All-Access at the West Regional in Los Angeles: Alabama breakout room

Posted on March 30, 2024 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Los Angeles with an Alabama breakout room interview.

SR F Grant Nelson

You transferred from North Dakota State last June: did you think that playing for a chance to go to the Final 4 would even be possible? Yes. My main goal was to make it as far in the NCAA tourney as I could, so my main factor was finding a coach who could do that. Coach Oats has 1 of the best offenses in the nation and the past few years his defenses have been great as well. When I looked at the other transfers/returnees on the roster I knew that we had the potential to do this.

You had mediocre games in the 1st/2nd rounds last week: how were you able to outplay the great Armando Bacot on Thursday? The preparation started last summer and continued throughout the season, both for me and the entire team. If we had any little slip-up then we probably would have lost that game.

You were swarmed be the media in the locker room the other night after your amazing performance in the win over North Carolina (24 PTS/12 REB/5 BLK): what have the past 24 hours been like? It has been crazy. I have received a lot of love, especially from everyone in my hometown of Devils Lake, ND. They love to see someone from their start doing something big so it has been great.

You scored 14 PTS in an 8-PT loss to Clemson last November: what do you expect in the rematch? They are a good team with a lot of experience who slowed the pace down vs. Arizona. All of their guards are good shot-makers and PJ Hall has torn up the ACC all year…but if we give the same kind of effort that we did on Thursday then I think we will win.

Your brother Leif is a javelin thrower at USC, your brother Joel won the North Dakota Division A basketball title a couple of weeks ago, and your sister Erin was named homecoming queen in addition to being the 1st woman to score a point for the boys’ football team at her high school (as a kicker): who is the best athlete in the family? It was very competitive growing up with 9 siblings. It is me or Leif: Joel is getting there…but I am unsure if he can jump like me/Leif. It was great to see him win a state title…but if I make the Final 4 then I guess I would 1-up him!

Check back for a lot more access all weekend long!

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All-Access at the West Regional in Los Angeles: Clemson breakout room

Posted on March 30, 2024 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Los Angeles with a Clemson breakout room interview.

SR F PJ Hall

Your father Jerome used to be a college basketball official: does that have any impact on your own interaction with referees? I know a few of the refs who also know my dad. I am an animated guy on the floor, but I have tried to hold it back at times, and my dad will remind me to control my emotions.

You have had to deal with multiple surgeries during your college career and last spring you declared for the NBA draft and earned an invitation to the draft combine before ultimately choosing to return to school: how gratifying has this month been after everything that you have been through? This is foreign territory…but it is our time. We are 1 step away and to know that we can bring Clemson to its 1st-ever Final 4 is special/prophetic. Playing for Coach Brownell is great so I never even thought about transferring somewhere else. This is what I returned to school for…and when we got Joe Girard from Syracuse I knew that he would be an integral piece.

You scored a team-high 21 PTS in an 8-PT win over Alabama last November: what do you expect in the rematch on Saturday? It is tough to beat a team twice in 1 season, but we also have confidence from our previous win. However, every team goes through changes during the year so neither of us are the same team that we were in November.

Your father played basketball at Wofford, your mother Melanie played basketball/volleyball at Charleston, your sister Thayer played volleyball at Florida, and your brother Chris played college basketball: who is the best athlete in the family? Not me! It is hard to pick between Thayer/Chris. She was 1 of those “generational talents” but after Chris got to college he put on 60 pounds while still retaining his 40” vertical leap. I might have to go with Chris because he is a freak show.

You turned 21 last month: what did you do for the big day? Nothing! I just sat at home after beating Georgia Tech earlier in the day and watched “The Office”.

Check back for a lot more access all weekend long!

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All-Access at the West Regional in Los Angeles: Alabama-North Carolina

Posted on March 30, 2024 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Los Angeles with a recap of Alabama-North Carolina.

