Season preview: Montana assistant coach Jonathan Metzger-Jones

Posted on September 20, 2015 by Jon Teitel

For all of Jon’s other Season Preview Interviews – CLICK HERE

You have to love a college basketball coach named Jonathan!  Jonathan Metzger-Jones has 4 years under his belt as an assistant at Montana, and he has made the postseason in 3 of those years.  He does a little of everything: recruiting, scheduling, summer camps, etc.  After playing college basketball at Pacific, he later played pro basketball in Europe before getting into coaching.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with “Jono” about surviving multiple overtimes and having Gonzaga/Kansas on this year’s schedule.

jmj

You played for Coach Bob Thomason at Pacific: what made him such a good coach? He is and was a coach with an unbelievable offensive mind: he just knew how to pick apart defenses. He never had the best players in the league (besides Michael Olowokandi) but was still able to field teams who could score a lot of points.

You made more than 100 threes in your career: what is your secret for making shots from behind the arc? You need the ability to communicate and relate to your teammates. You also need to be accountable/responsible so they know that your actions are for the betterment of the team: actions speak louder than words.

After graduating you played pro basketball in Europe: what is the biggest difference between college basketball and pro basketball? The shot clock: dropping down to 24 seconds was a big adjustment. In Europe there is more emphasis on skill as opposed to athleticism/brute force. A lot of players have a hard time adjusting to that but it was easier for me because I was not the strongest guy. You have to be willing to adjust to a new culture and fit in with your new team.

You were an assistant at Montana for a few years under Coach Wayne Tinkle before being retained by head coach Travis DeCuire when he took over last year: how does it usually work for an assistant when his old boss takes a new job, and how did it work for you? It is different everywhere you go. I know of a head coach who took a Power 5 job and did not take a single assistant with him, and I know other coaches who got a new job and brought their entire staff with them. It worked out great for me and my family because we love the city of Missoula and the program. We have done some good things in the past and we have a bright future as well.

Last year you had 4 separate multiple-overtime games: I assume that overtime games are exhausting for players, but how tired do you get as a coach? Yes…but it is a different kind of exhaustion for coaches. When a game goes into multiple overtimes there is pressure and excitement flowing through you and it is hard for your brain to hold onto everything. It definitely takes a toll on the coaches but we would not trade it for anything.

In the 2015 NIT you lost to Texas A&M: what did your team learn from that game that you think can help you this year? I think it was pretty evident that we need to have the mentality of never giving up. We were down by more than 20 PTS and we could have given up, but we took the lead in the 2nd half and the crowd got behind us. It showed our guys that we can compete with “bigger name” schools and can come back against any adversity.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Boise State/Gonzaga/Washington/Kansas: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? I would say the Kansas game: it is an environment unlike any other in college basketball and most of our guys have never seen anything like it. Gonzaga also has a terrific program and returns their entire frontcourt so that will definitely be a tough game as well.

Your team returns 4 of its top-5 scorers from last year: how crucial will all of that experience be to your team’s success this year? It is going to be a big help. The scoring is nice but it is even more important to have guys with the experience of competing for a conference title. Our biggest thing is that we have been through the fire so now we have to take 1 more step and get to the next level.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? Our expectatios are to play Griz basketball for 40 minutes/night. Our goal is to win the conference title and get back to the NCAA tourney.

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Season preview: Wyoming assistant coach Allen Edwards

Posted on September 18, 2015 by Jon Teitel

For all of Jon’s other Season Preview Interviews – CLICK HERE

Many players like a coach who previously played college basketball because the coach knows what the player is going though.  However, until a Wyoming player wins a pair of NCAA titles, they will never know exactly what their assistant coach Allen Edwards has been through before.  Edwards is ready to begin year #5 with the Cowboys as an assistant to head coach Larry Shyatt, and he does so with quite the impressive basketball pedigree: Florida’s Mr. Basketball at Miami Senior High School, a 2-1 record in 3 NCAA title games as a player at Kentucky (the loss was in OT), a pair of NCAA tourneys as an assistant coach at VCU, and Wyoming’s 1st NCAA tourney berth in 13 years last March.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Edwards about winning a title, losing a title, and having not 1 but TWO(!) brothers who were McDonald’s All-Americans.

edwards

You played for a pair of great coaches at Kentucky (Rick Pitino/Tubby Smith): what is the most important thing that you ever learned from either of them? 1 of the things they both hit on that I took away was that basketball had a direct correlation to life. You get out of life what you put into it, just like basketball.

