The Hoops HD Report Season Finale: Final Four and Championship Review

Posted on April 5, 2022 by David Griggs

Tonight Chad and the panel look back at a thrilling National Championship game where Kansas came from behind to beat North Carolina, as well as both Final Four games that each team won with Kansas blowing by Villanova, and North Carolina winning an all time classic against their bitter rivals in Duke.  After that each panel looks back at both the Tournament and the season and discusses some of the highlights from what was an incredible year.

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

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews Duke band member Grace Dessert

Posted on April 3, 2022 by Jon Teitel

Last night Duke lost to North Carolina 81-77 in the Final 4, which was the final game of Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s incomparable career. And what a game it was for these 2 Tobacco Road foes in their 1st-ever meeting in the NCAA Tournament: 18 lead changes, 12 ties, and neither team led by more than 7 PTS all evening. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Duke band member Grace Dessert about having a front-row seat for 1 of the most memorable games in the history of this remarkable rivalry.

You are from San Diego, CA: what made you choose Duke? When I was applying to colleges I was hoping to find a place with awesome academics as well as school spirit. I was excited to leave home and go somewhere where I could be around driven students who care about learning and where people loved being a part of their school. I always knew that I would join the marching band in college so I also looked for schools where I could do that. Duke really was the perfect choice.

You are majoring in Neural Engineering through the Pratt IDEAS program (a make-your-own-major program): how did you pick that subject? I was planning to major in neuroscience and music as a freshman on the pre-med track. However, during freshman year I realized I thought very differently from all the other neuroscience majors, but I really connected with my friends in engineering and got excited about the same things they got excited about. So, I dropped the pre-med track and switched to the engineering school. I was still very interested in neuroscience though, and was behind in credits for the Biomedical Engineering major, so I decided to combine them by making my own major. I have always loved learning about the brain and am very math/science-oriented, so this major is a way for me to approach neuroscience from a very technical perspective.

Last year you were named a National Goldwater Scholar: how do you balance your work in the band with your work in the classroom? It is tough at Duke to balance classes and research with any extracurriculars, but because I love band so much it makes the job much easier. The Duke Band also is a smaller time commitment than a lot of comparable marching bands because we work hard to be as efficient as possible. Everyone at Duke is very focused on academics so to have a successful band we need to fit the Duke student lifestyle.

You are the flute section leader in the Duke University Marching and Pep Band: how did you 1st get into music, and what is the best part? I started playing the flute in second grade because I went to an elementary school that really prioritized music. I spent the rest of elementary/middle/high school playing classical/jazz flute in various competitive groups and orchestras. In high school I joined the marching band in my first year and later became section leader/drum major. I had so much fun building that band up and just loved the community and energy so much that I knew I wanted to continue being in a band. I always loved music, but most of all for the people you get to play with and communities you get to be a part of, so in college I ultimately dropped my other musical interests to commit fully to marching and pep band.

You are also VP of the band: what kind of responsibilities do you have in such a role? As vice president I do not have a ton of official duties, but I fill in with whatever leadership work needs to be done. I help the president/director organize pep band travel, I run three of our band’s intramural sports teams, and help organize the section wars competitions throughout the year (where different sections compete in a variety of challenges from fitness to costume contests to meme making competitions). I also help run interviews for the next round of leadership and with various administrative tasks to keep the band going.

You are planning to take a gap year and then go to graduate school to get a PhD in Biomedical Engineering: what is the post-PhD plan? I hope to become a professor and lead a research lab at a university.

You were in New York City for the ACC tourney and have been traveling with the basketball team for the entire NCAA tourney: what has it been like to join Coach K on this journey? There has been a lot of stress and a lot of joy. My goodness we have had so much fun! It is very sad knowing that any loss would be our last game of the season…and the last game for Coach K…and the end of my band experience. Last night was our last game, but more than anything I feel so incredibly grateful to have been along for this journey. I love band with all of my heart and I love our team and our school with all of my heart. What a special time we have had together.

