Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Sacramento State PG Benthe Versteeg

Posted on September 24, 2025 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE For All of our Preseason Coverage, Including Interviews, Podcasts, and Conference Previews

We are less than 6 weeks away from the tip-off of a new college basketball season, which means that we have plenty of time to start preparing 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 continues our coverage with Sacramento State PG Benthe Versteeg, who talked about having a triple-double last year and her expectations for this season.

You were born/raised in the Netherlands: how big is basketball in Holland? It is not that big a sport, especially compared to how big it is in the US. Soccer is the biggest sport in the Netherlands, but basketball is growing more popular each year.

Why did you choose Sacramento State for college? Former coach Mark Campbell recruited me and told me that he wanted to grow the program. Sacramento is the state capital and the community is great so there is a big opportunity here. I wanted to go somewhere where I felt welcomed and could be a part of something that would make a difference.

In the 2023 NCAA tourney you played 15 minutes in a loss at UCLA: what are your memories of your only March Madness experience so far? That was an amazing time. Playing in March Madness was huge: we came back to campus after our conference tourney and everyone was cheering for us. We were also on TV during the selection show, which was cool. UCLA was a good team and the stadium was packed so it was an awesome experience: hopefully I can experience that again.

In 2024 your 38.4 minutes/game were #2 in the nation: how exhausted were you by the end of that season? I played a lot of minutes, which helped me get into the best shape of my career. It was important for me to take care of my body, and my coaches/trainers helped me to sustain that many minutes. I was able to remain healthy all season, and was not as exhausted by the end as I thought I would be.

Last February you had the 1st triple-double in school history with 14 PTS/12 REB/10 AST in an 8-PT loss at Montana: where does that rank among the best all-around games of your career? I would not say that it was my best game, but my teammates gave me the opportunity to get a triple-double: I could not have done it without them. It is not just about the AST: I could not have gotten that many REB if my teammates did not box out. My best game was last March against Montana State: they were undefeated in conference play at the time and I remember my coach telling me during halftime (when we trailed 38-31) that we could not win unless I picked it up. That 2nd half was my best half of the entire season.

Last March you became the 1st player in school history to be named to the all-tournament team in multiple years: how are you able to play your best when it matters the most? It is all about your mindset. I thrive on big opportunities: games in March when your season is on the line is when I get the most excited because that is what you work for during the entire season. Winning in March is the best feeling there is: even thinking about it now makes me so excited!

You were also named to the conference All-Defensive Team for the 2nd straight season: what is the key to playing good defense? Defense is very important so I always take pride in that: when you play good defense your offense will follow. If you can hold your opponent under 50 PTS then you have a much easier chance of winning the game.

You are 1 of 3 seniors on the roster: how much pressure is there on you to be a leader this year? Since this is my “last ride” it feels different. I thought it might be stressful but I know that I have the experience to lead the team.

You have led the conference in AST and TO during each of the past 2 seasons: as a PG how will you try to get more of the former and less of the latter this season? I need is to make better decisions and let the game come to me, which will hopefully result in fewer turnovers. I try to pass to whoever is open for our team’s best shot: I love to share the ball and see my teammates be successful. When you play good team basketball it hypes everyone up.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? We want to get another ring and go back to the NCAA tourney. We have a lot of talent and I am excited to play with everyone. I want to take care of the ball, enjoy the season, and make some great memories while being part of something that is bigger than basketball.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Iowa State C Audi Crooks

Posted on September 24, 2025 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE For All of our Preseason Coverage, Including Interviews, Podcasts, and Conference Previews

We are less than 6 weeks away from the tip-off of a new college basketball season, which means that we have plenty of time to start preparing 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 continues our coverage with Iowa State C Audi Crooks, who talked about leading the nation in PTS last year and her expectations for this season.

You were born/raised in Iowa and lost just 8 games in 4 years at Bishop Garrigan High School: did it reach a point where the fans just expected you to win every time that you stepped onto the court? Absolutely. Success was the standard in high school and the fans grew to expect it after a while.