There were plenty of basketball alumni in the crowd from both schools who know a LOT about winning titles including 7-time NBA champ Robert Horry…

3-time NCAA champ Roy Williams…

3-time NBA champ Danny Green…

3-time NBA champ James Worthy (which is surreal because his retired Lakers jersey is hanging up in the rafters of this arena!)…

And 10-time NBA champ (3 as a player/7 as an executive) Mitch Kupchak

I expected plenty of offense in a game featuring 2 of the top offenses in the nation…and they did not disappoint. I knew that the senior stars in the Bama backcourt would show up and they did: Aaron Estrada made jump shots from all over the court, while Mark Sears knocked down a pair of threes and a couple of layups. The surprise was their sophomore teammate Rylan Griffen, who must have been “ryled” up before the game because he came out and drilled 4 shots from behind the arc during the 1st half. However, UNC SR G Cormac Ryan matched him with 4 of his own, while his teammates Harrison Ingram/Elliot Cadeau each made 2, and SR F Armando Bacot was dominating the paint with layup after dunk as the Tar Heels cruised to a 54-46 halftime lead.

Bacot kept playing like an All-American in the 2nd stanza, finishing with a double-double, and his fellow SR RJ Davis FINALLY started to contribute with a couple of layups and a pull-up jumper. While Estrada answered Davis shot for shot, it was HIS fellow SR Grant Nelson who ended up the hero. The 6’11” transfer from North Dakota State had the best 20 minutes of his life (making a couple of reverse layups, a 3, and an old-fashioned 3-PT play) to end up with 24 PTS/12 REB/5 BLK and a spot in the Elite 8 after a hard-fought 89-87 victory.

Instead of attending the postgame press conference I headed to the Alabama locker room for a pair of interviews, but on the way I bumped into Alabama athletic director/NCAA selection committee member Greg Byrne (who was in a VERY good mood):

FR F Jarin Stevenson

You grew up in Chapel Hill: how did it feel to face North Carolina? It was great to play against a team whose campus was just 10 minutes away from the house I grew up in.

How did you pull off the upset? We just made the correct adjustments, followed the game plan, and watched some film.

Your teammate Grant Nelson was the hero: how was he able to play so well after 2 underwhelming performances in the 1st/2nd round last week? Grant realized that he was not at his best and knew that he could make a bigger impact tonight. We have seen him play well in practice so I was not surprised at all.

What do you know about Clemson? We lost to them back in November. They are a very physical team that can pound it inside with PJ Hall.

Your father Jarod played pro basketball in the US/overseas for 2 decades, your uncle Greg played pro basketball, and your mother Nicole was a 3-time ACC champ at UNC: who is the best athlete in the family? Me! I watched my dad when he played in the Korean Basketball League: he was a great shooter/slasher…but is older now.

SR G Mark Sears

Your teammate Grant Nelson was the hero: how was he able to play so well after 2 underwhelming performances in the 1st/2nd round last week? Grant just took over the ballgame. Coach Oats told me to try to shoot more…but I told him no because nobody could stop Grant!

You scored a game-high 23 PTS when you faced Clemson last November: how were you able to be so effective? Just being aggressive, which is what I have done all year.

When you transferred from Ohio did you think that this result was possible? Yes: it just shows that all the work and countless hours I spent on my game have paid off, and is why I believe in myself.

In the 2023 Sweet 16 you had 16 PTS/10 REB in a 7-PT loss to San Diego State: what is the biggest difference from last year to this year? We lost that game as a #1 seed, but we switched roles this year and just upset the #1 seed due to our underdog mentality.

How will you prepare for the rematch with the Tigers? We will see what lessons can be learned, see how we lost the 1st game, and improve for Saturday.

That is a wrap for the Sweet 16, check back this weekend for some Elite 8 coverage.

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All-Access at the West Regional in Los Angeles: Clemson-Arizona

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Los Angeles with a recap of Clemson-Arizona.

Not too many people expected the Tigers to be here, especially after getting destroyed by BC in the 2nd round of the ACC tourney in DC, while the Wildcats have a ton of fan support in LA and dreams of a trip to Glendale dancing in their heads. Let’s tip it off from way up high:

Clemson came out strong with contributions from everybody: SR G Chase Hunter made a bunch of layups, JR F Ian Schieffelin knocked down a pair of jump shots and a 3, SO F Chauncey Wiggins made a couple of shots from behind the arc, and SR F PJ Hall scored from all over the court. Arizona SR C Oumar Ballo was unstoppable inside including a 1-handed alleyoop dunk that had the crowd going wild, but Clemson was still able to head to halftime with a 39-31 lead.