You won a pair of NCAA titles in 1996 and 1998 and lost the 1997 title game in OT to Arizona: what did it mean to you to win 2 titles, and do you ever have any regrets about not winning 3 in a row? It was unbelievable to win 2 titles: it is hard to explain but that was our goal every year. We put in the necessary work to reach that point and after doing it once we wanted to do it all over again. The experience we learned as sophomores helped us as seniors. Arizona was a really good team so my only regret is that I was dealing with an ankle injury and was not able to give the team 100%. I did not feel that I let the team down, but felt bad that I could not help them at the end of that game.

In 2011 you were hired as an assistant to Larry Shyatt at Wyoming: why did you take the job, and how do you like working for Larry? I had been in the business for a while at that time and I got to know Larry through his son Jeremy, who I worked with at VCU. Larry is part of the Rick Pitino/Billy Donovan coaching tree so I had heard a lot about him, and everyone I talked to had tremendous things to say about him. It almost felt like I was being recruited again because he had done his research on me! He felt that I was the guy for him, which made me feel very comfortable. He has been nothing but great to me: I have learned from him and have received a lot of responsibility as well.

In the 2013 CBI Nathan Sobey made a corner 3 at the buzzer in a 2-PT win over Lehigh, then David Brown made a 3 at the end of regulation in an OT loss to Western Michigan: how was your blood pressure doing by the end of that week?! It was part of the process for us. The CBI is nice…but it helped build our team and allowed us to win the MWC title in 2015.

Last January you had a 5-PT 3-OT win at Fresno State: I assume that overtime games are exhausting for players, but how tired were you as a coach by the end of that game? It was exciting and showed that our guys could win on the road against a tough team. It showed their fight because they were not willing to give up: those situations help you as the season goes on when you have to deal with illnesses/losses.

Your 56.4 PPG allowed was #7 in the nation last year: what is the key to having a great defense? We had a veteran group of guys who have been through our system and understand what we want from them on both ends of the floor. We had good ball control, which allowed fewer possessions for our opponent.  When you have length in the post and intelligence on the perimeter, you know that you have the defensive presence necessary to win games.

In the 2015 MWC tourney title game Josh Adams scored 10 PTS including the go-ahead 3 with in the final minute of a 2-PT win over San Diego State: what did it mean to clinch your school’s 1st NCAA tourney bid in 13 years, and what was the reaction like when you got back to campus? I wanted it more for our guys. At the start of the year I thought they had a chance to do it, so I tried to get them to understand what it takes to win championships. I was happy for the guys because they understood what we were talking about all season long. It was not just ridiculous on our campus: the whole state embraced us during our entire conference tourney run at the Thomas & Mack Center. The state really represented us in Vegas: it got pretty loud in there and they were able to drown out the Aztec fans. I remember looking up and thinking that it was amazing how much they supported us.

Josh is the only senior on the team and the only returning starter: how much pressure is there on him to be a leader this year? 1 of the things he is great at is dealing with pressure: he has never shied away from that responsibility and has done a tremendous job this year with 8 new guys on the roster. He is the example that we look toward in terms of how to carry yourself and set the tone: he is like a coach on the floor, which is a tremendous step that he has taken. He is the type of leader who holds himself accountable: he will stop practices and make corrections himself, which shows the trust that we have in him, and it encourages our players to get in line and follow him.