You are majoring in psychology/minoring in sociology at Iowa State: why did you choose the Cyclones, and why did you choose those subjects? I chose the Cyclones because I feel they cared about me as a person as opposed to just being an athlete. They did not offer me anything on a gold platter and told me I would have to earn whatever came my way, which is really rare these days. I chose to major in psych because I have always had an interest in understanding mental health and how to help someone with it.

As a freshman at Hilton Coliseum you would play the drums if the band left them unattended: how did you 1st get into drumming? I first got into drumming with my father: we would stay at the church after the service was over and play all of the instruments.

How do you describe the Cy-Hawk Series to someone who has never seen it in person? It is like the ultimate college rivalry and everyone in the state of Iowa supports a college team due to the lack of professional teams. It is an intense environment and there is zero love lost.

In the 2024 NCAA tourney you scored 40 PTS/18-20 FG in a 7-PT win over Maryland to become the 2nd player with such tourney stats since Bill Walton: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? Yes, I was in the zone, but Maryland also was in a defense that allowed me to dominate that game. At first, I was just one-on-one in the paint with no weakside help, and once I saw that I knew it was going to be a good night.

You finished that season by being named the 1st freshman All-American in program history: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It was surreal to be honest and I was grateful to be the first in program history.

Last year your 820 PTS were #1 in the nation: what is the secret to being a great scorer? Consistency is the secret to being a good scorer. I just do what I do, well and often.

What did you learn from last year’s NCAA Tournament run that you think will help you going forward this season? The importance of persistence. That is a big lesson learned from the tournament that I will carry into this year.

Your late father Jimmie played college basketball and your mother Michelle played high school basketball: what does it mean to you to wear their #55, and who is the best athlete in the family? I am the best…but my dad in his prime would probably have me beat: I mean he was 6’9″! I wear that number with a lot of pride, especially knowing that I am walking in their footsteps while also making my own.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? My goals are to win the Big 12 tournament and make it farther in the NCAA tournament. I expect to be successful and develop both individually on my own and collectively as a team.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews new Campbell assistant coach Joseph Yesufu

Posted on September 19, 2025 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE For All of our Preseason Coverage, Including Interviews, Podcasts, and Conference Previews

We are less than 7 weeks away from the tip-off of a new college basketball season, which means that we have plenty of time to start preparing 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 continues our coverage with new Campbell assistant coach Joseph Yesufu, who talked about winning an NCAA title in 2022 and his expectations for this season.

In February of 2021 as a player at Drake you set career-highs on back-to-back nights with 32 PTS (12-14 FG)/36 PTS (11-18 FG in 40 minutes during your 1st-ever start) in a pair of wins over Evansville: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up that week seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? Yes. It was also about my work ethic because I take pride in getting into the gym every day.

You finished that year by being named 6th Man of the Year: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It was a blessing and allowed me to show all my hard work.

You were also named to the All-MVC Tournament Team that March: how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most? My team gave me the confidence that I needed to lead them to the championship game. Roman Penn was a big help to me, and I still keep in touch with him.

In 2022 as a player at Kansas you won the NCAA tourney: what did it mean to you to win a title? I still cannot believe it to this day! It sticks with you: individual accolades are nice…but you will always be remembered for winning. Rock Chalk Jayhawk for life!

You played at 4 different schools during the past 5 years: would you have preferred to stay at 1 school the entire time or are you glad that your journey took you to so many different places? I do not regret anything. There were different circumstances at each school: for example, the reason I left Drake to join Kansas was to test myself. I always wanted to play at the highest level and prove others wrong by proving myself right.

Last spring you were hired as an assistant to new Campbell coach Josh Andrzejek, who won his own NCAA title last April as an assistant at Florida: why did you take the job, and how is it going so far? It is going great. I am thankful that he offered me the job last April. I was in a place where I was unsure if I would keep playing, so I decided to get into coaching. It has been 1 of the best decisions of my life because I can give back to the next generation.

Your 2nd game of the year this November will be in Morgantown: how weird will it be to walk into the Coliseum as a coach for the visiting team less than 8 months after your final game there as a player for the home team?! It will certainly feel weird…but I am a Mountaineer for life too! The fans there are 2nd to none, and it is always love…but I hope we win!

