Happy Anniversary! HoopsHD interviews Jacksonville State legend Robert Lee Sanders

Posted on March 23, 2023 by Jon Teitel

Jacksonville State has made a pair of NCAA tourney appearances during the past 7 years under Coach Ray Harper but the best era in school history occurred a few decades ago thanks to their star player Robert Lee Sanders. His 1983 career PTS remain the most in school history due in large part to his sensational junior season, when he led the team to 27 wins and its only Final 4 appearance while being named MVP of both the Gulf South Conference Tournament and the NCAA South Region playoffs. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Robert about his journey from dishwasher to All-American. Today marks the 34th anniversary of the Gamecocks’ win over Kentucky Wesleyan in the D-2 Elite 8 on March 23, 1989, so we take this time to remember that amazing accomplishment.

After high school you decided not to go directly to college and ended up washing dishes at a Bennigan’s in West Virginia: why did you originally make that decision, and what changed your mind? I was confused at the time whether I wanted to play college basketball and then my mother got sick. I was originally going to go to West Virginia State with 1 of my friends but I backed out of that. Coach James Hobbs and a few other schools started calling me, so I took a bus ride down to Jacksonville, and the rest was history.

In the 1989 D-2 tourney as a player at Jacksonville State you made it all the way to the Final 4 before losing to eventual champion NC Central: how close did you come to winning it all? We had watched NC Central play after winning our previous game and were not too impressed by them. When we played them I think that we were a little overconfident and they shot the ball much better against us than they did against Sacred Heart in the Elite 8. That was probably the best team I ever played on.

In 1990 you were named conference POY/All-American: what did it mean to you to win such outstanding individual honors? I put in a lot of time and effort so it was a great feeling. I felt bad that I could not bring the school a title: I feel that we should have won at least 1 during my time there. It feels good now to look back and see what I was able to accomplish.

In 1990 the Gulf South Conference decided not to hold a conference tourney: why did they do that, and how did you feel about that? We did not hear anything about it until the start of our senior year. It was kind of disappointing but we just decided to go out and win as many regular season games as possible.

In 1990 you made it back to the Elite 8 before losing to North Dakota: how did it feel to make back-to-back trips to the Elite 8? We had never even heard of North Dakota, so once again, we were going in on a high and feeling a little overconfident due to a pair of big OT wins vs. Florida Southern/NC Central. North Dakota just wanted it more than we did even though we had 8 or 9 seniors on our roster that year.

What have you been doing since getting out of basketball? I currently work at a printing shop and coach basketball at a middle school. I love coaching and I try to give something back to the kids.

When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most? I gave everything I had and tried to play team ball. I hope people remember that I played as hard as I could and was a nice person/tough competitor. My Jacksonville State career was the best time of my life.

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All-Access at the West Regional in Las Vegas: Gonzaga Bulldog Band group interview

Posted on March 22, 2023 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the 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 of the angles so you can look forward to a cascade of coverage in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Las Vegas with a group interview of Gonzaga Bulldog Band members Sophia Morey/Gabe McDonald/Pierce Thompson.

Where are from and what made you choose Gonzaga? Sophia Morey: I am from the Bay Area in California. The Jesuit ties and the size of the school were great but what set it apart was the sense of community, which really spoke to me. Gabe McDonald: I am from Spokane so Gonzaga was definitely 1 of my top picks. There is so much spirit/cheer that the Zags bring to the city so I applied…and the rest is history. Pierce Thompson: I am from San Francisco but my parents are both from Spokane so I have lots of relatives and had traveled here many times in the past. The combination of engineering/music at 1 time in 1 place was a huge boon for me.

What instrument do you play, and how did you 1st get into it? SM: I started in 4th grade with flute and then added piccolo after that. The piccolo is mostly used in pep bands. I have met some of my best friends after joining the band and love showing my school spirit. GM: I started in 5th grade and chose band over orchestra. I knew someone who played trumpet so I gave it a shot and have done it ever since. Being a part of the Bulldog Band has been a great way to make friends/build relationships and the chance to travel around the country has been a really cool experience. PT: The 1st instrument I learned was the piano…but it is hard to have that in a pep band! I picked up the electric bass later on and spent a lot of time practicing, especially during COVID. I joined the band as a baritone but whenever a bassist could not make it to a game I would sub in. I have a great view of the game and get to play with really great drummers, which is a joy to me. I am in the middle of everything so I get to hear the chatter from all of our different groups.