How does your school decide who gets to go to the postseason? We have a complex point system for band travel that rewards leadership, seniority, and attendance. Based on this point system and the instrumentation we need for the travel bands, we award bids to band members to travel. I have been lucky enough to have a “perfect bid”, meaning that I have gotten to go to every round of the NCAA and ACC tournaments with the men’s team. It has been incredible and I know that I will never forget this past month.

Last Saturday the Blue Devils had a 9-PT win over Arkansas in the Elite 8: what was the reaction like when you got back to campus, and can you explain the UNC-Duke rivalry to people who have only watched it on TV? We flew back to campus the night of the Arkansas game and arrived a bit before the team. We managed to catch the team coming back and got to welcome them home. Everyone was so incredibly elated: I have never seen such energy and love for our team. The Duke-UNC rivalry is the biggest rivalry in basketball. From day one as a Blue Devil you know who to love and who to love to hate, and you know what colors you should and should not wear. We try to keep it kind-hearted, as most of us have friends at UNC, but on gameday (the biggest day of the entire year) you are a Blue Devil and only a Blue Devil. There is so much emotion and history wrapped up in these games. Playing UNC for the last time under Coach K, and for the first time we have ever met them in the NCAA tournament, in the Final Four, with 70,000 people in the stadium: there is nothing that felt more grand. Every point was exhilarating and we danced and yelled as hard as we ever had. It was an incredible game and a tragedy of an ending…but someone has to win and someone has to lose and I love our team no matter what. It is hard to remember that our team, composed of guys who we idolize so much, are mostly 18 and 19 year-olds. Coach K has the most beautiful perspective on the game. We walked off that court defeated and sad, but we walked off with our heads held high because of the legacy of basketball and leadership and joy that he, and we, have created.

Any predictions for Monday night? I am hoping so much that Kansas beats UNC because the Tar Heels need someone to teach them a lesson (I say this in the kindest way possible!). We also got to meet a bunch of the Kansas band members because we were staying at the same hotel: they were awesome so I am rooting for them.

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Happy Birthday!: HoopsHD interviews former Florida A&M coach Mike Gillespie

Posted on April 2, 2022 by Jon Teitel

It has been 15 years since the Rattlers made the NCAA tourney but they had a nice stretch back in the day when they made it 3 times during a 9-year stretch from 1999-2007. The coach responsible for 2 of those 3 tourney appearances was Mike Gillespie, who led the 2007 team to the school’s 1st 20-win season in almost 2 decades. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Gillespie about playing for a Hall of Fame coach and winning an NCAA tourney game in 2004. Today is Coach Gillespie’s 71st birthday so let us be the 1st to wish him a happy 1!

You played basketball at DePaul for Hall of Fame Coach Ray Meyer: what made him such a great coach, and what is the most important thing you ever learned from him? My dad played for Coach Meyer in the late-1940s: he was a really good player. I actually started at NC State for 1 year before transferring to DePaul. Ray was a tremendous teacher of fundamental skills: the 1 thing I learned was his attention to detail in teaching.

1 of your teammates was future NBA 1st round pick Bill Robinzine: was he the best teammate you ever had? Bill was a heck of a player but was never recruited. His dad also played at DePaul…but Bill Jr. was actually there on a band scholarship! He really blossomed during his sophomore year and was an unbelievable athlete. In 1982 he committed suicide in his car, which was very sad.

In 1991 you became coach at Tallahassee CC, where you went 258-56 in 10 seasons including back-to-back 30+ win seasons in 1996/1997: how were you able to be so successful, and what is the biggest difference between JC basketball and D-1 basketball? I started the program from scratch: no ball, no uniforms, no nothing. We were nationally-ranked during each of my 10 years there. I wish I could say that it was the coaching but I was blessed to have some really good players.