In addition to West Virginia, the Camels have trips this fall to Wisconsin/Wake Forest/Penn State/Gonzaga/Minnesota: how will you try to survive that brutal road gauntlet? We are not looking to “survive”: we are looking to WIN. At the end of the day, we know what is coming so we will be ready.

You had a birthday earlier this week: what did you do for the big day? I went out to recruit: now that I am older, I cannot celebrate birthdays the same way I did when I was younger!

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? As a team I want our guys to be their best and break that barrier. When we do that, we will win a lot of games. Individually, I want to learn, and I have a great staff who are helping me along the way to be a professional/network with people. I will study them to see how they do things and then come up with my own way of doing things.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Nebraska PG Britt Prince

Posted on September 18, 2025 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE For All of our Preseason Coverage, Including Interviews, Podcasts, and Conference Previews

We are less than 7 weeks away from the tip-off of a new college basketball season, which means that we have plenty of time to start preparing 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 continues our coverage with Nebraska PG Britt Prince, who talked about making the NCAA tourney last March and her expectations for this season.

You won 4 state titles at Elkhorn North High School: is it harder to win a title or defend a title? I think that it is harder to defend a title because everyone wants to take down the top teams. After winning a title, you gain a target on your back at all times. You have to be ready to play your best each and every game, because every single team wants to take down the defending champs.

You were a 2-time state POY and your 2491 career PTS set a Class B state record: what is the secret to being a great scorer? I do not think that there is a secret to being a great scorer: I just think it takes a lot of time, effort, and practice to get there. I let the game come to me and take what the defense gives me a lot of the time. I try not to force shots, especially in the first quarter, and look to feel out the defense and see what they are trying to do.

You ran cross country and track in high school: how much of an advantage is your endurance/speed on the basketball court? Track and Cross Country helped a lot with my speed and endurance in basketball because I was always used to running a lot more than everyone else, and my muscles were well-trained from those sports as well. I think they also helped a lot with the mental toughness aspect because of how much you have to push yourself through the pain when running cross country and track.

You were a 5-star recruit with offers from several great schools: what made you choose Nebraska? What made me choose Nebraska was the culture that they had established there. I could tell how much everyone genuinely cared about each other and wanted the best for each other. They are also a program that is trending up and has a lot of great young players. It was also awesome growing up a Huskers fan and coming to all of the games when I was younger, and now I am able to represent my home state in front of all of the amazing fans.

You play for Coach Amy Williams: what makes her such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from her so far? What makes her such a good coach is the confidence that she instills in us and the way she believes in us and knows how to bring the best out in us. She is really passionate when she is coaching, and I love that because I am also super-passionate about the game. The most important thing that I have learned from her is to always believe in myself and trust my training.

You had a 4.0 GPA during your 1st semester: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? It is very important to manage your time every day, and if you can work ahead in your classes, then do that. School is very important to me, and I try to complete all of my work to the best of my abilities.

You were named to the conference all-freshman team after leading the Huskers with 3.7 APG/1.7 SPG: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It was an honor to be named to the all-freshman team, considering how many great freshmen we had in our conference. But I owe it all to my teammates and coaches for always pouring into me and giving me the confidence to go out there and play my best.

In the 2025 NCAA tourney you scored 14 PTS in a 5-PT loss to Louisville: what did you learn from that game that will help you going forward this season? I learned a lot from that game and gained a lot of awesome experience playing in an NCAA tournament game. I have dreamed of playing in the NCAA tournament since I was a kid, so being able to experience that was indeed a dream come true. I learned that there is little room for error when playing a great team, and every possession counts.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? My goals for the upcoming season are to get back to the NCAA tournament and advance past the first round. This season, we will look a little bit different with five new players, but I expect it to be a lot of fun at a faster pace as well.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Siena assistant coach Ryan Blackwell

Posted on September 17, 2025 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE For All of our Preseason Coverage, Including Interviews, Podcasts, and Conference Previews

We are still a couple of months away from the tip-off of a new college basketball season, which means that we have plenty of time to start preparing 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 continues our coverage with Siena assistant coach Ryan Blackwell, who talked about playing for a Hall of Fame coach and his expectations for this season.

