Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Duquesne C Laia Sole

Posted on September 25, 2020 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

We hope you are ready for a season unlike any other: testing, distancing, and bubbles, oh my! Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen, when it is going to happen, or whether anything actually will happen…but in the meantime we will try to restore some order with season previews featuring the best players/coaches/administrators in the country. We continue our coverage with Duquesne C Laia Sole. She grew up in Spain, was named conference 6th Player of the Year as a freshman, and graduated last May. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Laia about winning a gold medal and her expectations for this year.

You were born/raised in Spain: how did you 1st get into basketball, and how big a deal is the sport in your home country? I come from a very tall family so as a kid I did not like being taller than the rest of my class. However, being able to use my height as an advantage in basketball made me feel good about myself so I started going to the park and playing basketball with my dad on the weekends. I remember having a lot of fun with him and my dad mentioned the idea of going to play for my town’s club when I was 11. I did and have loved the sport ever since then.

As a freshman at Maine you were named 2017 conference 6th Player of the Year and also made the conference All-Rookie Team: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start despite coming off the bench? I think that all international players (especially freshmen) go through a challenging transition due to the differences between basketball styles in Europe and in the US. It was a hard transition at first but I was able to adapt pretty fast within the system. I was able to impact the game and help my team in important moments and I will always be thankful for that. Coming off the bench gave me some extra minutes to see how the feel of the game was going so I knew that when it was my time to play I would be ready to go.

Later that year you transferred to Duquesne where your sister Judith was playing: how close are you 2, and who is the best player in the family? We are very close: everyone who knows me knows that I absolutely adore her. I would be lying if I said that the fact that she was playing at Duquesne at the time did not make the decision of transferring there that much easier for me.

You played for Spain at the 2018 FIBA U18 Women’s European Championship: what did it mean to you to win a gold medal? Playing for the national team is one of the best parts of the year…especially if the team wins a medal at the end of the European Championship/World Championship. I will always remember every medal that we have won and the hard work/dedication behind each one. However, what I value the most is being able to play against the best players in the world for my age group since I get to learn a lot from them.

You play for Coach Dan Burt, who is 24 wins away from becoming all-time winningest head coach in school history: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him so far? Coach truly takes care of us. He is a big believer that winning basketball games starts with maximum effort in practice and then continues with good habits such as property fueling our bodies and reparative sleep. Therefore, he (along with all of the other coaches) makes sure that we receive the best care: we are very appreciative of what they all do for us.

Last December you scored 38 of your team’s 72 PTS in a 3-PT OT win over St. Francis, which is tied for the 6th-best performance in school history: was it just 1 of those situations where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? Every game is different. The defense that opponent had prepared for us allowed me to consistently go 1-on-1 down on the block, which is where I am more comfortable. However, I was also “in the zone” as you call it: when you see your first five shots going in then your confidence will naturally go up.

Last March you scored 9 PTS in a 7-PT loss to Fordham in the 2020 A-10 tourney and were hoping to get an at-large bid to the WNIT before learning that the rest of the postseason was canceled due to the coronavirus: what was your reaction when you 1st heard the news, and do you think that it was the right decision? I understand that some things are bigger than basketball. If they decided that cancelling the NCAA Tournament was the best decision then there probably was a good reason to believe it was not safe for student-athletes and all of the people working around them. However, it was devastating to hear the news since March is always the best time of year in college basketball.

A few days later you decided to fly home to Spain, where you had your virtual graduation last May and are now working on your MBA: how is Spain dealing with the coronavirus, and what will you do with your MBA? I think that Spain, along with every other country, is doing the best it can to stop the spread. It was rough having my graduation online but you just have to make the most of it. With my MBA I want to focus on business operations or business management strategy.