You moved to Florida A&M in 2000 despite the fact that the school had suffered through many scandals, and you ended up working for 5 presidents and 5 ADs during your time there as coach: why did you decide to take the job, and what impact did all of those administrative changes have on your program? Before I got there they had 11 straight losing seasons as well as a low graduation rate. It was always my dream to be a D-1 coach and I did not have to move because I was already in Florida. I had to bring in around $300,000 each year so our non-conference schedule was full of “guarantee games” that we just did not have a chance of winning.

Take me through the 2004 NCAA tourney:
Terrence Woods scored 21 PTS in a win over Lehigh: what did it mean to you to win a game in the tourney? To be the 1st coach in school history to win a tourney game was an amazing feat. We entered the conference tourney as the #5-seed and then Terrence hit a shot at the buzzer for a 1-PT win over Hampton en route to being named conference tourney MVP. I honestly thought we were better than Lehigh and it was a great thrill to beat them on national TV.

Woods scored a tourney-school record 24 PTS in a loss to #1-seed Kentucky: did he just carry your entire team that season, and what was the reaction like when you got back to campus? We went to the shoot-around in Columbus…and there were about 15,000 Wildcat fans in the gym. It was 60-52 at the half, which was the highest scoring 1st-half in tourney history. Terrence got knocked down after every shot and was dehydrated at halftime so he only made a couple of shots in the 2nd half. We were a 30-PT underdog but only lost by 20. Coach Tubby Smith later told me that the reason his team was upset by UAB in the following round is because they spent so much energy trying to beat us.

What are your memories of the 2007 NCAA tourney (Clif Brown scored 32 PTS including a career-high 6 3PM in an 8-PT win by Niagara)? We won our conference tourney after tourney MVP Brian Greene converted an alley-oop in the final seconds to beat Delaware State. The NCAA had a rule that we could not play against a team we had already played that year. We had played #1-seed Florida in December so they put us in the play-in game against Niagara that Tuesday. We never even got to step on campus to enjoy the win and just ran out of gas. I had 8 guys from Chicago so I wish they would have sent us to Chicago to play Kansas.

You were twice named MEAC COY: what did it mean to you to win such outstanding honors? It is nice to be recognized by your peers, especially when you fight and battle. I was proud to represent the school.

In 2007 you were hired to be coach of the Jacksonville Jam of the Premier Basketball League, but the owner suspended operations in February 2008: why did you take the job, and how did it feel to get shut down before you could really get going? We played 9 games after starting practice in November. We only had 1 player get paid during the season but not a single guy quit the team. The league itself suspended play and the owner did not get the financial backing he had hoped for. I was lucky to have such loyal players.

You have been running basketball camps for over 30 years: what makes your camp different from other camps, and what do you hope to do in the future? I teach skill development and spend an unbelievable amount of time trying to study the game even though I am over 70. I want to give the kids the utmost attention to details to help them become the best players they can be. I love to teach/coach, which is what I have been doing my whole life. My dad Gordie was the all-time winningest coach in the history of college baseball (1893 wins) and was still coaching at St. Francis (IL) at age 85!

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Basketball and Brains: HoopsHD interviews Belmont Academic All-American Luke Smith

Posted on April 1, 2022 by Jon Teitel

April is not only a time for basketball players to start creating their legacies (Armando Bacot, Ochai Agbaji, etc.) but also a time to reflect on the careers of those seniors that have finally come to a close. Luke Smith did a little of everything during the past 2 years at Belmont. Last year he led the OVC with 78 3PM and was 8th in the nation with 61 STL. This year he shot 88.6 FT% and was named an Academic All-American for the 2nd year in a row while getting his MBA. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Luke about his work on the court and his work in the classroom.

In the 2019 SAA tourney you were named MVP after scoring 90 PTS over 3 games including 18-24 3PM: was it just 1 of those situations where every shot you put up that entire week seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? Yes. It was a gym at Centre College that I really liked. We won the 1st game by a pretty good margin and in the 2nd game I probably made 7 or 8 threes. It was a fun experience.