What are you majoring in, and what is the post-graduation plan? SM: I did psychology and communication studies for undergrad but am getting my masters in Communication & Leadership, which should take me another year, so I get to spend a little more time on campus with these great people! GM: In high school I did some work with social media and really enjoyed it so when I got to college I chose Communications Studies and have done a bunch of marketing/communication internships. I really fell in love with it and I also get to do it for the Bulldog Band. PT: I have been interested in Engineering since the start of high school so I am majoring in Mechanical Engineering and minoring in Physics. I am interested in aerospace/nuclear engineering so I would like to either go straight to grad school or spend a couple of years working in the industry.

Some of your hobbies include golf/tennis: how does the NCAA tourney compare to the Masters/Wimbledon? SM: Something really fun about the NCAA tourney is how involved we can get. The band IS the student section at the games, while the crowds at a golf/tennis tourney are a bit quieter.

1 of your hobbies is photography: will you have a chance to take any cool photos in Vegas? GM: I think I will have the opportunity to take some photos during the NCAA tourney, as I did 2 weeks ago when we were here for the WCC tourney. We were contacted by Pringles about the Drew Timme mustache so we will do some creative stuff with that as well (www.pringles.com/content/dam/global/pringles/pdf/Pringles_Show_Your_Stache_Sweepstakes_Full_Rules.pdf).

You are president of the band: how crazy has your life been this month? PT: There is not too much pressure/chaos: the “presidential” role is just about helping out where I can with logistics. I try to stay hands-off and make sure the pep stays up.

Coach Mark Few has now won 23+ games for the 24th year in a row: has it reached a point where you just expect your team to win every time that they step onto the court? GM: I think there definitely is an expectation that we will win. We did have a 1-PT home loss in January to Loyola Marymount, which was really a shocker. We had a very tough schedule this year but it has helped the team to learn from its mistakes.

In the 2021 Final 4 Jalen Suggs made the game-winning 3-PT shot at the buzzer in a 3-PT OT win over the Bruins: what are your memories of 1 of the most famous shots in NCAA tourney history? SM: I was in The Kennel viewing the livestream of it. Even though we could not travel with the team it was just the highest of highs and we were so pumped. It was a great way to end that game.

How does your school decide who gets 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? PT: The travel band is based mainly on attendance so you get points for attending men’s/women’s games. There is a bit of mixing/matching to make sure we have good instrumentation for our 30-person band. We are the student section and will represent Gonzaga by being rowdy/excited for our team…plus playing on national TV is always fun!

Last weekend you beat GCU/TCU in Denver: how was it? PT: Both games were slightly nerve-racking but it just makes the high even higher when you win. A close game really gets your adrenaline going and there were some killer dunks toward the end of the TCU game where we all went crazy.

Any predictions for the Bulldogs on Thursday vs. UCLA in Las Vegas? SM: Well, my bracket DOES have the Bulldogs going all the way! We are pretty hopeful since the Bruins have a couple of injuries and we will bring as much spirit as possible to support our team and will all put forth our best effort to get this win.

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All-Access at the West Regional in Las Vegas: UCLA locker room

Posted on March 22, 2023 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the 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 of the angles so you can look forward to a cascade of coverage in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Las Vegas with a few player interviews from the UCLA locker room.

1st of all, the voting for wildest hair of the weekend is now closed due to this stupendous salad from SO F Logan Cremonesi:



FR F Evan Manjikian


You were a teammate of Amari Bailey at Sierra Canyon School: what is it like to still be his teammate in college? I have been with him since my junior year of high school. Seeing each other grow on the court has been special: to go from a pair of kids just having fun to the highest level of basketball is a blessing.

Your cousin whose name I cannot pronounce (Sooren Derboghosian) also played basketball at UCLA back in the day: who is the best athlete in the family? I would always say myself due to the confidence I have in myself!

You are majoring in biology why did you choose that subject? I have always been interested in the sciences/medicine…and you cannot hoop forever.

In the 2021 Final 4 the Zags beat UCLA on a Jalen Suggs 40-foot bank shot to beat the buzzer in OT: what are your memories of that staggering shot? It was before I came here but was still a killer. That game was crazy so I am looking forward to this “get-back” game because some of us are still mad inside.