Your older brothers Doug and Steve were each McDonald’s All-Americans: who is the best athlete in the family? I would say that Doug was the most talented: he just had a unique gift. All of our styles of play were different: I was more of a facilitator while Steve was more of a scorer. Growing up and watching them in person, I thought Doug stacked up with anyone in the country.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? Like any team we just want to be the best we can be every time that we step out on the court for practices and games. If we can do that I think it can be a successful year for us even though we are a young team. We just have to be our best each day and let the chips fall where they may.

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Season preview: Wyoming SR PG Josh Adams

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Jon Teitel

For our most recent Hoops HD Video Podcast: September Session – CLICK HERE

For all of Jon’s other Season Preview Interviews – CLICK HERE

Wyoming had not made the NCAA tourney for more than a decade…and then Josh Adams showed up and changed all that.  He played in all 34 games as a freshman in 2013 while studying hard enough to be named to the MWC Academic-All Conference team.  In 2014 he started 32 games for the Cowboys and led the team in assists.  In 2015 he took it up a notch by being named conference tourney s MVP and helping Wyoming make its 1st trip to the NCAA tourney since 2002. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Josh about making the shot to win a high school state championship and the pressure of being the Cowboys’ only returning starter.

adams

At Chaparral High School you made the game-winning shot in the 2012 Colorado state title game: what did it mean to you to win a title? At the time it was the biggest achievement I had ever been a part of, but we have been something even greater here at Wyoming.

What made you choose Wyoming? A lot of other coaches would only call me once a month, but Coach Shyatt would call me as often as the NCAA allowed, and it has worked out pretty well for me so far.

Your 26 starts in 2013 were the most by a true freshman at Wyoming since 2006: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I just bought into the program.  There were a series of events (injuries/suspensions) that allowed me to have the opportunity, so I took full advantage of it.

Take me through the 2013 CBI:
You found a wide-open Nathan Sobey who made a corner 3 at the buzzer in a 2-PT win over Lehigh: what is the key to making game-winning shots? Confidence. He was actually struggling a bit that year but he never lost his confidence. You just have to know that the ball is going to go in.

You played 41 minutes but David Brown made a 3 at the end of regulation in an OT win by Western Michigan: what is the key to preventing game-winning shots? You have to know where every shooter is on the court. We lost a little focus, gave him a little window, and he took advantage of our mental lapse.

In March of 2014 you scored a career-high 29 PTS (3-6 3PM) in a 9-PT loss to Boise State: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? My teammates did a great job of getting me open off of screens, and it was just 1 of those times when my shot was going in.

Last year you finished in the top-10 in the conference in PPG/APG/SPG: what is the key to being a good PG? You have to get the team involved to give them the utmost confidence. You have to keep running things smoothly as far as scoring but you also have to set the tone on the defensive end and have the most intensity.

In the 2015 MWC tourney title game you were named MVP after scoring 10 PTS including the go-ahead 3 in the final minute of a 2-PT win over San Diego State: what did it mean to clinch your school’s 1st NCAA tourney bid in 13 years, and what was the reaction like when you got back to campus? The reaction was incredible: everybody was supportive. We had thousands of fans at the game in Vegas, which was nice because we had overcome so much to get there. The school and coaching staff has done so much for us that it was just the icing on the cake to do something that the team has not been able to do for a long time.

In the 2015 NCAA tourney you had 6 AST in a loss to Northern Iowa: what did you learn from that game that you think can help you this year? I have to get the guys in the right spot at the right time and make the right decisions. There will be some games where I have an off-night like I did against Northern Iowa, so I need to get everyone involved.

You are the only senior on the team and the only returning starter: how much pressure is there on you to be a leader this year? Coach has helped me a lot with that: it is a lot of pressure so I just need to embrace it. We are coming out with a vengeance and we will not accept anything less than last year, but my teammates will help take some of the pressure off my shoulders.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? We have the same expectations as last year. We built the program up from 4-5 years ago when we only won 10 games and have brought in some good recruits. We are just going to play our game and we are going to win some games.

