Hoops HD

Season preview: HoopsHD interviews UNC Asheville F Drew Pember

Posted on September 5, 2023 by Jon Teitel

We are still a couple of months away from the tip-off of the college basketball season, which means that we have plenty of time to prepare for the action ahead. We will do so via a series of season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel commences our coverage with UNC Asheville F Drew Pember, who talked about being named conference POY/DPOY and his expectations for this season.

You were born/raised in Knoxville and began your college career at Tennessee: why did you decide to transfer, and what made you choose UNC Asheville? 1 of the biggest reasons was playing style but I also wanted to get some more playing time. My former high school teammate Trent Stephney loved it here and convinced me that I would be a good fit in their system.

You play for Coach Mike Morrell: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him so far? The biggest takeaway is “growth”. Even if we make turnovers or have questionable shot selection it is not “bad” but just a chance to grow. Off the court he is kind of a bro and just 1 of the guys, but on the court he demands our respect and we have all bought into that. He is good at teaching and being lenient with different concepts/scenarios: he has been phenomenal.

Last January you scored a school-record 48 PTS/8-10 3PM in an 8-PT OT win over Presbyterian: was it just 1 of those situations where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? Yeah: it was a surreal feeling. I do not remember a lot about that game except the 1st 5-7 minutes. My teammates did an unbelievable job of finding me for good looks so I just had to make open shots. I took what the defense gave me: there was nothing planned but my teammates believed in me.

You finished the season by being named conference POY/DPOY and were the 1st Big South player to ever lead the league in PPG/RPG/BPG in the same season: how do you balance your offense with your defense? It is hard because I am not a big individual stat guy: I know that I would not have won any of those awards without getting some shots and having others sacrifice some minutes. I get a lot of rebounds due to my teammates blocking out so it is kind of skewed: I am a by-product of the team and just play my role. I plan to take a bigger leadership role this year but we will have a bigger target on our backs. I am not focused on individual accolades and have never been like that.

You led the nation with 266 FTM/318 FTA: what is the secret to getting to the line and then making your FTs after doing so (career 84.2 FT%)? Just not settling. With my height I can take a shot whenever I want, which opens up driving lanes/opportunities for my teammates. Free throws are free points: I did not realize how many I had made until about halfway through the season. I put a lot of emphasis on my FTs and will continue to do that and convince my teammates to do the same.

In the 2023 Big South tourney you had 3 single-digit wins in 3 days en route to clinching the title and being named tourney MVP: how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterward? Just having your teammates believe in you. Even back in June of 2022 we thought that we could win it. Coach Morrell harps on being 1% better tomorrow than you were today. It was surreal in the locker room: it did not hit me until a few days later. I was so happy for Tay (Tajion Jones), who had been here for like 18 years! He worked his tail off and you could see him in the gym every day, which translated to his hot stretch vs. Campbell in the tourney title game (he finished with 24 PTS). Now we know what it takes to win games like that and we will keep pushing this year.

In the 2023 NCAA tourney you scored 13 PTS/4-8 FG in an 86-53 loss to UCLA: what did you learn from that game that you think will help you this year? I am really thankful that they beat us like that: it was kind of a shock and the moment was bigger than I had prepared for. When you get punched in the mouth like that it makes you want to get better. Our team learned a lot about ourselves: we have not really looked at the film but eventually we will go back to watch it and learn from it.

How close did you come to going pro last spring, and why did you decide to return to Asheville? I was not as close to going pro as people thought. I had good numbers last year but losing to UCLA left a really bad taste in my mouth and I did not want to go out like that. I knew I had to get stronger and that has been my primary focus: I have lived in the weight room since that loss. I still need to work on reducing my turnovers and continuing to get shots up. It would have been nice to go pro but hopefully I can bring the Asheville community another banner this year. The physical aspect is where I needed to grow the most.

Your mother Allison played college volleyball and your father Donny played college basketball: who is the best athlete in the family? It is me, for sure! My dad could not really jump a lick but I got a little bit of bounce from my mom. I think they would agree that it is me…but my dad and I would bicker back and forth.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? Win games, be a good teammate, and be a good leader. I feel there is still a lot that I can do for my team: I do not care if they want me to get the water bottles/towels during timeouts!