You are 1 of 4 graduate students on the current roster (along with Halle Bovell/Anie-Pier Samson/Kiersten Elliott): how crucial will all of that experience be to your team’s success this year? Having experienced players in a team is always crucial. Halle/AP/Kiersten have been at Duquesne for almost 5 years now, and it shows. They understand the culture in the organization and they are great leaders. This is my 4th year here so I think that I can benefit from my experience with the team as well as helping my younger teammates.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? My goal is always the same: win the Atlantic-10 Championship. I expect to compete at a high level with my teammates while having fun!

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews 2-time Canadian Olympic basketball player Bev Smith

Posted on September 25, 2020 by Jon Teitel

The NBA Finals date back to 1947 (when they were known as the Basketball Association of America Finals) and the very 1st NCAA tourney was held in 1939. Olympic basketball competition is even older: it debuted as a demonstration event in 1904 and the men’s version became a medal sport in 1936, with the women finally getting their chance to go for the gold in 1976. The United States has dominated Olympic basketball competition from the start: the men have won 15 gold medals in the 18 tournaments they have participated in during the past 84 years, while the women have won 8 gold medals in the 10 tournaments in which they have competed during the past 44 years. Those of you who were looking forward to the 2020 Olympics opening ceremonies in Tokyo on July 24, 2020 will have to wait an extra 364 days, as the coronavirus caused a postponement until July 23, 2021. Due to the absence of college basketball since mid-March, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel decided to fill the void by trying to interview as many prior Olympic players/coaches as possible so that you have something to read this summer while not watching the Summer Games. We conclude our coverage (for now) by chatting with Bev Smith about being a 2-time Olympian with team Canada and becoming a Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer.

(photo credit: olympic.ca)

At Salmon Arm Secondary School in Canada you helped your team win 89 straight games: did it reach a point where people just expected you to win every time that you stepped onto the court? That was a long time ago! My older sister had played there and they had a tradition of winning. I do not think that people expected us to win: we never talked about winning titles but rather excellence/class/character. The titles just took care of themselves.

In the 1981 AIAW tourney as a player at Oregon you had a 3-PT loss to USC: how much of an advantage did the Trojans have while playing in LA? I still remember that game: I got a couple of quick fouls and ended up fouling out so I was very upset. It might have been a different story if we played somewhere else because we had a talented team.

You were a 2-time All-American: why did you choose the Ducks, and what did it mean to you to win such outstanding honors? I was playing on the Canadian national team and figured that I could sharpen my pencil a bit more against the competition down in the US. The other reason was that my sister was here and I wanted the opportunity to be her teammate. It was certainly a great honor to be named an All-American but it is a team award as much as an individual award. We played hard and played together: there was not a lot of glamour around women’s college basketball but it was still a special time. It was a combination of teammates/coaches who helped our cause.

You were also a 2-time Academic All-American: how were you able to balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? It took a lot of my time/energy because I was still playing with the national team. I would go to writing class at 7:30AM and not come home from a science lab until 9PM: I was just exhausted. My education really changed my life: my professors were brilliant and had a good sense of humor.

You graduated as the school leader in career PTS (2063), REB (1362), AST (443), and STL (349): how were you able to dominate all these different aspects of the game? I loved playing the game. Growing up I wanted to be a hockey player but there was no organized women’s hockey back then so I turned to basketball. I was blessed with great genetics: my dad was a pro hockey player and my mom was a diver/swimmer. I played against the boys and just wanted to be as good as I could be, which drove me. I was 6’1” and a decent athlete: I did not have a lot of hops but had a good understanding of angles/positioning and where the ball would come off the backboard due to my anticipatory skills. My high school coach kept us very fit so I would take advantage when my opponents were grabbing their knees.

You played for team Canada at the Olympics in 1984 and 1996: how close did you come to winning a medal, and how difficult was it to make the team with a 12-year gap in between? In 1984 we played China for the bronze medal. We split with them previously and ended up winning the “lead” medal, which was a little disappointing. We did not qualify for Seoul and then I took a 4-year hiatus to play in Europe. It was tough to come back after 4 years off because the international game had changed a lot. I remember scrimmaging the Australians in 1994 and being amazed by how much they had improved. We did as well as we could in 1996 but I was a little beyond my time at age 36.