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Hoops HD Video Podcast: September Session

Posted on September 17, 2015 by David Griggs

We’ve reached September, which means this is our final offseason podcast!!  Next month, we will be in full blown preseason mode!!

Chad is joined by Joby, Jon, John and David.  They begin by discussing some of the new additions to the site, and then going over some of the college basketball news and notes, including the athletic director at Texas, the very vague allegations against San Diego State, the APR issues at Southern U, and the changes the MAC, Big Sky and Horizon League have made to their conference tournaments.

The two main topics are the cost of attendance stipend and how schools are implementing it, and the different scheduling philosophies we’ve seen from different teams.  Jon Teitel gives a very good explanation as to why the value differs from school to school, and the panel discusses what this could mean to future recruiting.

 

And for all you radio lovers, below is an mp3 version of the show

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Season preview: Wisconsin JR G Zak Showalter

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Jon Teitel

For all of Jon’s other Season Preview Interviews – CLICK HERE

There are only 2 teams who have made each of the past 2 Final Fours: 1 is Kentucky and the other is Wisconsin.  Of the 1st 18 picks in the 2015 NBA draft, a whopping 6(!) of them played in the Badgers’ 7-PT win over the Wildcats in last year’s national semifinal: Sam Dekker/Frank Kaminsky/Karl-Anthony Towns/Trey Lyles/Willie Cauley-Stein/Devin Booker.  1 player from that game who is still in college is Zak Showalter, who went from 22 games as a walk-on freshman to redshirting in 2014 to almost winning a national title in 2015.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Zak about beating a team that was 38-0 and sharing a college coach with his father.

zak

You won a Wisconsin high school state title while playing for your father Steve, who played for Coach Bo Ryan at UW-Platteville: how did you like playing for your dad, and was there any doubt about following in his footsteps and playing for Bo? It was a process: at first we butted heads a bit but after spending every day together for 4 years we learned a lot and it was a great experience. I always wanted to play for the Badgers because I respected the program so much, so that was the end goal, but to actually have it happen has been a dream come true.

You began your college career as a walk-on: how were you able to eventually earn a scholarship, and what was your reaction when you found out? I turned down about 18 scholarship offers to come here.  Coach Ryan just gave me a call 1 day and said that I would be on scholarship: I had worked for that my whole life so it was pretty awesome!

You played in 22 games as a true freshman in 2013: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I just listened to the coach and paid attention to the older guys about what works in the system. If you know how it works and you learn from everyone, it is proven to succeed. I just did the little things I could to get on the court and help us win games.

You spent the following year as a redshirt: how did you reach that decision, and what was the hardest part? Josh Gasser came back from his torn ACL and I knew that Ben Brust/Traevon Jackson would also get a lot of playing time, so I decided to focus on my academic career after talking to Coach Ryan and my family. It was the best decision for me and I think it is paying off.

In the 2015 Big 10 tourney title game you played 4 minutes in an OT win over Michigan State: how were you able to hold the Spartans scoreless in OT, and what did it mean to you to win the title? I do not know if their legs got tired but their shots just did not fall in during OT and the ball bounced our way down the stretch.  1 of our goals was to win the conference title so it was just another item to check off our list.

Take me through the 2015 NCAA tourney:
You played 5 minutes in a 7-PT win over Kentucky: how on earth did you beat a team that was 38-0?! We watched a lot of film and studied their habits all year. We tried to not let them do what they liked to do, and we got enough stops and had enough energy down the stretch to pull off 1 of the biggest wins in school history.

In the title game you had a 5-PT loss to Duke: were you out for revenge after they beat you in Madison last December, and what did you learn from that game that you think can help you this year? I think we were more focused on accomplishing our goals but unfortunately they played better than us on that night. The Kentucky loss in 2014 motivated us to get back to the tourney last year, and the Duke loss in 2015 will motivate us similarly in the upcoming year.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Georgetown/Oklahoma/Syracuse/Marquette: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? I think they are all going to be tough. Georgetown and Oklahoma played us very hard last year, and Marquette is always a battle. We want to be prepared for the Big 10 but I cannot say that any 1 game will be harder than the next 1.

