Season preview: Miami SR PG Angel Rodriguez

Posted on September 13, 2015 by Jon Teitel

Many college basketball players decide to transfer because they are not having much success at their original school and want to try their luck elsewhere, but that was certainly not the case for Angel Rodriguez.  As a freshman at Kansas State he played in 32 games and led his team in both assists and steals before starting a pair of NCAA tourney games.  As a sophomore he started all 33 games and was named to the Big 12 All-Defensive team.  After transferring to Miami in 2013 and sitting out for a year, he became 1 of the best PGs in the ACC while helping the Hurricanes get back to the postseason after missing out in 2014.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Angel about growing up in Puerto Rico and recovering from a wrist injury last winter. 

angel

You grew up in Puerto Rico: how did you 1st get into basketball? I was a baseball player as a kid but it did not really work out for me. Basketball is big in Puerto Rico so I just started playing with my friends.

You began your career at Kansas State, where you started a pair of NCAA tourney games as a freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I knew my role and was not trying to be the star: I just wanted to help us win games by being a “dog” on defense. On offense I just tried to run the team.

You made the Big 12 All-Defensive team as a sophomore and were #3 in the ACC in SPG last year: what is your secret for being a good defender? Defense is not a skill: it is more of a mental thing.  You must have the desire to stop your opponent and take pride in it rather than just going with the flow. My college coaches have always taught me to take pride in playing defense. I was used to just competing on offense like most young guys do, but I have been able to build a reputation for myself on the defensive end in college.

In the 2013 NCAA tourney you had 4 AST but missed a shot at the buzzer in a 2-PT loss to La Salle: how much of a home-court advantage did you have while playing in Kansas City? It was a great home-court advantage for us, but the problem was that we disrespected our opponent and were looking forward to playing Wisconsin in the following round. It does not matter where you play in the tourney: everyone will bring their “A” game, which is why underdogs can pull off the upset.

After the tourney you decided to transfer: why did you pick Miami? Miami is my home: I have my high school friends and girlfriend here, and my family in Puerto Rico is only 2 hours away. It is nice to be in the ACC and the coaches here have been perfect for me.

You play for Coach Jim Larranaga: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? He gives a lot of freedom to his guards and is also a good person. I would be lying if I said that the most important thing I learned from him was on the court.  He teaches us little things about how to succeed in life like looking people in the eye and shaking their hand: I truly appreciate him taking the time to teach us about life.

Last January you scored a career-high 25 PTS including 3 FTs in the final second of regulation in a 9-PT 2-OT loss to undefeated Virginia: how were you able to come all the way back from a 19-PT 1st half deficit, and did you think that you were going to make all those FTs? I would call it perseverance. We were not executing certain stuff in the 1st half so we had to make some changes at halftime. We had a new team of young guys and even veterans like myself were not doing much, but we gathered ourselves and finally made a few stops. I never doubt myself: I will take the blame if I miss a shot and take the credit if I make a shot. I could not go out by being scared of losing: that is just not who I am.

You missed the 2015 NIT title game (a 2-PT OT loss to Stanford) with a wrist injury: do you think your team would have won if you were healthy, and how is your wrist feeling at the moment? Of course I think I could help the team if I was healthy, but if I had played then I would have hurt the team because I was not ready to play and could not pass or shoot with my right hand. It was a good experience for our team because it taught us how to try to find other ways to win. My wrist is 100% right now and I feel as good as I have ever felt.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Mississippi State/Nebraska/Florida: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? Last year I would have picked Florida but this year I am truly taking it day-by-day because it is my final year of college basketball. It is going to be very emotional but a very fun ride: I used to dream about playing in college and I want to make the best of it.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I have very high expectations for the team this year. I think we underachieved last year but we are more mature this year and know what it takes to compete at this level, so we will never settle for less than we can achieve. We have a couple of guys who will play bigger roles and I think we have become more of a team with a lot of experienced guys who can guide the younger guys.

