to the Alabama locker room for a pair of interviews, but on the way I bumped into Alabama athletic director/NCAA selection committee member Greg Byrne (who was in a VERY good mood):

FR F Jarin Stevenson

You grew up in Chapel Hill: how did it feel to face North Carolina? It was great to play against a team whose campus was just 10 minutes away from the house I grew up in.

How did you pull off the upset? We just made the correct adjustments, followed the game plan, and watched some film.

Your teammate Grant Nelson was the hero: how was he able to play so well after 2 underwhelming performances in the 1st/2nd round last week? Grant realized that he was not at his best and knew that he could make a bigger impact tonight. We have seen him play well in practice so I was not surprised at all.

What do you know about Clemson? We lost to them back in November. They are a very physical team that can pound it inside with PJ Hall.

Your father Jarod played pro basketball in the US/overseas for 2 decades, your uncle Greg played pro basketball, and your mother Nicole was a 3-time ACC champ at UNC: who is the best athlete in the family? Me! I watched my dad when he played in the Korean Basketball League: he was a great shooter/slasher…but is older now.

SR G Mark Sears

Your teammate Grant Nelson was the hero: how was he able to play so well after 2 underwhelming performances in the 1st/2nd round last week? Grant just took over the ballgame. Coach Oats told me to try to shoot more…but I told him no because nobody could stop Grant!

You scored a game-high 23 PTS when you faced Clemson last November: how were you able to be so effective? Just being aggressive, which is what I have done all year.

When you transferred from Ohio did you think that this result was possible? Yes: it just shows that all the work and countless hours I spent on my game have paid off, and is why I believe in myself.

In the 2023 Sweet 16 you had 16 PTS/10 REB in a 7-PT loss to San Diego State: what is the biggest difference from last year to this year? We lost that game as a #1 seed, but we switched roles this year and just upset the #1 seed due to our underdog mentality.

How will you prepare for the rematch with the Tigers? We will see what lessons can be learned, see how we lost the 1st game, and improve for Saturday.

That is a wrap for the Sweet 16, check back this weekend for some Elite 8 coverage.

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All-Access at the West Regional in Los Angeles: Clemson-Arizona

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Los Angeles with a recap of Clemson-Arizona.

Not too many people expected the Tigers to be here, especially after getting destroyed by BC in the 2nd round of the ACC tourney in DC, while the Wildcats have a ton of fan support in LA and dreams of a trip to Glendale dancing in their heads. Let’s tip it off from way up high:

Clemson came out strong with contributions from everybody: SR G Chase Hunter made a bunch of layups, JR F Ian Schieffelin knocked down a pair of jump shots and a 3, SO F Chauncey Wiggins made a couple of shots from behind the arc, and SR F PJ Hall scored from all over the court. Arizona SR C Oumar Ballo was unstoppable inside including a 1-handed alleyoop dunk that had the crowd going wild, but Clemson was still able to head to halftime with a 39-31 lead.

The last and only time that Clemson had made the Elite 8 was 1980, when Larry Nance was a JR and Brad Brownell was…11 years old! Ballo kept doing damage inside (finishing with a double-double), but his atrocious 1-7 FT shooting was a glaring weakness. He finally got some help from his backcourt in the form of SR G Caleb Love (0-9 3PM but made most of his attempts in the paint) and SO G Jaden Bradley (who made a pair of threes in the hopes of facing his former teammates from Alabama on Saturday), but it was too little too late. Hall made a bunch of layups/dunks to build the lead and then let the Hunter brothers seal the deal in the final 30 seconds. Older brother Chase converted an and-1 to extend the lead to 75-70, younger brother Dillon made a layup to make it 77-72, and that ended up being the final score.

Instead of attending the postgame press conference I headed to the Clemson locker room for a pair of interviews:

SO F RJ Godfrey

What does it mean to make the Elite 8 for the 1st time in school history since 1980? It is insane, and the most memorable game of my career: God has blessed me.

Is it extra-special to win it with teammates Chase/Dillon Hunter? It is: our fathers were childhood friends and we see each other as cousins.

Speaking of family, did any of yours make it to the game? I had some family come up from San Diego, and my dad/mom/sister flew in to see me. Our fans also traveled well.

How will you prepare for your opponent on Saturday? We will have a meeting tonight but are familiar with both teams from facing them earlier this season.

SO G Dillon Hunter

What does it mean to make the Elite 8 for the 1st time in school history since 1980? It is a huge deal and I know how special this moment is. Coach Brownell has told us all year that we can be a Final 4 team.

Where do those final 30 seconds rank among the Hunter family highlights?! It is up there in the top-3, but we will probably not realize how big it is until we talk about it later tonight.

Is it extra-special to win it with teammate RJ Godfrey? It is: our fathers were teammates/roommates at Georgia and both of our families are from Valdosta. We have been playing AAU basketball together since the 2nd grade.