You played pro basketball in Italy for 12 years: what is the biggest difference between college basketball and pro basketball? College is more scholastic in nature and college coaches want to have a bit more control and institute structure. In the pros when you are the only foreigner on the team they expect you to be great. If your team wins then the team is great…and if your team loses then it is the Canadian’s fault! I had a great time in Italy and really enjoyed the passion of my teammates. I also learned a lot about fashion/food/wine, which I did not really expect to happen.

In the 2002 Women’s NIT title game as head coach at your alma mater you had a 2-PT win over Houston to clinch the title in your very 1st season: what did it mean to you to win a title? That was pretty special. We got to know our players pretty quickly. They had made several straight NCAA tourneys so it was a little disappointing to not make it back there in 2002, but the next best thing is winning the tourney that you do get invited to.

In 2004 you were inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame: where does that rank among the highlights of your career? That was also very special. My mom did not get to see me play a lot in the US or Italy but it was nice to bring her to Knoxville for that event. It ranks high to be acknowledged for your career. I am now on the board and go back when I can: Pat Summitt was so welcoming to everyone. When you get to meet the women who made the sport happen and the journalists who were writing about us before it became popular it is nice.

You currently work as the Executive Director of KIDSPORTS, a non-profit organization in Oregon that provides youth sports programs for kids and teaches the values of physical fitness and teamwork: how do you like the job, and what have you been able to accomplish so far? I am blessed and honored to work here. Eugene is a special place and we serve more than 13,000 registrants each year. When I go into a meeting and see 200 coaches preparing to teach kids and have compassion it gives me goosebumps. We have worked hard to make our coaches be the best they can be for the children: we provide them with information and education about helping their kids develop both their athletic and human potential. It is very emotional for us and we keep it all about the kids. It is okay to try to win but not if you compromise all the valuable life lessons. We are in the process of getting a building because so many schools are getting closed.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Dayton SR PG Rodney Chatman

Posted on September 24, 2020 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

We hope you are ready for a season unlike any other: testing, distancing, and bubbles, oh my! Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen, when it is going to happen, or whether anything actually will happen…but in the meantime we will try to restore some order with season previews featuring the best players/coaches/administrators in the country. We continue our coverage with Dayton SR PG Rodney Chatman. He began his college career at Chattanooga, transferred to Dayton, and started for 1 of the best teams in the nation last season. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Rodney about almost going undefeated and his expectations for this year.

In February of 2018 as a player at Chattanooga you scored a career-high 26 PTS/9-15 FG in a loss at East Tennessee State: was it just 1 of those situations where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? Yes: it was a big rivalry game on the road and our team really needed a win. I got some experience and used it to my advantage.

Why did you decide to transfer later that year, and what made you choose Dayton? We had a coaching change and it was no longer my style of play. I feel like I chose the right school with a coach who was just named national COY so it worked out for the best.

You play for 2020 national COY Anthony Grant: what makes him such a great coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him so far? He is a wise guy who always has the right words in any situation and knows the importance of a good team culture. He taught me about tempo: when to push and when not to. After games we review the stats to see how efficient we were and he is consistent in everything he does.

You led the team in STL last year: what is the secret to being a good defender? I grew up watching Kobe Bryant/Rajon Rondo in their prime. Watching film helps a lot to understand a player’s tendencies. I know what my opponent’s go-to moves are and I try to make them uncomfortable. I have always been a good defensive player dating back to high school: it is my strong suit.

You went 29-2 last year with a pair of single-digit OT losses to Kansas/Colorado at neutral-site games: how close did you come to going undefeated? We lost 1 of those games on a buzzer-beater (www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYCyzyg601w) but were just focused on being the best we could be in March. It would be great to have gone undefeated but those 2 losses made our team better. We wanted to dominate the conference and make the NCAA tourney so I think we accomplished all of our goals.