In 1995 you were named a Parade All-American: which of your fellow honorees impressed you the most (Kobe Bryant/Vince Carter/Kevin Garnett/Paul Pierce/other)? I always tell people that from the 1st time I played against Kobe I knew that he was different. Most kids only care about scoring on offense, but his intensity/dedication to locking me down on defense made him stand out even though he was 1 year younger than me. It was a legendary class: we also had several other future NBA players including Stephon Marbury/Ron Mercer.

You began your college career at Illinois: why did you decide to transfer, and what made you choose Syracuse? I had a connection with the Illinois coaching staff and grew up in Champaign: I was a ball boy for the Illini during the 1980s. Lou Henson’s nephew was my best friend, so I had a longstanding relationship with them. I decided to transfer after Lou was forced to retire, and Syracuse had been my 2nd choice behind Illinois.

You played for Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim: what made him such a great coach, and what was the most important thing that you learned from him? He had his own style and took a very smart approach to the game. He kept things simple: if he had a mismatch then he would take advantage because he was like a pro coach. Having the 2-3 zone defense in his back pocket with big guards at the top made him unique. He taught us to be men and showed us how to be tough. Life resembles sports: if you work hard and get your education then things will work out.

In the 1998 Big East tourney you made the conference all-tourney team thanks in large part to making the game-winning jumper at the buzzer in a 2-PT OT win over St. John’s in the semifinals (www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G0Q8ftZHLQ): did you think the shot was going in, and where does that rank among the highlights of your career? It is certainly up there. I made the shot over Ron Artest, and it felt good when I released it. They show the highlight on TV a lot, so it is a great memory. There is nothing like playing at the Big East tourney in Madison Square Garden!

You made a pair of Sweet 16s in 1998/2000: what is the secret to winning games in March? You want to be playing your best basketball at the end of the season: you can lose some games early on…but if you do not learn from those games then it does not matter. A lot of our opponents did not practice against a 2-3 zone so that was part of Jim’s genius. We used it to throw teams off, which made the difference for us.

After graduating you played pro basketball for 10 years in several foreign countries: what was the biggest difference between basketball in the US and basketball in other countries? Fundamentals. At an early age they hammer it home overseas, while in the US it is more about AAU/travel ball. You need to work on your ballhandling, how to set a screen, how to drive left and right, etc. That is how they have caught up to us: there is so much talent around the world, especially in places like France/Serbia.

In 2018 as head coach at Liverpool High School you went 26-0 and were named USA Today New York State Basketball Coach of the Year: how were you able to keep your team focused for 26 games in a row? That was a special season. The previous year we lost in the Final 4, but most of those guys came back. We had Charles Pride who had a great college basketball career at St. Bonaventure, and Jake Piseno who was an All-American at Albany…in lacrosse! The team’s chemistry on and off the floor was amazing, which made them easy to coach. They worked hard and stuck together, which is how we overcame a 14-PT deficit to our biggest rival while Charles was out with an injury.

In 2021 you were an associate head coach for Boeheim’s Army when they won the TBT Championship on a deep 3-PT shot by Keifer Sykes: what did you do with your share of the $1 million prize money?! It is still in the bank! I invested it and put some of it away for my daughter: I do not have a lot of expensive habits.

Last year you were hired as an assistant to Gerry McNamara at Siena: why did you take the job, and what was the hardest part of Year 1? I have always wanted to get into the college game, and I felt that it was the right time for me to do so. I have known Gerry since he was in college: we kept in touch and played golf together. We ended up having a 10-minute phone call: he said my name came up and asked me if I wanted to work for him. I wanted the challenge/experience and Year 1 was awesome. We won 14 games but lost a lot of close games. I had to learn the recruiting landscape and meet all the AAU coaches. I also learned how to scout the way that Gerry likes: there was a learning curve, but it has been a great transition.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? The NIL world has created an open-door policy for guys to come and go without any repercussions, so having our most productive players turn down money elsewhere to come back and try to win a championship with us is huge. I think we will be picked 1st or 2nd in the MAAC preseason rankings, and our goal is to win a conference title and compete at the highest level. Everyone has been working hard all summer, so we are looking forward to it.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Barry Davis about 2020 Olympic gold medalist Khris Middleton