The Bruins have played 8 games at T-Mobile Arena since last March (6 conference tourney games and non-conference losses to Illinois/Baylor last November at the Continental Tire Main Event): has it become like a 2nd home because you guys have spent so much time there? I would not call it a “2nd home” but it does give us both confidence/comfort knowing the gym.

JR G Jaylen Clark


You are out for the year due to a right Achilles injury: how bad is it, and when can we expect you back on the court? It is not bad at all: I will just have to talk to my doctor after the NCAA tourney.

You were named 2023 conference DPOY: how has your team been able to play so well defensively in your absence? We have been top-5 in defensive efficiency all season so the guys have just been doing the same thing they have done all year: keeping our opponents under 70 PPG.

In the 2021 Final 4 you scored 3 PTS but the Zags beat UCLA on a Jalen Suggs 40-foot bank shot to beat the buzzer in OT: what are your memories of that staggering shot? It was a half-court bank shot so it does not carry much weight with me: I just hope we can finally beat them after losing to them each of my 1st 2 years.

Coach Mick Cronin’s win total has increased during each of his 4 years in Westwood (from 19 to 22 to 27 to 31): what makes him such a great coach? He is great to play for and gets the best out of us, including that last 10% when you think that you have already given it everything that you can.

You had a very tough non-conference schedule including Illinois/Baylor/Maryland/Kentucky: how did that help prepare you wo win games in March? Those 1st 2 games did not well but they really helped our young guys grown up.

SR G/F Jaime Jaquez Jr.


The Bruins have played 8 games at T-Mobile Arena since last March (6 conference tourney games and non-conference losses to Illinois/Baylor last November at the Continental Tire Main Event): has it become like a 2nd home because you guys have spent so much time there? You would think that it would help but I call it the “UCLA Curse” because of those 2 losses in November and our losses to Arizona in each of the past 2 title games (all 4 by single digits).

You were named 2023 conference POY: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It meant a lot and showed that my hard work has finally paid off.

In the 2021 Final 4 you scored 19 PTS/6-12 FG but the Zags beat UCLA on a Jalen Suggs 40-foot bank shot to beat the buzzer in OT: what are your memories of that staggering shot? I remember losing! A lot of guys from our 2021 team have graduated and this is my last chance to beat them.

Your sister Gabriela had 7 PTS/3 STL for UCLA in a win over Oklahoma on Monday in the 2nd round of the NCAA women’s tourney: any chance we will see you cheering her on in person when she faces an undefeated South Carolina team on Sunday? I am glad that she gets to experience a Sweet 16 since I have already done so myself. Hopefully I will not be able to make it because we will be preparing for the Final 4…but even if I do not have a schedule conflict it is a long trip across the country.

Jaylen Clark was named 2023 conference DPOY but is out for the year due to a right Achilles injury: how has your team been able to play so well defensively in his absence? Just game-planning and focusing on our film preparation/scouting.

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All-Access at the West Regional in Las Vegas: Gonzaga locker room

Posted on March 22, 2023 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the 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 of the angles so you can look forward to a cascade of coverage in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Las Vegas with a few player interviews from the Gonzaga locker room.

SO G Hunter Sallis


In 2021 you were named a McDonald’s All-American: are any guys from that game still alive in the NCAA tourney? Just this 1 next to me (his Gonzaga teammate Nolan Hickman)!

Coach Mark Few has won 23+ games for his 24th year in a row: how important has his leadership been to your team? He has so much experience that it gives us all a lot of confidence.

You had a brutal non-conference schedule this year including Michigan State/Texas/Kentucky/Purdue/Xavier/Baylor/Kent State/Alabama: which of those teams impressed you the most? I would say Texas: their defensive aggressiveness was unlike anything else we had seen early in this season, but it has really helped prepare us for March.

In the 2021 Final 4 the Zags beat UCLA on a Jalen Suggs 40-foot bank shot to beat the buzzer in OT: what are your memories of that sensational shot? I remember watching it on TV: it was a really amazing shot.

You beat GCU/TCU last week: what is the mentality of the team as you prepare to face UCLA? We will take the same approach as always by bringing the same intensity/aggressiveness.

SO C Efton Reid III


You went to IMG Academy: are you friends with any of your fellow alumni who are still alive in the NCAA tourney (Charles Bediako at Alabama/Alex Karaban at UConn/Jarace Walker at Houston/other)? I was part of the post-graduate team so I do not know everyone but we still have a connection. I was there during COVID so I grew close to some of the younger guys on the team.