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Season preview: Oklahoma State SR SG Phil Forte III

Posted on September 11, 2015 by Jon Teitel

For Jon’s other Season Previews and Interviews – CLICK HERE

There are shooters, and then there are SHOOTERS.  Phil Forte III won a National 3-Point Championship while he was still in high school.  As a freshman at Oklahoma State he led the Big 12 with 91.5 FT% from the line in conference play.  As a sophomore he was #14 in the country with 44.1 3P%.  As a junior his 15 PPG was #4 in the conference, so who know what kind of stats he will put up as a senior.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Phil about making FTs for the Cowboys and having a long-time friend in the NBA.

forte

Your father Phil Sr. played DL for the Kansas football team, and took you to the Jayhawks’ 2003 title game loss and 2008 title game win: what are your memories of Hakim Warrick’s block in the final second of 2003 and “Mario’s Miracle” at the end of regulation in 2008? Both of those are vivid memories for me. I remember crying my eyes out in 2003 after the Jayhawks lost! The comeback at the end of regulation in 2008 and Mario’s shot going in were just unbelievable.

In 2012 you won the national high school 3-PT championship, and you only need 63 more threes to break the Oklahoma State career record: what is the key to making shots from behind the arc, and do you think that you will break the school record? It is just about my coaches and teammates who do a great job of putting me in a position to make shots, which makes my job very easy. I try not to think about the record: I just want to enjoy every moment of my senior year and soak it all in.

You play for Coach Travis Ford: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? You will not find a coach who works as hard as he does. He wears his emotions on his sleeve and cares about each and every one of us, both on and off the court. We both could shoot pretty well and have a similar stature so I know that he can teach me what it takes to play at the highest level. He challenges me every year and I try to answer his challenges.

In the 2013 Big 12 tourney you made a pair of FTs with 2.9 seconds left in a 1-PT win over Baylor, and you finished 2nd in the conference in FT% during each of the past 2 years: what is your secret for making FTs? I just take a lot of reps when I am tired and try to make 5-10 in between other sets to catch my breath. When you know that you have made so many of them in practice, it is not as hard to make them during a game.

In February 2014 you scored 9 PTS in a 1-PT 3-OT loss to Iowa State: where does that rank among the most devastating losses of your career? Obviously I wish that we could have won that game but that is just how sports goes. You cannot win every game so you just try to learn from your mistakes.

You finished that season by being named Big 12 6th Man of the Year: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It is just a blessing to be here and play for coaches who truly want the best for me. None of my success would have happened without my teammates.

You were a teammate of Marcus Smart from 3rd grade through college: how weird was it to play without him last year after he decided to enter the NBA draft? It was really weird at first to take the court last fall and not see him standing next to me. All good things come to and end but we are both moving forward and starting new chapters in our lives.

In the 2013 NCAA tourney you scored 5 PTS in a loss to Oregon, and in the 2015 NCAA tourney you scored 12 PTS in a 6-PT loss to Oregon: how sick are you of seeing the Ducks in March?! It is not so much about Oregon but more about us getting knocked out: it motivates me to try to advance in the tourney.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Minnesota/Florida/Auburn: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? All 3 of those teams are very good and have great coaches/rich traditions. None of those are at home for us so they will all be great measuring sticks.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I want us to have as much fun as we can because we have worked so hard during practice. I want to make a run in the tourney and just enjoy being with my teammates. People are not expecting much out of us so we want to exceed their expectations with our close group of guys.

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Season preview: Eastern Washington assistant coach Shantay Legans

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Jon Teitel

For the rest of Jon’s interviews – CLICK HERE

Players and head coaches are very important to a team’s success, but do not sleep on those invaluable assistant coaches as well.  Eastern Washington made the NCAA tourney last year for the 1st time in more than a decade, and a big reason they have improved from 10 wins in 2013 to 26 wins last year is assistant coach Shantay Legans.  If his name rings a bell, that is because he played at Cal and Fresno State, where he was 1 of the top PGs in both the Pac-10 and WAC.  HoospHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Legans about playing pro basketball and helping to turn Tyler Harvey from a walk-on into the best scorer in the country.

legans

In the 2001 NCAA tourney as a player at Cal you scored a team-high 15 PTS in a loss to Fresno State: could you have ever imagined at the time that you would end up transferring to Fresno State for your senior year? I could not have imagined playing for the team that put us out of the tourney: it was a very hard loss at the time. However, when my “big brother” (from the Big Brother Big Sister program) got the job at Fresno State, it was a dream come true to play for him.