How will you prepare for your opponent on Saturday? We will watch the game tonight and our coaches will have us prepared on Saturday.

That is a wrap for Game #1, check back later for a recap of Alabama-North Carolina.

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews Auburn Tiger Paw Hayden Clift

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Jon Teitel

It has been a wild month for Auburn: 3 straight wins to finish the regular season, 3 straight wins to clinch an SEC tourney title, and then a 2-PT loss to Yale in the NCAA tourney last Friday. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Auburn Tiger Paw Hayden Clift about her team’s remarkable run.

Photo credit: Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers

You are from Madison, AL: what made you choose Auburn? When it came time for me to pick where I wanted to go to college, it was an easy choice: so easy that it was the only school I even applied to. I have wanted to come to Auburn forever. My mom was an Auburn grad and Auburn was all I knew growing up: I started going to Auburn football games before I could even comprehend it! I love Auburn for so many reasons: its sense of community, beautiful campus, traditions, and so much more. Choosing Auburn is one of the best decisions I have ever made and I have not looked back since!

You are majoring in Law & Justice with a minor in Spanish: why did you choose those subjects? I have always loved to read, write, and argue, so when picking a major I knew that Law and Justice would be perfect for me. Once I started taking law classes at Auburn, I fell in love with the law and knew I wanted to pursue a career in the legal field. I have a desire to advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves and make a positive impact on people’s lives. When it comes to my minor in Spanish, this was something that sort of fell into my lap freshman year. My major required 2 foreign language classes, so I took Elementary Spanish 1 and 2 during freshman year. After doing well in both of them, realizing that I enjoyed the challenge of learning a new language, and considering the benefits of bilingualism in my future career, I decided to minor in it. 7 Spanish classes later, I can confidently say that I am happy that I pursued it as a minor and hope to use it in my future career.

You have a 4.0 GPA: how do you balance your work on the dance team with your work in the classroom? Growing up, my parents always emphasized the importance of academics and pushed me to be the best student I could be. I am so thankful for this because I have carried this mindset through my time at Auburn and have successfully maintained good grades while being involved in extracurriculars, honor societies, and athletics. Balancing my academics and Tiger Paws has not been easy and has come with a lot of learning moments. In doing so, I have learned the importance of time management, organization, and sacrifice.

You are a junior: what is the post-graduation plan? After graduating in May of 2025, I hope to start law school the following Fall. I am unsure of where I want to go and what area of law I want to practice, but I know for sure that getting a law degree is the path I want to take. With the application process starting in a couple of months, I know that my senior year will be busy with preparing for my career and finalizing my post-graduation plans.

You have been a Tiger Paw for 3 years: how long have you been dancing for, and what is the best part of being on the dance team? This May will wrap up my 19th year of dance, so yes: literally my entire life! I have had the most wonderful experiences through Tiger Paws and this program has introduced me to my best friends! There are so many things that I love about Tiger Paws, but if I had to pick 1 I think the best part is the relationships/connections I have built through our program. I get to spend my days with 19 of my best friends. I am so grateful that this program has introduced me to people I would have never met otherwise and has gifted me with the most genuine friendships. Additionally, I have made memorable connections with the Auburn family. Whether that be at an appearance, game, or event, this program has allowed me to make an impact on the Auburn community and meet so many new people.

1 of your hobbies is reading: do you have any book recommendations? My recent obsession has been books by John Grisham. It is a nice change of pace from the court cases I have to read in my classes! Even though law may not be for everyone, I would recommend them to anyone.

What was your favorite memory from this season: beating Alabama at home in February, beating Georgia on Senior Night, winning the SEC tourney, other? I have experienced some great memories this season but if I had to pick 1, winning the SEC tournament in Nashville would be my favorite. The excitement in the arena the day of the championship game was unmatched and a feeling I will never forget. I loved seeing the Auburn fans come to Nashville to support, and it felt like we were in Neville Arena! It was such an honor getting to see our team be rewarded for their hard working season.

How does your school decide who got to go to the NCAA tourney, and what did it mean to you to see your team do its thing in front of a national TV audience? Similar to our cheer team, our coach (Darby Scarborough) chooses and plans who goes on each trip. She takes into consideration seniority, as well as our individual participation in appearances on and off campus throughout our season. Getting to travel is so much fun and I am grateful to my coach Darby and our spirit coordinator (Latisha Durroh) for providing us these opportunities. It was such a cool experience dancing at a game in front of a national TV audience! We absolutely love representing Auburn through our passion for dance, so any chance we get to show others that is awesome.