Posted on September 17, 2025 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 now won 17 gold medals in the 20 tournaments they have participated in during the past 88 years, while the women have won 10 gold medals in the 12 tournaments in which they have competed during the past 48 years. While we must wait 3 years until the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel will fill the void by interviewing as many prior Olympic players/coaches as possible. We continue our coverage by chatting with Texas A&M Hall of Famer Barry Davis about Khris Middleton’s time in College Station and the gold medal he won in 2020.

Khris was born/raised in Charleston, SC: how did he end up at Texas A&M? His father was an armed services veteran. We had an assistant coach at the time named Scott Spinelli who spotted Khris at a camp and thought that he would be a very good player. Not a lot of other SEC schools had discovered him, but Scott built a relationship with his family/high school coach and convinced him to come down for a visit during the summertime. We were in the process of building a new workout facility and Khris and his parents thought that it would be a good place for him to grow as a young person.

Take me through the 2010 NCAA tourney:
As a freshman he only made 1-12 FG during his 1st 3 games, but he scored a season-high 19 PTS/7-10 FG in a 1st round win over Utah State: how was he able to make such an improvement from the start of that season to the end of that season? He had to figure it out: sometimes players try to do too much initially rather than just doing what they do best on a consistent basis.

In the 2nd round he scored 3 PTS but BJ Holmes missed a 3-PT shot at the buzzer in a 2-PT OT loss to Purdue: where does that rank among the most devastating losses of his college career? It was 1 of the most devastating losses that we ever had because we led the whole game before losing in OT. If we had won then we would have played in the Sweet 16 in Houston, so it was a crushing loss for our players/coaches/fans/alumni.

As a sophomore he led the Aggies with 14.3 PPG and was named 2nd-team All-Big 12: what was his secret to being a great scorer? He could go to his left or right and shoot the ball well from all over the floor. He had good size at 6’8”, could dribble/pass, and also played the game with a lot of intelligence.

Despite being the preseason co-favorite in the league during his junior season, the team finished 14–18 and Khris missed 12 games due to a knee injury: if he had been healthy then do you think you could have won a regular season title? We would have had a better record: no doubt. It was a miracle that he even tried to come back to finish off the year because there was the potential that he would hurt himself for the following year.

After the season he declared for the NBA Draft and was selected by Detroit with the 39th overall pick: were you surprised that he turned pro without a guarantee of being selected in the 1st round? I was not surprised because I knew that was where his desire was, and he felt that he was good enough and ready to become a pro. That strong belief is what led him to go against that advice that was given to him. There was a coaching change after his sophomore year when Mark Turgeon left for Maryland and he put his name in the draft before deciding to return to school. If Turgeon had left earlier then I think Khris would have stayed in the draft that year.

In 2021 as a player for Milwaukee he helped lead the Bucks to their 1st NBA title: what did it mean to you to see him win a title? I was very happy for him and the team. The Bucks have always been 1 of my favorite teams since the days of Oscar Robertson/Bobby Dandridge. They helped him develop the right work habits.

The following month he won a gold medal at the Olympics: where does he rank among the most accomplished players in school history? As a collegian he was very consistent and had a good college career. He was much better in the NBA, which is how it turns out for a lot of guys whose style is a better fit at the pro level.

His career 87.8 FT% is top-20 in NBA history: what makes him such a great FT shooter? That was the value that he brought to a team: he could shoot at a high percentage all the way from the FT line to the 3-PT line. A lot of guys cannot do that, and it is often the difference between winning and losing. He always worked on his craft to become more consistent, and at his size he was able to accomplish a lot of things.

When people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? As 1 of the best basketball players in Texas A&M history. He is also an outstanding pro basketball player whose statistics/championship speak for themselves. Milwaukee was 1 of the top teams in the league during his time there, and had he not been injured a couple of times he might have finished out his career there.

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