In 2004 you led the WAC with 5.6 APG and finished in the top-10 in the conference in PPG/3P%/FT%: what is the key to being a good PG? Having an understanding of what your coaches want from both you and the team. Once you understand that, then you have to be able get yourself and the guys to execute the plan. You need to be a coach on the floor and also put in a lot of work!

You later played pro basketball in Europe: what is the biggest difference between college basketball and pro basketball? Having a 24-second shot clock and not being able to understand all of your teammates (or even your coach) at times!

Several years ago you became an assistant at Eastern Washington: why did you take the job, and what do you hope to do in the future? I took this job because it was a dream of mine to become a coach. I love the game of basketball and it has opened so many doors for me. Being able to help kids who get to live their dreams of playing college basketball and earning a degree is very meaningful to me. One of my goals for the future is to become a head coach.

In the 2015 Big Sky tourney title game you had a 4-PT win over Montana: what did it mean to you to win the conference title, and what was the reaction like when you got back to campus? It was a great feeling: being able to sit back and look at all the hard work that we put into the season and say we are Big Sky champs is something special. Our Eastern Washington community is great and they gave the guys a championship welcome!

In the 2015 NCAA tourney you had a 10-PT loss to Georgetown: what did your team learn from that game that you think can help you this year? The coaches/players all had the experience of playing in our sport’s preeminent tournament, which is the goal of every team in D-1. The team learned that we can compete with the best, and by playing our best we can make our fans and ourselves proud. Most importantly we learned not to be nervous: if we just play our game then we will be winners.

You helped Tyler Harvey develop from a walk-on to the nation’s leading scorer to an NBA draft pick: how did you do it, and how are you going to try to replace all of his offense? It was a lot of fun: Tyler works extremely hard and makes the job fun! He is a kid who loved to work hard every day and did not mind working on the things that he needed to get better at. It will be a team effort to replace his 23 PPG but our team will be up for the challenge. We have some dynamic scorers and 1 of the best offensive minds in college basketball at the helm.

In April PG Austin McBroom announced that he was transferring from St. Louis: what is the key to integrating players from other schools into your own high-scoring offense? It has to be the right fit: he has to be our type of player and have a very high character. One of the most important things is that our current players have to like the kid who will be coming in. Austin fit right in so it was a no-brainer.

Your non-conference schedule includes road games against Mississippi State/Davidson/Pitt: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? It is hard to pick 1 since all of those teams are well-coached and very talented. I am excited that our program gets to go out and challenge some of the top teams in the country.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? Our team goal has always been the same even since Coach Hayford took the job: win the Big Sky and go to the NCAA tourney. During that process we also want to create a great environment for our guys to flourish as young men. I expect that our team will give it all they have this year and make another great run!

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Season preview: Eastern Washington SO SF Bogdan Bliznyuk

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Jon Teitel

To see all of Jon’s other interviews – CLICK HERE

Eastern Washington basketball got some nice pub last year for having the leading scorer in the nation, but now that Tyler Harvey is off to the NBA the Eagles will need someone else to pick up the scoring slack.  Australian PF Venky Jois is the leading candidate, but Ukranian SF Bogdan Bliznyuk is also going to help the cause.  He made a nice first impression as a freshman last year, scoring 8.7 PPG en route to being named Big Sky ROY.  He is also a legitimately ridiculous long-range shooter, as he nailed over 55% of his 3-PT shots.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Bogdan about winning a conference title and trying to get back to the NCAA tourney.

bogdan

You were born in Ukraine: how did you 1st get into the sport of basketball? When I first moved to the United States I lived in an apartment complex and everybody there played basketball. I just fell in love with the game and played every day.

What made you choose Eastern Washington? I chose Eastern because it was a great fit for my game and is pretty close to home. I also loved my coaches/teammates.

As a freshman last year you played 35 games and were named conference ROY: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I was able to contribute right away because I put the work in to make sure it was possible, and when my opportunity came around I tried to do the most with it.

In January you scored a career-high 25 PTS in a win over North Dakota: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? I did feel like I had the “hot hand” but the credit goes to my teammates. They made it easy for me by giving me great looks so all I had to do was make the shots. The coaching staff also had confidence in me.