This is your school’s 3rd NCAA tourney in a row: did you get to dance in Greenville in 2022/Birmingham in 2023? This was the first year I got to travel to a NCAA tournament and it was blast! Because our travel is based on seniority, our seniors got to travel to Birmingham/Greenville, but I had the opportunity to dance in Nashville at the Women’s SEC tournament in 2022 and Men’s SEC tournament in 2023/2024.

How did you feel about Auburn’s performance last weekend? I am so proud of both our Men’s and Women’s basketball teams for their successful seasons. Although the tournament did not play out how either team wanted, I have witnessed the hard work and sacrifice these athletes have poured into their seasons. It was such an honor to get to travel and cheer them on this season and I will forever cherish these memories: War Eagle!

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All-Access at the West Regional in Los Angeles: HoopsHD interviews Alabama mellophone player Kaden Orendorff

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Los Angeles with an interview of Alabama mellophone player Kaden Orendorff.

You are from Rockton, IL: what made you choose Alabama? I wanted to switch things up and have a different kind of lifestyle because the North and the South are very different. The campus was great and I wanted to be in the Million Dollar Band and play at basketball/football games and do all the postseason stuff. It offers experiences that no other band does.

You are majoring in biology: why did you choose that subject? I want to go to physician assistant school. I am also passionate about the sciences and helping people and being part of a team.

You are a senior: what is the post-graduation plan? I will take a gap year or 2 to do some traveling, spend some time with my family, and get myself ready for grad school.

You have been named to the Dean’s List multiple times: how do you balance your work in the band with your work in the classroom? I do not consider my band time work but rather my relaxation: these are my family/friends at the university.

You play the mellophone: what on earth is a mellophone, and what is your favorite song to play on it? It is the marching version of the French horn, like a trumpet. My favorite song to play is “Right Above It” by Lil Wayne.

How long have you been playing the mellophone for, and what is the best part of being in the band? About 8-9 years. My favorite part is the travel: I have gone coast to coast from NYC to LA and so many cities in between that I would otherwise not have had a chance to visit.

You are a big skier: what is your favorite ski destination? Breckenridge, CO.

How does your school decide who got to go to the NCAA tourney, and what will it mean to you to see your group doing its thing in front of a national TV audience? It is based mostly on participation during the regular season: sometimes it involves seniority, and also availability. It is a wonderful opportunity to represent our school/state and showcase our talents.

This is your school’s 4th NCAA tourney in a row: did you get play in Birmingham/Louisville in 2023, San Diego in 2022, or Indianapolis in 2021? I went to Birmingham/Louisville, and was also in Nashville for our SEC tourney win last March.

Any predictions for your game vs. North Carolina tonight? I think it will be a good game and I am excited to watch it. I think it could end up as 1 of the best Sweet 16 games: I am hesitant to make a prediction…but obviously Alabama!

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All-Access at the West Regional in Los Angeles: HoopsHD interviews North Carolina basketball alum/father Pearce Landry about his son Rob

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Los Angeles with an interview of North Carolina basketball alum/father Pearce Landry about his son Rob.

You attended UNC and graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1995: how was your college experience in Chapel Hill? Phenomenal! Best experience ever. I played 2 years of JV and then made the team as a junior. Having grown up a huge fan of Coach Dean Smith and UNC while living in the state of North Carolina, it was a dream come true. I married my high school sweetheart Anne right after graduation, and the fact that she was able to come to all my games and we were able to share all the joys/memories of UNC together makes it even more sweet.

What made Coach Smith such a great coach, and what was the most important thing that you ever learned from him? As a coach, he was an innovator/visionary: always reworking his strategy based on the talents of his team and staying a few steps ahead of the opponents. He also viewed his primary job as producing great men rather than winning games. He was a perfectionist in practice and super-competitive. We had a thought for the day before every team practice which had to do with life, not hoops. I learned MANY things through those quotes and discussing them. But the thought for the day on the first day pf practice every year (which Coach Hubert Davis has continued) has always stuck with me: it is amazing what can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the result. This year’s team is the embodiment of that.

In 1993 you won the NCAA title over Michigan, and in 1995 you were team captain as your team made the Final 4 before losing to Arkansas: what was your reaction after Chris Webber called his infamous timeout, and what is the key to being a good leader? So…while I played a game on that year’s varsity team, I spent 1992-93 mainly as a JV player due to an ACC rule that counted my scholarship (the Morehead-Cain Scholarship) as an athletic scholarship which put the team over the limit. A good leader is a servant leader who puts his own good behind the good of the team: better to serve than to be served.

You are now the Chief Investment Officer of Granville Capital and have over 25 years of investing experience: how is the investing business these days? I am privileged to have a small set of wonderful ultra-high-net-worth clients and wonderful partners/staff. Combine that with a good economy and wonderful areas of innovation and business is better than I deserve. Our company is fantastic and focuses on being a great steward of wealth and of our position in our community by serving and giving back whenever we can.