Posted in Interviews | Tagged Drew Pember, UNC-Asheville | Comments Off

The Hoops HD Report – Realignment Discussion

Posted on August 28, 2023 by David Griggs

Chad and the panel discuss what has been a very busy offseason in regards to conference realignment. We talk about how the emergence of the conference TV networks have helped spur a lot of the realignment as conferences look to expand into bigger markets, we discuss what impacts this could have on the future value and popularity of college sports, and we briefly talk about how this may or may not impact the Under the Radar conferences. All that, and much more….

And for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…

Posted in Hoops HD Report, Podcasts, Videocasts | Tagged conference realignment | Comments Off

Long Beach Legend: HoopsHD interviews Hall of Famer LaTaunya Pollard

Posted on August 6, 2023 by Jon Teitel

There are scorers and then there are SCORERS: LaTaunya Pollard was most certainly 1 of the latter. At East Chicago Roosevelt she was named Indiana Miss Basketball after becoming 1 of the highest-scoring girls basketball players in Indiana history. At Long Beach State she led her team in scoring for 4 straight years and finished her college career with 3001 career PTS. As a pro basketball player in Italy she set a league record by scoring 39.5 PPG in 1985. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with LaTaunya about scoring 99 PTS in 1 game and becoming a Hall of Famer. Today marks the 40th anniversary of her playing in the 1983 FIBA World Championship for Women gold medal game on August 6, 1983, so we take this time to remember her remarkable career.

You were born/raised in Indiana where you went 91-2 at Roosevelt High School: what made you choose Long Beach State? My decision was between Long Beach and UNLV. There were some really good players out West who I wanted to compete against (like Cheryl Miller).

You were a member of the 1980 US Olympic team but did not get to participate after the US decided to boycott the Olympics: what was your reaction when you learned the bad news? What can you do? When politics get involved in sports then anything can happen. I was young at the time so I did not wonder if it was my last chance.

In the 1983 NCAA tourney you made it to the Elite 8 before losing to eventual champion USC: what was it like to face Cheryl Miller in her prime? We actually lost to Cheryl every year! She was a very tough player but also had great players around her like Cynthia Cooper. Cheryl was the focus point of a solid team.

You finished your college career with 3001 PTS: what is the secret to being a great scorer? The Good Lord! God blessed me with a talent that was pretty much unmatched for a long time. I played basketball from a young age, and competing against boys from my neighborhood helped me become the player I was. I worked on my craft: I was a great defender/rebounder but shooting is what set me apart. It was a gift from God.

You were a 3-time All-American and in 1983 you won the Wade Trophy as national POY: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? I can say it was well-deserved: I did a lot of things on the court and people recognized my talent. Awards were not big for me: I would have traded all of them to take my team to the Final 4. Championships are what I really wanted but unfortunately it did not happen.

In the 1983 FIBA World Championship for Women gold medal game you scored 9 PTS in a 2-PT loss to the USSR: what was it like to face 7-footer Uljana Semjonova (who scored 23 PTS)? She was huge! It was a great experience to face Russia. Every time that I stepped onto the court I scored in double-digits so if I only scored 9 PTS then I must not have played that well. The Russian team played year-round while Team USA only had a short period of time to practice together.

After graduating you played in Italy and set a women’s pro basketball scoring record by scoring 99 PTS for Lanerossi Schio in a win over Latte Berna Gragnano on March 29, 1987: how on earth did you do that?! It actually should have been more than that because I missed a lot of baskets! We were the last-place team in the league and were not very good but our opponent that night was the 2nd-worst team. I honestly did not realize I had scored that many points at the time: I was never a selfish player but at the end of the game they told me I had 99 PTS. Had I known that I would have tried to score another point!

In 2001 you were inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame: where does that rank among the highlights of your career? It is 1 of my highest accomplishments. It takes a lot to be recognized and is probably 2nd only to making the Olympic team. I am looking at the trophy right now.

Since retiring from basketball you founded a company called “Fundamentals of Basketball” that teaches fundamental skills to kids of all ages: what makes your company different from others, and how is it going so far? God restored my life after I went through some challenges outside of basketball. There was some darkness in my life and in 2006 I made a promise to spend the rest of my life serving God. I do that by helping kids in my community. I speak the gospel to these kids: it is not just basketball but also the ministry. When you come to my camp you will hear about Jesus Christ and I think a lot of them have a new reason to believe in salvation: that is what sets my camp apart.