The last and only time that Clemson had made the Elite 8 was 1980, when Larry Nance was a JR and Brad Brownell was…11 years old! Ballo kept doing damage inside (finishing with a double-double), but his atrocious 1-7 FT shooting was a glaring weakness. He finally got some help from his backcourt in the form of SR G Caleb Love (0-9 3PM but made most of his attempts in the paint) and SO G Jaden Bradley (who made a pair of threes in the hopes of facing his former teammates from Alabama on Saturday), but it was too little too late. Hall made a bunch of layups/dunks to build the lead and then let the Hunter brothers seal the deal in the final 30 seconds. Older brother Chase converted an and-1 to extend the lead to 75-70, younger brother Dillon made a layup to make it 77-72, and that ended up being the final score.

Instead of attending the postgame press conference I headed to the Clemson locker room for a pair of interviews:

SO F RJ Godfrey

What does it mean to make the Elite 8 for the 1st time in school history since 1980? It is insane, and the most memorable game of my career: God has blessed me.

Is it extra-special to win it with teammates Chase/Dillon Hunter? It is: our fathers were childhood friends and we see each other as cousins.

Speaking of family, did any of yours make it to the game? I had some family come up from San Diego, and my dad/mom/sister flew in to see me. Our fans also traveled well.

How will you prepare for your opponent on Saturday? We will have a meeting tonight but are familiar with both teams from facing them earlier this season.

SO G Dillon Hunter

What does it mean to make the Elite 8 for the 1st time in school history since 1980? It is a huge deal and I know how special this moment is. Coach Brownell has told us all year that we can be a Final 4 team.

Where do those final 30 seconds rank among the Hunter family highlights?! It is up there in the top-3, but we will probably not realize how big it is until we talk about it later tonight.

Is it extra-special to win it with teammate RJ Godfrey? It is: our fathers were teammates/roommates at Georgia and both of our families are from Valdosta. We have been playing AAU basketball together since the 2nd grade.

How will you prepare for your opponent on Saturday? We will watch the game tonight and our coaches will have us prepared on Saturday.

That is a wrap for Game #1, check back later for a recap of Alabama-North Carolina.

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews Auburn Tiger Paw Hayden Clift

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Jon Teitel

It has been a wild month for Auburn: 3 straight wins to finish the regular season, 3 straight wins to clinch an SEC tourney title, and then a 2-PT loss to Yale in the NCAA tourney last Friday. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Auburn Tiger Paw Hayden Clift about her team’s remarkable run.

Photo credit: Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers

You are from Madison, AL: what made you choose Auburn? When it came time for me to pick where I wanted to go to college, it was an easy choice: so easy that it was the only school I even applied to. I have wanted to come to Auburn forever. My mom was an Auburn grad and Auburn was all I knew growing up: I started going to Auburn football games before I could even comprehend it! I love Auburn for so many reasons: its sense of community, beautiful campus, traditions, and so much more. Choosing Auburn is one of the best decisions I have ever made and I have not looked back since!

You are majoring in Law & Justice with a minor in Spanish: why did you choose those subjects? I have always loved to read, write, and argue, so when picking a major I knew that Law and Justice would be perfect for me. Once I started taking law classes at Auburn, I fell in love with the law and knew I wanted to pursue a career in the legal field. I have a desire to advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves and make a positive impact on people’s lives. When it comes to my minor in Spanish, this was something that sort of fell into my lap freshman year. My major required 2 foreign language classes, so I took Elementary Spanish 1 and 2 during freshman year. After doing well in both of them, realizing that I enjoyed the challenge of learning a new language, and considering the benefits of bilingualism in my future career, I decided to minor in it. 7 Spanish classes later, I can confidently say that I am happy that I pursued it as a minor and hope to use it in my future career.