Your son Rob grew up in Greensboro, NC: what made him choose your alma mater? Rob received a full scholarship offer from the Business school at UNC. That, combined with the possibility of playing on the JV team…and perhaps a shot of trying out for the varsity team one day, influenced his decision to attend UNC. Like me, Rob was a student and scholar and true fan before making the UNC team. In fact, due to COVID he had not played basketball for nearly 2 years before trying out for the team in October 2022.

In the 2022 Final 4 the Tar Heels had a 4-PT win over Duke before a 3-PT loss to Kansas: where does that win rank among the highlights of your life, and where does that loss rank among the lowlights of your life? All-time best win ever, and always will be the best win…but it was only a silly game so I would not rank it among the best moments of my life. The loss was not even in the worst 25 because the game that mattered was the semifinal: if you live in the state of North Carolina then you understand.

How many of your son’s games did you get to see in person this year, and which was your favorite 1? All but 4. It has been such a fun team: they are unselfish, play hard, are tough on defense, find multiple ways to win, and are just a group of good kids/families. My favorite games were beating Dook at Dook and an easy victory at home vs Syracuse when the walk-ons got to play/score.

After only making 2 FGs during his college career, he played 1 minute vs. Wagner in the 1st round and made his only FG attempt: what was it like to see your son make a basket in the NCAA tourney?! Just a truly special undeserved gift from the Lord. His whole experience has been an undeserved gift but that was a sweet moment. Hopefully there are more wins to come for the team but that was special. Duwe Farris, Rob’s roommate, made a great pass and displayed really unselfish behavior: many walk-ons would have shot it themselves but Duwe found Rob wide open under the basket.

There are 3 other ACC teams that made the Sweet 16 (Clemson/Duke/NC State): where do you think the conference ranks among the best in the nation this year? We will find out soon!! I know that Pitt deserved to be in the NCAA tourney: they were 1 of the toughest/hardest teams we played all year. It is unfortunate that stats/NET/other statistical measures are being relied upon so heavily rather than simply getting the best 68 teams into the bracket.

Any predictions for the game vs. Alabama tonight? UNC in a close one.

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All-Access at the West Regional in Los Angeles: HoopsHD interviews Arizona Pomline captain Molly Hofer

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Los Angeles with an interview of Arizona Pomline captain Molly Hofer.

You are from Olathe, KS: what made you choose Arizona? The biggest reason was the way that the city of Tucson was all about the Wildcats, and I knew that I wanted to be a part of their Pomline. It is also a step up from the Kansas scenery!

You are pursuing a B.S. in Psychological Science and a B.A. in Law: why did you choose those subjects? I have always been fascinated by how the human brain works: to make people’s lives better you have to know how their brain works. I also have an older brother with autism and I want to advocate for people who cannot advocate for themselves.

You are a junior: what is the post-graduation plan? I want to go to law school so I am studying to take the LSAT this June.

You are a member of the Honors College: how do you balance your work on the Arizona Pomline with your work in the classroom? It definitely requires good time-management skills but I have supportive professors who encourage me. Academics always come 1st and my teammates/mentors make it easy for me.

You are captain of the team: what is the key to being a good leader? It is almost impossible to define but it is a lot about your character. You build credibility by being an honest/genuine friend so that people can trust you. You also need the humility to do the right thing all the time both inside/outside of practice.

1 of your hobbies is listening to music: what is your favorite song/band/singer right now? I love 80’s rock like AC/DC and Bon Jovi, and I also love country stars like Garth Brooks, so I might have been born in the wrong decade!

In addition to performing at games for the men’s and women’s basketball teams (who both made the NCAA tourney), you also got to travel with the football team as they went 10-3 and won the Alamo Bowl: how excited has everyone on campus been for the past 7 months during this incredible sports run? It has been 1 of the most amazing parts of my college experience. The city was supportive before that but now the whole community has come together. It also makes our job so much fun because we get to travel (San Antonio for the Alamo Bowl, Vegas for the Pac-12 tourney, Los Angeles this week, etc.).

How does your school decide who gets to go to the NCAA tourney, and what will it mean to you to see your team doing its thing in front of a national TV audience? It is based on seniority for the most part. This year we have 5 seniors + me as the junior captain at the men’s tourney, and 6 other Pomline people went to the women’s tourney, but for football we all get to travel. We have been trained to do this since the day we made the team and it has taught us a lot about how to be an ambassador and ready for the camera at any moment.

Does your squad have anything extra-special planned for Los Angeles? Yesterday we got to take a day trip to Venice Beach. Hopefully we will be here tomorrow and explore more of the city: maybe the Santa Monica Pier?

Any predictions for your Sweet 16 game vs. Clemson? Wildcats all the way! I have full confidence in the team and am super-excited to watch.

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