When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most? I heard LeBron James talk about his legacy once and he said, “I hope I did enough” so I would say the same thing.

Posted in Interviews | Tagged LaTaunya Pollard, Long Beach State | Comments Off

The Hoops HD Report Special: Discussion with Ken Pomeroy

Posted on July 20, 2023 by David Griggs

Ken Pomeroy, publisher of KenPom.com, is our guest on this special edition of the Hoops HD Report. We focus on his site and ratings and talk about how he got started in publishing his site, what exactly his rankings are trying to measure, and look at some misconceptions that people have about how his rankings work. We also discuss the NET, which is used by the NCAA, and how similar it is to the KenPom rankings, and we speculate on how the NCAA Selection Committee may be utilizing the different types of metrics.

And for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…

Posted in Hoops HD Report, Podcasts, Videocasts | Tagged Ken Pomeroy, kenpom, KenPom.com | Comments Off

TBT Preview: HoopsHD interviews Jimmy Boeheim of Boeheim’s Army

Posted on July 20, 2023 by Jon Teitel

UConn won the NCAA tourney in April and Denver won the NBA Finals in June but there is still 1 more basketball champion to be crowned this summer. The Basketball Tournament (aka the TBT) kicks off on July 19th with 8 regions of 8 teams playing in Dayton/Louisville/Lubbock/Syracuse/West Virginia/Wichita 1/Wichita 2/Xavier. Each region will send 1 team to the quarterfinals, with the championship game taking place during the 1st week of August, and the winning team walking away with $1 million in prize money. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel will spend the weeks ahead interviewing as many TBT participants as possible. We continue our coverage with Jimmy Boeheim, who will be playing for Boeheim’s Army after being a 1st-team Academic All-American at Syracuse.

You were born/raised in New York: what made you choose Cornell for college? Cornell was my only offer coming out of prep school. I always took school seriously so it was always my dream to play in the Ivy League. I really loved the coaching staff at Cornell as well as the campus/proximity to home.

In the 1st round of the 2019 CIT you scored a career-high 31 PTS/14-20 FG in a 9-PT loss at Robert Morris: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? Yeah: I remember feeling really good during that game. I made some threes early and was able to score around the basket too: my teammates found me all game long.

As a junior you led the team in PPG/RPG/3PM: how were you able to balance all of the different aspects of your game? During my first two years at Cornell I was really able to grow my game (posting up, 3-PT shooting, having the ball in my hands more, etc.). I think that all of the work I put in and the great belief my coaches/teammates put in me to get me the ball in great spots worked together for that year.

You did not play during your senior year after the Ivy League canceled the season due to COVID-19: what was your reaction when you heard the news, and looking back on it now do you think that it was the right decision? I was really bummed out. I thought we had a great team that year and had spent 4 years building for that season so it was unfortunate.

You transferred to Syracuse where you got to play with your brother Buddy/for your father Jim: even though you did not make the 2022 NCAA tourney, was it still the best year of your life due to the family aspect? It was an incredible year and very surreal. I loved getting to spend the extra time with my brother/father and getting to play for the team I looked up to while growing up.

You graduated magna cum laude from Cornell and then were named 1st-team Academic All-American during your graduate year at Syracuse: how did you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? It was a challenge at times, but after my freshman year I started to figure out how to be efficient with my time and make sure I was spending the appropriate amount of time on each.

Since graduating you have played pro basketball in Greece and the Czech Republic: what is the biggest difference between basketball in the US vs. basketball overseas? The game is much more physical overseas.

Your twin sister Jamie played college basketball and your brother became an unrestricted free agent a few weeks ago after playing for the Pistons last season: who is the best athlete in the family? It has been awesome to see all that Buddy has been able to accomplish while playing in NBA games: it has been very surreal to watch.

You are playing for Boeheim’s Army in the TBT for the 2nd straight summer: how is the team looking so far, and what will you do with your share of the $1 million prize money if you win it all? I think we have a good-looking roster and I am excited for the event. I will be heading overseas shortly after the TBT so if we win then I will likely save most of the money and donate the rest of it.

How is your father enjoying retirement, and will we get to see him in attendance at any of your TBT games? He is loving it: just relaxing and enjoying the extra time he has. He has been doing a lot of golfing/fishing and just spending lots of time with our family.