You played for Belmont Director of Basketball Operations Mick Hedgepeth at D-3 University of the South before transferring to Belmont in 2019: how much of an impact was Mick on your decision, and how close are you 2? He was a huge impact on my original decision to go to Sewanee. We built a great relationship after I played for him for 2 years: we are both basketball junkies and we grew even closer. I did not originally intend to come to Belmont but I talked to Coach Casey Alexander: it took me a long time to decide but Mick played a huge role.

Last year your 61 STL were #8 in the nation: how do you balance your offense with your defense? I would not say that I am a great on-ball defender who stays in front of people, but I am normally in the right position and can anticipate what the offense is going to do pretty well. Coach Alexander really encourages us to make plays so I was just aggressive on defense without having any fear of making a mistake. If you cannot play defense at this level then you will not get onto the court. It went better my 1st year before people figured out how our defense gets steals.

You are a team captain: what is the key to being a good leader? Obviously having a relationship with the guys…but those are fairly easy to make. You have to understand that some players need more encouragement while others might need you to get on their case from time to time. I do not think that 1 style of leadership fits everyone because some people do not respond to that.

You graduated last May with a degree in Business Administration: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? When I 1st got here I changed my major from Economics to Business Administration. As a new student I had mandatory study hours as well as plenty of people who gave me the tools to balance my life well. It is a great academic school and there is a team effort to help us succeed so it is a good situation to be in.

Last November you were named head-coach-in-waiting at your alma mater of Knoxville Catholic High School: what is the most important thing that you have learned from Coach Alexander about what it takes to succeed on the sideline? There are so many things that I have learned from him. We have had quite a few conversations but 1 thing that both he/Belmont have done so well is to create a clear identity. Just look at a team like Villanova: they have such a clear direction in terms of what they do on the court/with recruiting/etc.

You played several NCAA tourney teams this year including Chattanooga, LSU, and Murray State (twice): which of them impressed you the most? All of them are really great teams. At the time we played LSU back in November they were still undefeated and really beating up on teams. At 1 point I think they were a top-3 team in the nation defensively. It is hard for us when teams switch everything and that game was really hard. By the end of the year Murray State was just unbelievable: they played so well together and had such great confidence.

You had 4 teammates this year who had also completed their undergraduate degrees: what is it like to be on a team with so many well-educated/veteran players? It was a cool situation. Most of those other guys are also in the MBA program and are my age and we are all great friends: it would be a lot harder if I was going through it alone. It was a hard balance for Coach Alexander between trying to practice without going over things for the older guys while still trying to teach everything to the younger guys and give them some reps. We ultimately did not get where we wanted to go but I would not trade our season/team for anything.

You were voted 3rd-team Academic All-American in each of the past 2 years: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? It was really cool. In terms of individual accolades (which are not as important as team accolades) it is something that I am really proud of. It speaks both about me and our entire program: I think Belmont has the most Academic All-Americans ever so I am glad that I was able to carry on the legacy.

When people look back on your college career, how do you want to be remembered the most? I just want them to think of me as a guy who played hard for every single minute that he was out there. I never got to play in the NCAA tourney, which was my biggest goal before I came here, but I really love this place/program and am glad that I got to be a part of it. I cannot wait to come back here as an alum to watch some games from the stands.

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews Villanova band members Jessica Hogan and Shekinah Yanes

Posted on March 31, 2022 by Jon Teitel

Last Saturday Villanova beat Houston 50-44 in the Elite 8 to advance to the Final 4 this Saturday in New Orleans. There were a lot of good Wildcats in this year’s NCAA tourney but only the 1 from Pennsylvania is still alive. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Villanova band members Jessica Hogan and Shekinah Yanes about being in the band and heading to Louisiana.

