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We continue our 2016-17 season preview interview series with Hampton SR PG Lawrence Cooks. The good news is that he has made it to the NCAA tourney each of the past 2 years: the bad news is that he got to face Kentucky in 2015 and Virginia in 2016. However, when he actually gets to face teams who are not #1 seeds and has games that go down to the wire, he often emerges victorious. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Lawrence about winning his 2nd straight conference title last season and whether he can pull off the 3-peat this season.
You grew up in Charlotte: what made you choose Hampton? I did not have many offers coming out of high school and when I came here for my visit they treated me very well. The coaches all welcomed me and are all from Charlotte, which made it even better.
You play for Coach Ed Joyner: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? He gives us chances and then forgives us if we make mistakes rather than dwelling on it.
You scored 8.9 PPG as a freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? My teammates had the faith in me to knock down big shots and let me play my game.
In the 2015 NCAA tourney you scored 2 PTS in a loss to undefeated Kentucky: where does that Wildcats squad rank among the best college basketball teams that you have ever seen? They were clearly not the best team ever because they did not win it all…but they are probably 1 of the top-20 that I have ever seen.
In your season opener last November you scored a career-high 22 PTS/9-12 FG in a 7-PT loss at Winthrop: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? I was in a zone: 2 of my teammates were in foul trouble so myself/Quinton Chievous had to step up. I was playing close to home and had a lot of family there, which felt nice.
In the 2016 MEAC tourney title game you scored 5 PTS in a win over South Carolina State: what did it mean to you to win a title, and how much of a home court advantage did you have while playing in Norfolk? Winning that 2nd title was really big for us because a lot of people had doubted us earlier in the season. We were down in the 1st half so it was a weird situation, but to come all the way back was great. We might have had a few more fans because we are closer to Norfolk, but the Bulldogs still had a nice crowd.
In the 2016 NCAA tourney you had 7 REB in a loss to Virginia: what did you learn from that game that you think can help you this year? It just taught me to play tougher. You cannot look to the refs to make calls: you just have to come out and be ready for any type of matchup, and I feel that I am making progress toward that every day.
You had 4 games last year that were decided by 1-2 PTS and another 4 that went into OT…and you won all 8: what is the secret to winning games that come down to the wire? You cannot give up. We were down by 22 PTS in the 1st half at NAU last December and just kept working hard until we won 98-94. We trusted the process and believed in our teammates/coaches. It also helps to knock down big shots but you have to stay focused on the task at hand.
Your non-conference schedule includes a trip to Kansas State: how do you prepare to face a Big 12 opponent? We prepare just like it was any other game: we will come out and give it our all, make sure we have the scouting report down pat, and play to the best of our abilities.
What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I expect us to 3-peat and win another conference title. I do not like to share my goals out loud but I want to make sure the younger guys are ready after I graduate and try to win another ring. It will be my job to lead them to do that.