You shot an amazing 55.8 3P% despite your unorthodox form: what is your secret for making shots from behind the arc? There really is no secret to making shots. If you put in the work in at the gym then it does not matter how different or unorthodox your shot is because it will go in. Again, my coaches/teammates put me in a place where I could succeed by having a great system and getting me open looks. Good shot selection is also a key: if you do not take bad shots, then you will probably make more shots.

In the 2015 Big Sky tourney title game you scored 13 PTS in a 4-PT win at Montana: what did it mean to you to win the conference title, and what was the reaction like when you got back to campus? Winning the Big Sky title over Montana was probably the best moment of my basketball career. I was thrilled that we were Big Sky champs: we worked so hard to accomplish that goal and we finally were able to make it happen. When we got back to campus everyone knew that we won so wherever we went there was someone congratulating us and talking about the game.

In the 2015 NCAA tourney you scored 11 PTS in a 10-PT loss to Georgetown: what did you learn from that game that you think can help you this year? I learned plenty of things: it was a good experience just being able to get there. I learned that the team (including myself) needs to be tougher. We need to win the boards and have a lots of determination to play defense at a high level.

Last year Tyler Harvey led the nation in PPG/3PM before deciding to enter the NBA draft: how are you going to try to replace all of his offense? Our team has guys who are ready to step into bigger roles and take on some of that burden. There will not be 1 guy who will pick up the slack: there will be a few who are ready to take that burden.

Your non-conference schedule includes road games against Mississippi State/Davidson/Pitt: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? I feel like all 3 of them will be big tests and make us a better team. I am looking forward to the game against Pitt the most because I grew up watching a lot of Big East basketball and Pitt was always pretty good.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I want our team to win our conference, win the conference tournament, and go as far as we can in the NCAA tourney. I think those things are possible and should be expected.

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Season preview: Georgia State SR SF Markus Crider

Posted on September 8, 2015 by Jon Teitel

For Jon Teitel’s other Season Previews – CLICK HERE

Georgia State got to try on Cinderella’s slipper last March after their 1-PT upset of #3-seed Baylor in the NCAA tourney, but it will not be easy to secure another invitation to the dance after losing their starting backcourt of RJ Hunter/Ryan Harrow.  1 man who showed that he is capable of shining in the spotlight is Markus Crider, who almost averaged a double-double while being named to the Sun Belt All-tourney team last year and then scored 10 PTS in each of the Panthers’ 2 NCAA tourney games.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Markus about being 1 of the best shooters in the Sun Belt and how he plans to celebrate his “Jordan” birthday next month.

crider

In 2011 you played in the Ohio-Kentucky All-Star game: which of your teammates impressed you the most (Trey Burke/Travis Trice/Aaron White/other)? I cannot say that any 1 guy particularly impressed me more than any other. I grew up playing with those guys for years so I knew what they are capable of every day. I will say that my team impressed me because we were undersized compared to the Kentucky team. We started slowly but came together and found a way to win the game and represent for Ohio.

You play for Coach Ron Hunter: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you ever learned from him? His will to win: he puts us in the best possible position to come out with a victory. The most important thing that I have learned from him has nothing to do with basketball: he taught me about Samaritan’s Feet (which helps provide shoes to children in poverty) and helping others.

In the 2014 Sun Belt tourney title game you scored 4 PTS in a 1-PT OT loss to LA-Lafayette: where does that rank among the most devastating losses of your career? I do not consider it a devastating loss per se, but it was a crucial loss to me. It not only fueled me but also caused our entire team to work harder.

In the 2015 Sun Belt tourney title game you scored 8 PTS in a 38-36 win over Georgia Southern (who shot 22.9 FG%): did your team just play amazing defense, or were the Eagles ice-cold, or both? Both teams failed to shoot the ball well. You can say that we played better defense because we ended up getting stops when we needed to, along with rebounds and extra opportunities when they were needed, which turned into a victory.

In the 2015 NCAA tourney you scored 10 PTS in an 8-PT loss to Xavier: what did you learn from that game that you think can help you this year? The loss did not teach me much but rather showed me that in this game you truly need size. I played that game injured while needing surgery, and my team played their hearts out until the final second.