What made you choose Villanova? Jessica: It was a tough choice. I grew up in Jacksonville, FL, and was trying to figure out whether to stay close to home or go farther away. I wanted a school with a great sports program. I am also in the business school so that is a factor as well. Shekinah: I grew up in Havertown, PA, and wanted to stay close to home: Villanova is only 15 minutes away. They also have a diversity program called CASA (Center of Access, Success, & Achievement).

How did you 1st get into music, and what is the best part? J: I started music when playing the piano in kindergarten. My dad taught both me and my sister how to play the trumpet when we were young. Music has always been a part of my life and I always enjoyed it. I also did band camp at Villanova and loved it. S: My family is also very musical. I did violin/piano in kindergarten and then started doing flute around 4th grade. Everyone here is so nice and loves hanging out together.

What exactly does the band do during the season? J: We attend football/basketball games and play both before/after the game. We play our alma mater as well as a special song if we win. We also play during timeouts and bring energy to the game by yelling and having fun. A lot of our friends are in the band so it is a great way to make memories. S: We also play a lot of school-sponsored programs like the Special Olympics or fundraising events.

What are you majoring in, and what is the post-graduation plan? J: I am majoring in accounting and business analytics. From the time I got here I knew that I wanted to go into business: my dad is also an accountant and my sister went through an accounting program at a different school. Business analytics is a really great co-major, which sets me up for a lot of success. I did an internship earlier this year with 1 of the Big 4 accounting firms and am awaiting a job offer. I am really thrilled to be in this field and plan to do a 1-year Masters’ in accounting. S: I am majoring in biology. I have always been a science/math person and knew for a long time that I wanted to be a doctor. I had a great AP Biology class/professor in high school and will eventually be applying to med school.

You have helped out the band in multiple leadership positions: what sort of responsibilities have you had in these roles? J: As band manager we make sure the right instruments get from point A to point B. We drive the truck to events and help incorporate the freshman into the band so they know what to do…such as unload the instruments! As treasurer we write thank-you notes after receiving donations and keep track of our shirt sales. I make sure things are running smoothly and that everyone knows where/when to show up. S: As publicity chair we run all of the social media accounts and make sure we get out any announcements for any events we are playing at. As tour director we plan all the logistics for our big service-based trip to places such as schools/nursing homes.

Your band was supposed to play in the NCAA tourney 2 years ago before everything was canceled due to COVID: how frustrating has it been to be in a band for a great basketball team during a pandemic? J: I remember being in the band room with all of our luggage ready to get onto the bus when we got the call. It was pretty devastating and everyone was crying after having so much built-up anticipation due to hearing stories about traveling to NCAA tourneys in the past. Last year we got to be on campus and still had rehearsals and played at some game-watches, which gave us a sense of community that we had missed for so long. All of that pales compared to what is happening now: we have come so far. S: Everyone looks forward to traveling/supporting the team so it makes this current experience that much better.

You have made the Dean’s List multiple times in the past few years: how do you balance your work in the band with your work in the classroom? J: I plan my day out and allot time for work when I turn off my electronics, while having separate time for band or for catching up on things. I always stay organized and talk to my professors so they know what I am doing. You need to have a plan and stick to it: a lot of the professors are really understanding because they have traveled to NCAA tourney games themselves in the past. I work hard at school but also make sure to have a life outside of school: rock climbing, business societies, etc.

Your dad has spent many years as a pastor/missionary: how important is religion in your life? S: Faith is a really important part of my life on campus: I lead a Bible study group. Villanova has so many opportunities for people to explore their faith.

Last Saturday the Wildcats had a 6-PT win over Houston in the Elite 8: what was the reaction like when you got back to campus, and how excited is everyone to play Kansas? J: It was really exciting even before we got back to campus. We have to send out a tentative travel plan even before we play the game. We had a send-off for the team and it was jam-packed with a line of people around the corner. There is a lot of anticipation: Villanova knows what works because they have had success in the past. There are quite a few students who will come here to New Orleans and some professors have even canceled classes tomorrow! S: There was a game-watch at the student center with a DJ/food trucks and there will be another game-watch this weekend at our arena.