You were the #1 seed in the A-10 tourney last March before learning that the entire postseason was canceled due to the coronavirus: what was your reaction when you 1st heard the news, and do you think that it was the right decision? We were all devastated: I have dreamed of playing in the NCAA tourney since I was a kid so my anticipation was at an all-time high. We wanted to keep proving our doubters wrong so it hurt…but it was the right decision. We are men before we are basketball players so it was important to remain healthy: we have long lives ahead of us and are blessed to have a new season starting on November 25th.

You lost a couple of senior starters from last year in Trey Landers/Ryan Mikesell and 2020 national POY Obi Toppin decided to turn pro: how will you try to replace all of that offense/leadership? We just have to regroup and there is strength in numbers. My freshman year I joined a 29-win team that was kind of in the same situation, but now I am on the other side of it since I am 1 of the veterans. All 3 of those guys were great but now we are underdogs and looking at it as an opportunity.

Your father Rodney played basketball at USC: who is the best athlete in the family? My mom is the best athlete: she played basketball at Bethune-Cookman. My dad also played football in high school and could have gone to Notre Dame.

What is it like to be an African-American man in 2020? It is challenging. I have a younger brother who I think about every time that I wake up. At times it is scary but we just want equality: I do not understand what is so hard about that. We are just fed up with being at the bottom but everyone on our team is registered to vote so we will just take it day by day and make the right decisions. We need to use our voices/platform to demand change.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? My goal is for our team to be as connected/close as we can and just go fight and not back down from anybody. We want to win the conference again and defend our championship so people will have to go through us. We want to be in the best shape we can and help our younger guys learn our offense/defense.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Spencer Stueve about 1996 Olympic gold medalist Reggie Miller

Posted on September 24, 2020 by Jon Teitel

The NBA Finals date back to 1947 (when they were known as the Basketball Association of America Finals) and the very 1st NCAA tourney was held in 1939. Olympic basketball competition is even older: it debuted as a demonstration event in 1904 and the men’s version became a medal sport in 1936, with the women finally getting their chance to go for the gold in 1976. The United States has dominated Olympic basketball competition from the start: the men have won 15 gold medals in the 18 tournaments they have participated in during the past 84 years, while the women have won 8 gold medals in the 10 tournaments in which they have competed during the past 44 years. Those of you who were looking forward to the 2020 Olympics opening ceremonies in Tokyo on July 24, 2020 will have to wait an extra 364 days, as the coronavirus caused a postponement until July 23, 2021. Due to the absence of college basketball since mid-March, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel decided to fill the void by trying to interview as many prior Olympic players/coaches as possible so that you have something to read this summer while not watching the Summer Games. We continue our coverage by chatting with UCLA historian Spencer Stueve about Reggie Miller winning an NIT title in 1985 and a gold medal in 1996.

After coming to UCLA Reggie would often spend his summers playing pick-up games on campus with several members of the Lakers including Magic Johnson/Byron Scott/Michael Cooper: what kind of education did the college kid get from the pros? UCLA has long been the preferred summer pick-up game location for NBA players and the Bruins have benefited from being able to play alongside the pros all summer long. The full-court runs in what used to be called the “Men’s Gym” at UCLA are legendary: it is hot, the windows are covered, and NBA players get after it. Reggie was never one to back down: even in college he had that signature cockiness and those games helped him immensely.

In the 1985 NIT title game he helped UCLA win its 1st and only NIT title by scoring 18 PTS in a 3-PT win over Indiana en route to being named Most Outstanding Player: what did it mean to him to win a title, and did Coach John Wooden’s teams raise the bar so high that people in Westwood did not care about NIT titles? No one at UCLA cares about that NIT title: it is never talked about. Most fans do not even know that UCLA ever won the NIT, but it was used as a springboard to the next season.