You began your career at LSU: why did you decide to transfer to Gonzaga? A little of everything: the culture, the family atmosphere, etc. It has been great for my basketball development.

In the 2021 Final 4 the Zags beat UCLA on a Jalen Suggs 40-foot bank shot to beat the buzzer in OT: what are your memories of that sensational shot? I remember watching it on TV at home with my family during COVID and just screaming out loud after he made it!

Coach Mark Few has won 23+ games for his 24th year in a row: how important has his leadership been to your team? You cannot beat winning: that is all that matters. It really speaks to his career as a coach.

You beat GCU/TCU last week: what is the mentality of the team as you prepare to face UCLA? We will play like underdogs because when we get momentum we cannot be stopped.

SR F Drew Timme


You are the 2-time defending conference POY: how crucial is it for you to leader this team? Obviously, it has been that way during my entire time here, but pressure is a privilege.

You were named conference tourney MVP earlier this month: do you feel like you are playing the best basketball of the season and/or your life? I am just being me.

You scored 12 PTS in the 2021 title game loss to Baylor: what will it take to get over the hump if you make it back to the title game this year? We just need to be us.

You scored 25 PTS in a Sweet 16 6-PT loss to Arkansas last March: how sweet would it be to beat them in a revenge game in the Elite 8 if you both make it that far? They are a different team than last year, and so are we.

If you could be selected 1st overall in the NBA draft by any team or last overall in the NFL draft by your beloved Dallas Cowboys, which would you choose? (Long pause) Cowboys!

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All-Access at the West Regional in Las Vegas: UConn locker room

Posted on March 22, 2023 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the 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 of the angles so you can look forward to a cascade of coverage in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Las Vegas with a few player interviews from the UConn locker room.

JR G Andrew Hurley


Where does this week rank among the highlights of your career? It is definitely up there, we did not get what we wanted the past 2 years (9-PT loss to Maryland in the 1st round of the 2021 NCAA tourney and 7-PT loss to New Mexico State in the 1st round of the 2022 NCAA tourney) so to make it this far has been great.

Will your uncle (ASU coach Bobby Hurley) and/or grandfather (Hall of Fame coach Bob Hurley Sr.) be in the arena this week? My grandfather will be here for sure, and I think my uncle will come up from Tempe as well. Hopefully my uncle can give us a little help with strategy if we play UCLA in the Elite 8.

Your father Dan was hired as coach at UConn 5 years ago today: what do you remember about that day? He was just trying to restore the program to its past glory.

There have been a lot of Big East coaching moves this week with Rick Pitino going to St. John’s (after you beat him by 24 PTS last Friday) and Ed Cooley moving from Providence to Georgetown: how great is your conference? The Big East is loaded and will be an even more interesting league next year.

SR G Nahiem Alleyne


You began your college career at Virginia Tech, where you scored 28 PTS/4-10 3PM in a 5-PT OT loss to Florida in the 2021 NCAA tourney: what is the key to winning games in March? You need to have that mentality of “win or go home” and see who will bring it more. I tell my teammates that we have worked too hard all year to go home now. March bring a different feeling for everybody.

Why did you transfer to UConn? The culture: it just felt like a good place for me to be. I wanted to help them keep building their history and it was the best decision that I ever made. I have become a tougher player because it is such a good conference?

This year your team started 14-0 and then lost 6 of its next 8: what went wrong, and what has gone right since then? Nothing went wrong: we just encountered a little adversity. My former coach Mike Young said that when things are not going right you can either lay down or fight back. We just have to throw the next punch, which we did in February, especially on the defensive end of the court: the sky is the limit.

Your assistant coach Luke Murray’s father Bill is 1 of the funniest men on the planet: have you had a chance to meet him yet? I have never met Bill, and only realized that he was Luke’s father a couple of weeks ago!

There have been a lot of Big East coaching moves this week with Rick Pitino going to St. John’s (after you beat him by 24 PTS last Friday) and Ed Cooley moving from Providence to Georgetown: how great is your conference? Really great: the Big East is getting better and better with all of those great coaches. I think that Coach Pitino even has a little Dan Hurley in him!