You lost your top-2 scorers from last year (RJ Hunter/Ryan Harrow): how much pressure is there on you to be a leader this year? Losing our top-2 scorers does not mean too much: we know that there will just be some new leading scorers this season. There is more leadership on my shoulders but I do not feel as if there is any more pressure than last year: I lead by example at all times, both on and off the court.

You have several good transfer players on your roster (including Willie Clayton/Isaiah Williams/Kevin Ware): how have you been able to integrate guys who enter your program after beginning their college careers elsewhere? Getting guys integrated to our system is not the easiest process, but it becomes easier over time. I remember how hard it was for me to learn our system, so as a senior I can help those guys leave their past accomplishments in the past and focus on our team’s goals.

Your 60 FG% was #2 in the conference last year: what is the key to being a great shooter? Being efficient is something that I have always done since I first started playing basketball. Being a good shooter is simply a matter of taking good shots and finding ways to get easy looks: that is how to shoot a high percentage.

You turn 23 next month: what are you doing for the big day? I will not do too much for my “Jordan or LeBron” year (due to their jersey #) because I will be focusing on getting in tip-top shape to start the season. I may decide to have some fried food or red meat for my birthday since I do not usually eat those things, but after that it will be back to preparing to win another championship!

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? My individual goals are to earn All-Sun Belt 1st-Team honors and be named conference POY. For the team, my expectations are to win the conference outright to earn a 3rd-straight regular season title, go back to the NCAA tourney, and win more than 1 game.

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Season preview: Dayton JR PG Scoochie Smith

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Jon Teitel

There are a lot of great nicknames in college basketball, but “Scoochie” Smith has to be 1 of the best.  He finished his high school career with a double-double in the Jordan Brand Regional All-Star Game, and began his college career at Dayton by helping them reach 2 straight NCAA tourneys.  After leading the team in assists during the regular season last year, he played 117 of a possible 120 minutes in the NCAA tourney.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Scoochie about the Flyers’ SEC-heavy non-conference schedule and the story behind his nifty nickname.

scoochie

Your nickname is “Scoochie”: who gave it to you, and how do you like it? My grandfather gave it to me. I did not think it would still be around now that I am grown up, but I like it.

You grew up in the Bronx: what made you choose Dayton? I wanted the opportunity to come in a freshman and get a lot of playing time. The campus is great and it is very family-oriented. It is a good mix of academics and athletics.

You play for Coach Archie Miller: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? I like his drive and his will to win. We are kind of on the same page at being successful at whatever we do.

You played in all 37 games as a freshman and had the best assist-to-turnover ratio on the team: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I just prepared myself for success and worked hard at practice.

In the 2014 NCAA tourney you had 2 STL and Vee Sanford made a layup with 3.8 seconds left in a 1-PT win over your in-state rival Ohio State: did you think Aaron Craft’s 10-footer at the buzzer was going in, and what was the reaction like in the locker room afterward? I knew that Vee was going to win the game because Coach drew up the play for him: I have seen him make that shot all the time. I was not too nervous about Aaron’s shot but it was close to going in. It was a great win for the Flyer faithful and boosted our confidence for a deep tourney run that year.

Last year you led the team in AST: what is the key to being a good PG? I just try to lead the team and improve at everything I do on a daily basis: I try to be a pro every day.

In the 2015 NCAA tourney you scored 16 PTS in a 6-PT loss to Oklahoma: what did you learn from that loss that you think can help you this year? We cannot have scoring breakdowns like we did last year if we want to win games.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Alabama/Vandy/Arkansas: when did you decide to join the SEC, and which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test?! It is always fun to play against the SEC but it is also tough. It will be good preparation for conference play but you just have to be ready because you can lose on any given night.

Your leading scorer from last year (Jordan Sibert) graduated but your other 4 starters all return: how do you hope to replace Jordan’s offense, and how crucial will all of that experience be to your team’s success? We have a lot of guys who know how to win and a bunch of newcomers who are willing to learn, which makes things a lot easier. Everyone will just step up when their number is called, so I do not think that scoring will be a problem.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I have very high goals for myself and we want to win as many games as possible and try to win a conference championship. I want to help my teammates improve every day and be a good leader.

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