In 1987 he led the Pac-10 with 64 STL: he is primarily known as a shooter/scorer but do you think that he deserves more credit for his defense? Reggie was a fine defensive player: he was very instinctual/very competitive. He is known primarily for his offense (rightfully so) but was an underrated defender.

He graduated from UCLA as the #2 scorer in school history behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: where does he rank among the all-time greats at a school that has had so many all-time greats? He is a top-10 player in school history. Unfortunately, he played at UCLA during a period of general mediocrity. There was a ton of pressure on UCLA in the decade that followed Coach Wooden’s retirement in 1975 to keep the winning tradition alive. If Reggie had come around 15 years earlier then he would likely be considered a top-5 player: below Lew Alcindor/Bill Walton but in the conversation with guys like Gail Goodrich/Walt Hazzard/Sidney Wicks/Keith Wilkes/Marques Johnson.

In Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden he scored 39 PTS (including 25 PTS/5-5 3PM in the 4th quarter) to lead Indiana to a 7-PT win over the Knicks, then in Game 1 of the 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals at Madison Square Garden he famously scored 8 PTS in 8.9 seconds to clinch a 2-PT win over the Knicks: how was he able to perform so well on the big stage with Spike Lee screaming at him every single spring?! He embraced the challenge. He was not perfect in clutch moments but nobody ever is. Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and all of the other “clutch” players had plenty of misses but they were never scared. Reggie was the same: he was fueled by Spike Lee but he was calm during the chaos.

He played for team USA at the 1996 Olympics: what did it mean to him to represent his country, and what did it mean to him to win a gold medal? I have never heard him talk about it but I am sure that it is 1 of the great accomplishments in his life.

He is 1 of 5 NBA players who spent their entire career of 18+ years with a single franchise (along with a quartet of legends in Kobe Bryant/Tim Duncan/Dirk Nowitzki/John Stockton) and his 1389 career games for Indiana is #12 in NBA history: what was the key to his loyalty/longevity? Reggie loved Indiana: there was a comfort level there and he spoke frequently about trying to build something where he started. He had his eyes on Michael Jordan and the Bulls for most of his career but he was not angling to make his way there and join them: he was figuring out what he could do to beat them. As he got older he felt a responsibility to the franchise to mentor the younger guys.

His 88.8 career FT% is #12 in NBA history and his 2560 career 3PM trails only Ray Allen for the most in NBA history: what is his secret for being 1 of the best shooters in the history of the sport? Reggie was a workaholic who was fanatical about his conditioning. He knew that he had to move to get open, and when he got to his spots he had to have the energy to rise and fire. He was a tremendous shooter and like all great shooters he put in the work to get better.

His older sister Cheryl went to USC, won a gold medal of her own in 1984, and is arguably the best women’s basketball player ever: what is the dynamic like between the 2 of them, and who is the better player? Cheryl was the better player when they were in high school/college. She once scored 105 points in a high school game and was 1 of the best women’s college players ever. She was never really able to show what she could do beyond college because of limited opportunities for women basketball players, so it is hard to compare the two because Reggie went on to have great success after college.

In 2012 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame: when people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? He was competitive, clutch, and extremely talented. He is the father of the 3-PT shot. Though the rule change pre-dated his NBA career, there was nobody who shot threes with the frequency of Reggie before he got into the league. If he played in the NBA now his numbers would be through the roof. He was also a big-stage player who always rose to the occasion when the lights were brightest.

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The Hoops HD Report: September Session

Posted on September 23, 2020 by David Griggs

Chad is joined by David, John Stalica, and Jon Teitel.  The panel discusses the passing of both Lute Olson and John Thompson and the huge impact that both coaches had on the game.  From there they move on to the start of the season being pushed back to November 25th and the season being shortened by four games, and what impact that is having on all of the teams.  They also look at how playing fewer non-conference games could impact the metrics, and what the likelihood is that we will see games cancelled during the season.  They also take a look at the ACC’s outrageous suggestion of inviting all the teams to the NCAA Tournament, and much more.