FR C Donovan Clingan


You are 7’2”: how much of an advantage is your size on the court? It helps a lot on the court but sometimes is it not so fun off the court. Trying to find clothing is a struggle: there are not a lot of places that sell pants with a 40” inseam!

You are from Bristol (where I used to work a LOOOOONG time ago): what was it like to grow up there? It was nice. Everyone got along and I gained a lot of support from the town throughout my childhood so I could not be more thankful.

Your assistant coach Luke Murray’s father Bill is 1 of the funniest men on the planet: have you had a chance to meet him yet? I gave him a fist bump at the Big East tourney a couple of weeks ago and finally got to say hi to him at our hotel in New York City. He said, “Hi, I’m Bill, Luke’s father”, and I responded, “Hi Bill, I know who you are”: he is a cool guy to be around.

You are 1 of only 5 teams to beat Alabama this year: how good are they? They are really good and have a lot of weapons. Even with Brandon Miller going scoreless in their 1st round game last Thursday they still won by 21 PTS.

You had 2+ BLK in each of your 2 games last week: how does the defensive game plan change when facing a taller team like Arkansas? I will keep trying to disrupt their shots and guard the paint: they have a lot of great athletes.

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All-Access at the West Regional in Las Vegas: Arkansas locker room

Posted on March 22, 2023 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the 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 of the angles so you can look forward to a cascade of coverage in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Las Vegas with a few player interviews from the Arkansas locker room.

The hardest part was just getting to the Razorbacks’ locker room without bumping into any of the Gonzaga players who were stretching in the hallway!

JR G Ricky Council IV


In 2022 you were named AAC 6th Man of the Year at Wichita State: is there a big difference between starting vs. coming off the bench? I was kind of used to starting and thought I would start last year but I only started 7 games. I started almost every game this year before coming off the bench for several games down the stretch.

As someone who faced Houston several times in AAC play, how good are they? I played them 4 times while I was at Wichita and it starts with their defense. I am not surprised at all that they have had such a great season due to the physicality and rebounding.

Why did you transfer to Arkansas? It was just a better opportunity for me, as I have always had a goal/dream to play at the highest level.

Your brother Ricky II played at Providence/UMBC, brother Ricky III played JC basketball sister Rhianna played at UNCG: who is the best athlete in the family? Me!

SR F Jalen Graham


You went to Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix: how did you end up at Arkansas? I transferred after playing 3 years at ASU. I saw that Arkansas made back-to-back Elite 8s and I wanted to be a part of that.

Since Vegas is not that far from Phoenix, will you have any family/friends at the arena this week? My mother/brother/sister will all be here, as well as most of my close friends.

You played for Dan Hurley’s brother Bobby at ASU: how awkward will it be if you end up facing UConn on Saturday?! I have thought about that a couple of times this month.

You beat Illinois/Kansas last week after losing 4 of 5 games entering the NCAA tourney: how was your teams able to get back on track? We had some pieces return from injury, plus we had a really tough schedule down the stretch (featuring 5 straight games against NCAA tourney teams: Alabama/Tennessee/Kentucky/Auburn/Texas A&M).

Speaking of injuries, how is Anthony Black’s left foot doing? I think he is good.

SR F Kamani Johnson


You transferred from Little Rock: what made you choose Arkansas? I had a really good connection with the Little Rock coaches who (like me) were from New York (including head coach Darrell Walker, who was a player/assistant for the Knicks). I looked around and then fell in love with the staff here.

Your brother Dakari played basketball at Kentucky: who is the best athlete in the family? My brother has it right now since he made the Final 4 in 2015 and the title game in 2014 (a 6-PT loss to UConn), but I just told him the other day that I am coming for him!

You played 3 minutes in a 6-PT win over Gonzaga in the Sweet 16: how exciting would it be to face them again in the Elite 8 on Saturday? We are not looking ahead, plus they have to face a good UCLA team tomorrow…but a rematch would be great. I actually think they were a little better last year but there would be a LOT on the line if we play them again.

Your spectacular non-conference schedule included games against Creighton/San Diego State/Baylor: which 1 of those teams impressed you the most? San Diego State was really tough. I played really well against them (7 PTS/7 REB in 19 minutes) so I cannot wait to see how they do vs. Alabama on Friday.

Speaking of Alabama, you 2 plus Tennessee gives the SEC 3 teams in the Sweet 16: do you have the best conference in the country? I think the SEC is #1. We have the best athletes/greatest coaches.

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