Posted in Interviews | Tagged Jimmy Boeheim, TBT | Comments Off

TBT Preview: HoopsHD interviews Thomas Welsh of Living the Dream

Posted on July 18, 2023 by Jon Teitel

UConn won the NCAA tourney in April and Denver won the NBA Finals in June but there is still 1 more basketball champion to be crowned this summer. The Basketball Tournament (aka the TBT) kicks off on July 19th with 8 regions of 8 teams playing in Dayton/Louisville/Lubbock/Syracuse/West Virginia/Wichita 1/Wichita 2/Xavier. Each region will send 1 team to the quarterfinals, with the championship game taking place during the 1st week of August, and the winning team walking away with $1 million in prize money. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel will spend the weeks ahead interviewing as many TBT participants as possible. We continue our coverage with Thomas Welsh, who will be playing for Living the Dream after becoming 1 of the best rebounders in UCLA history.

In 2014 you were named a McDonald’s All-American: which of your fellow honorees impressed you the most (Devin Booker/Kelly Oubre Jr./Karl-Anthony Towns/other)? At the time I think it was Jahlil Okafor. His spin move was great and he did many things at a high level.

You played for Team USA at the 2015 FIBA U19 World Championship: what did it mean to you to represent your country, and what did it mean to you to win a gold medal? It is hard to put into words but it was special to wear the U-S-A across my chest. I had a chip on my shoulder after missing the squad the previous year and winning the gold medal was a surreal moment.

You were born/raised in California and received scholarship offers from several Pac-12 schools: what made you choose UCLA? Similar to my TBT teammate Isaac Hamilton, I wanted to be close to home. Family is important to me so it was beyond special to have them attend my home games. I wanted a school that was the perfect combination of academics/athletics…and I got that at UCLA.

You only started 3 games as a freshman but still led the Bruins with 1.1 BPG: what is the secret to blocking shots? There are intangible factors such as reading/reacting when the ball goes up. It helps to be a big guy with a big wingspan, but since I did not get much playing time I put a little more emphasis on those defensive plays. I wanted to find different ways to make an extra impact.

In the 2015 NCAA tourney you had 6 REB/4 BLK in a 1-PT win over SMU when Yanick Moreira was called for goaltending on Bryce Alford’s 3-PT shot with 13 seconds left: where does that rank among the wildest finishes that you have ever been a part of? Definitely the wildest. There was a little controversy and it became a headline that drew a lot of eyeballs. The extension of your season can come down to 1 play and I am glad that it worked out in our favor.

As a senior you averaged a double-double and were named 2nd-team All-Pac-12: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It was special. My dad only played basketball through high school as a 6’2” center but he took a lot of pride after averaging a double-double during his own senior year so I wanted to follow in his footsteps. Being named to any end-of-season list is always a great honor.

Your 1035 career REB ranks #3 in Bruins’ history behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar/Bill Walton: how does it feel to be mentioned in the same company as a pair of legendary big men? It is pretty cool! I would have loved to be #1 but just to be mentioned in the same breath as them is special. I like joking about it and will be able to point out to my kids 1 day that their dad was pretty good at basketball.

In the spring of 2018 you were drafted in the 2nd round by Denver: did you see that as a validation of your college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other? I knew that day would be a starting point rather than a finish line. It was cool to hear my name called but my approach going in was that there was still a lot of hard work to be done.

You played 11 games for the Nuggets: what is your favorite memory from your short time in the NBA? I just loved the chemistry of that team, which you could see this past season when they won the title. Their stars like Nikola Jokic/Jamal Murray were not just great players but would go out of their way to treat rookies nicely even though we did not get a lot of playing time. I remember playing Mario Kart a lot on our flights and I was Mario Kart MVP: it was a fun crew to be a part of.

You are playing for the Living the Dream team in the TBT: how is the team looking so far, and what will you do with your share of the $1 million prize money if you win it all? The team looks great: the guys are buying in and we have different pockets of chemistry with guys who have played together in the past. We have a very good chance at making a run. The plan for when we win is to give ½ the money to charity. The team was formed in honor of my dad, who passed away a few years ago due to cancer, so we will donate some money for that cause.

Posted in Interviews | Tagged TBT, Thomas Welsh | Comments Off