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

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Southern Miss assistant coach Clarence Weatherspoon

Posted on September 23, 2020 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

We hope you are ready for a season unlike any other: testing, distancing, and bubbles, oh my! Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen, when it is going to happen, or whether anything actually will happen…but in the meantime we will try to restore some order with season previews featuring the best players/coaches/administrators in the country. We continue our coverage with Southern Miss assistant coach Clarence Weatherspoon. He was a 3-time All-American at Southern Miss , a top-10 NBA draft pick, and now coaches his son at his alma mater. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Weatherspoon about being a 3-time conference POY and his expectations for this year.

You grew up as 1 of 13 siblings in Crawford, MS (population 500), which also happens to be the hometown of NFL legend Jerry Rice (who is 8 years older than you): did you know the Rice family at all when you were growing up, and how did growing up in such a small town with so many siblings affect your life? I was the youngest of 13 and we were very family-oriented and knew most of the rest of the people in the town. We knew the Rice family but Jerry played at the rival high school on the other side of town.

In the 1990 NCAA tourney as a player at Southern Miss (the 1st tourney in school history) you scored 16 PTS and had a tourney-school-record 14 REB in a loss to La Salle: where does Lionel Simmons (32 PTS/16 REB) rank among the best college players that you have ever seen? Lionel was very talented and had some other teammates who played in the NBA as well. He was the senior leader that year but we had beaten him in the NIT a few years earlier. He was a really versatile forward who could score.

In 1992 you shot a career-high 45.3% from 3-PT range, which remains 1 of the best single-season marks in school history: how were you able to shoot so well from behind the arc considering that you are also the school’s all-time leading rebounder/shot blocker? The key was that I did not shoot that many (24-53 3PM)! It was something that I had worked on since arriving as a freshman. I always tried to improve my range/shooting ability but for our team to be successful I had to rebound/defend and play tough on the inside.

You were a 3-time All-American and remain the only 3-time POY in Metro Conference history: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? I was not looking at my individual stats: I just tried to do whatever it took for my team to win.

In the summer of 1992 you were drafted 9th overall by Philadelphia (7 spots behind Alonzo Mourning): did you see that as a validation of your college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other? It definitely was an honor and the ultimate reward for all of my hard work/sacrifice. I started out in high school just wanting to be a good player and get a college scholarship, but I put in the time and got better every year before making the NBA.

In Game of the 1999 Eastern Conference 1st round with Miami you had 5 REB but Allan Houston made the series-winning jumper with 0.8 seconds left: did you think the shot was going in, and where does that rank among the most devastating losses of your career? It was a tough loss but was still a great series. We were the #1 seed that year and the Knicks beat us the following year on a buzzer-beater as well. Coach Pat Riley helped me become a better player and showed me the importance of playing together as part of a team.

You currently work as an assistant to Coach Jay Ladner at your alma mater: how do you like coaching, and what do you hope to do in the future? It has been really good for me. Getting to coach at your alma mater and bring the programm back to where we should be is exciting.

Clay Weatherspoon is 1 of 2 seniors on the current roster: how do you like coaching your son, and how much pressure is there on him to be a leader this year? He started as a walk-on but has worked his way up to being a senior leader. He knows what it takes to become a leader and will help the team in any way possible. We have a more improved team this year and hopefully we will get a chance to play despite COVID.

What is it like to be an African-American man in 2020? Everything in the US is changing. We face challenges that other races have not had to experience, which dates back to when slaves 1st arrived more than 400 years ago. It has been a continuous fight for equality but you cannot let that stop you from believing in the system: it is still an evolving process.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? My goal is for us to be a better team. There is a pandemic going on so I want us to stay as healthy as possible and then go out and play our best. All you can do is prepare.

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