You lost 5 of your top-7 scorers from last year: how will you try to replace all of that offense? We have guys who are ready to step up: this program has had players do that for a long time. We have been working our butts off and had really good guys in front of us last year, but now we are ready.

You have only 1 senior on your current roster: how much pressure is there on you as a junior to be a leader this year? We lost a lot of good leaders last year, but some of us have seen some good minutes in the past and we will have to make sure that we are all working together.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? We expect a lot out of ourselves. We do not necessarily write down our goals, but we expect to win a lot of games so we will see what happens. For now we are just ready to get started.

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Season preview: Iowa State SR PF Georges Niang

Posted on September 15, 2015 by Jon Teitel

For all of Jon’s other Season Preview Interviews – CLICK HERE

2015 was a very good year for Georges Niang: All-American, All-Big 12 1st-Team, Big 12 tourney MOP, and he also made the Academic All-Big 12 2nd-Team.  However, his season ended in brutal fashion for the 3rd straight March: a 3-PT loss to Ohio State in the 2013 NCAA tourney, a broken foot against NC Central in the 2014 NCAA tourney, and a 1-PT loss to UAB in the 2015 NCAA tourney.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Georges about how close he came to going pro last spring and how he likes his new coach.

niang

In February 2014 you scored 17 PTS in a 1-PT 3-OT win at Oklahoma State: where does that rank among the most exciting games of your career? That definitely ranks up there because we had not beaten them in in Stillwater in more than 20 years.

In the 2014 NCAA tourney you scored 24 PTS in 26 minutes before breaking your right foot during a win over NC-Central: do you think your team could have beaten UConn if you were healthy? I try not to live in the past but I am a competitor and I think that I could have helped our chances by giving our team a boost. You never know, so I just focus on the future.

In the 2015 Big 12 tourney you were named MVP after beating Texas/Oklahoma/Kansas on 3 straight nights: how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most? The biggest thing that people underestimate about us is that we are not a 1-man team: I have some of the best teammates in the country who can take the attention off of me and make things much easier for me.

In the 2013 NCAA tourney you had a 3-PT loss to Ohio State, and in the 2015 NCAA tourney you had a 1-PT loss to UAB: what will it take to get over the hump if you have another postseason game that goes down to the wire? It just takes a lot of focus. If you hold yourself accountable in everything you do today, then you will find a way to close out games and get the win.

Last year you were named All-American: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It was awesome but a lot of that credit goes to my teammates. If I did not have them to push me in practice every day, I would not be able to achieve such awards. Coach Hoiberg also pushed me to be the best man and player I could be.

You considered entering the NBA draft last spring: how close did you come to turning pro, and what made you decide to return? It was something that crossed my mind, but having 1 more shot at a championship with my best friends is an opportunity that I could not turn down.

You have ranked in the top-10 in the Big 12 in both PPG and APG in each of the past 2 seasons: how do you balance your scoring with your passing? I have great teammates who can make shots and make me look good. It is easy to throw it up to the rim or down on the block to a guy like Jameel McKay who can score against anyone. We have a ton of guys who can score points.

You have a new coach this year in Steve Prohm: how has the transition been, and what is he like so far? It has been an easy transition. Coach Prohm is all about his players and is passionate in supporting our well-being, so we try to give him our best. It is a real beneficial relationship and I am ready to get the year rolling with him.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Colorado/Virginia Tech/Iowa/Cincinnati: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? Iowa is always a tough rivalry game for us. Colorado will be difficult because it is our very 1st game of the season, and Cincinnati is a good defensive team. Virginia Tech has Coach Buzz Williams, who always gets the best out of his guys.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? As a team I want us to win as many championships as we can. My goal is just to be 1-0, which starts with winning today and then winning the next day.

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