How does your school decide who gets to go to the Final 4, and does your group have anything extra-special planned for this weekend? J: The outgoing board plays a large role: it is their last major duty. It depends on attendance/seniority and there is a formula that assigns points to everyone. We have a student “pep director” who calls the songs, which is really special. It is a little heavier on brass than woodwinds but we try to take the whole band.

Any predictions? J: 1 game at a time. S: We have to stay loyal so Villanova all the way!

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews North Carolina cheerleader Sam Rennard

Posted on March 31, 2022 by Jon Teitel

Last Sunday North Carolina beat St. Peter’s 69-49 in the Elite 8 to advance to the Final 4 this Saturday in New Orleans. The Tar Heels lost to the Blue Devils in February, beat them in March, and will get to play them in April for the 1st time ever this weekend. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with North Carolina cheerleader Sam Rennard about the Tobacco Road rivalry and heading to Louisiana.

You grew up in Asheville, NC: what made you choose UNC? My older brother went to school here. I was looking at UNC and Clemson but the in-state school had the right price/quality of education. It has been an awesome experience.

You have been on the cheer team for the past few years: how did you 1st get into cheerleading, and what is the best part? Most of the guys on the team did not have prior cheer experience: we were high school football players or track athletes who thought that our careers were over. Some cheerleaders told me to try out after I got to college and I made the team. I love sports and this has given me a front row seat for some great games.

This year you are captain of the team: what is the key to being a good leader? My coach told me during my freshman year that anyone can lead a team but a true leader leads an entire program. I look toward the future by developing the younger individuals and investing in our future leaders by giving them the same advice that I got from the people who came before me. We have about 50 people in the program between JV and varsity.

How frustrating has it been to be a cheerleader for a great basketball team during a pandemic? Very frustrating…but that is why this year has been so exciting. I got to cheer at the ACC tourney 2 years ago right before everything was shut down, and last year we could not cheer due to COVID protocols. This year has been very special because it gave me 1 last chance to cheer before I graduate: it has been a relief.

You are majoring in Neuroscience, minoring in Chemistry/History, and planning to apply to medical school: why did you pick those subjects, and what kind of doctor do you want to be? I thought that I would be a math major but later decided that I wanted to do something more relationally-based. I got to shadow some doctors and saw team medicine as an opportunity to develop relationships with individuals and walk through life with them. Neuroscience allowed me to use my math courses to merge with pre-med courses so I did not have to play catch-up. The brain is extremely fascinating. Chemistry comes with neuroscience and History allowed me to work on my writing.

Last Sunday the Tar Heels had a 20-PT win over St. Peter’s in the Elite 8: what was the reaction like when you got back to campus? It has been really awesome to see the community come together not just this week but throughout the entire NCAA tourney. The excitement/emotion has kept heightening and everyone has a little pep in their step now that we are in the Final 4.

How do you explain the UNC-Duke rivalry to people who have only watched it on TV? It is everything that it is hyped up to be and is the greatest rivalry in basketball. They are 2 of the best programs ever with great coaches like Coach K/Roy Williams (and now Hubert Davis). I was able to cheer at 2 home games vs. Duke and the excitement in the stands was unlike any other game that I have been at.

How does your school decide who gets to go to the Final 4, and does your squad have anything extra-special planned for this weekend? It is primarily based on seniority/skill level/partnerships. We were allotted 12 spots, which gives us room for 5 couples/2 tumblers. All 5 of the guys are seniors, as are 3 of the girls. We have a number of media commitments and fan visits to do this weekend.

You are getting married in June: are you excited or freaking out or other? I am very excited! There is a healthy level of being nervous in terms of getting stuff together (like looking at apartments with my fiancee) but I am very much looking forward to it.

Any predictions for this weekend? The Tar Heels are going to win!

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