You have a 4.0 GPA: how do you balance your work on the dance team with your work in the classroom? Growing up, my parents always emphasized the importance of academics and pushed me to be the best student I could be. I am so thankful for this because I have carried this mindset through my time at Auburn and have successfully maintained good grades while being involved in extracurriculars, honor societies, and athletics. Balancing my academics and Tiger Paws has not been easy and has come with a lot of learning moments. In doing so, I have learned the importance of time management, organization, and sacrifice.

You are a junior: what is the post-graduation plan? After graduating in May of 2025, I hope to start law school the following Fall. I am unsure of where I want to go and what area of law I want to practice, but I know for sure that getting a law degree is the path I want to take. With the application process starting in a couple of months, I know that my senior year will be busy with preparing for my career and finalizing my post-graduation plans.

You have been a Tiger Paw for 3 years: how long have you been dancing for, and what is the best part of being on the dance team? This May will wrap up my 19th year of dance, so yes: literally my entire life! I have had the most wonderful experiences through Tiger Paws and this program has introduced me to my best friends! There are so many things that I love about Tiger Paws, but if I had to pick 1 I think the best part is the relationships/connections I have built through our program. I get to spend my days with 19 of my best friends. I am so grateful that this program has introduced me to people I would have never met otherwise and has gifted me with the most genuine friendships. Additionally, I have made memorable connections with the Auburn family. Whether that be at an appearance, game, or event, this program has allowed me to make an impact on the Auburn community and meet so many new people.

1 of your hobbies is reading: do you have any book recommendations? My recent obsession has been books by John Grisham. It is a nice change of pace from the court cases I have to read in my classes! Even though law may not be for everyone, I would recommend them to anyone.

What was your favorite memory from this season: beating Alabama at home in February, beating Georgia on Senior Night, winning the SEC tourney, other? I have experienced some great memories this season but if I had to pick 1, winning the SEC tournament in Nashville would be my favorite. The excitement in the arena the day of the championship game was unmatched and a feeling I will never forget. I loved seeing the Auburn fans come to Nashville to support, and it felt like we were in Neville Arena! It was such an honor getting to see our team be rewarded for their hard working season.

How does your school decide who got to go to the NCAA tourney, and what did it mean to you to see your team do its thing in front of a national TV audience? Similar to our cheer team, our coach (Darby Scarborough) chooses and plans who goes on each trip. She takes into consideration seniority, as well as our individual participation in appearances on and off campus throughout our season. Getting to travel is so much fun and I am grateful to my coach Darby and our spirit coordinator (Latisha Durroh) for providing us these opportunities. It was such a cool experience dancing at a game in front of a national TV audience! We absolutely love representing Auburn through our passion for dance, so any chance we get to show others that is awesome.

This is your school’s 3rd NCAA tourney in a row: did you get to dance in Greenville in 2022/Birmingham in 2023? This was the first year I got to travel to a NCAA tournament and it was blast! Because our travel is based on seniority, our seniors got to travel to Birmingham/Greenville, but I had the opportunity to dance in Nashville at the Women’s SEC tournament in 2022 and Men’s SEC tournament in 2023/2024.

How did you feel about Auburn’s performance last weekend? I am so proud of both our Men’s and Women’s basketball teams for their successful seasons. Although the tournament did not play out how either team wanted, I have witnessed the hard work and sacrifice these athletes have poured into their seasons. It was such an honor to get to travel and cheer them on this season and I will forever cherish these memories: War Eagle!

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All-Access at the West Regional in Los Angeles: HoopsHD interviews Alabama mellophone player Kaden Orendorff

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Los Angeles with an interview of Alabama mellophone player Kaden Orendorff.

You are from Rockton, IL: what made you choose Alabama? I wanted to switch things up and have a different kind of lifestyle because the North and the South are very different. The campus was great and I wanted to be in the Million Dollar Band and play at basketball/football games and do all the postseason stuff. It offers experiences that no other band does.

You are majoring in biology: why did you choose that subject? I want to go to physician assistant school. I am also passionate about the sciences and helping people and being part of a team.

You are a senior: what is the post-graduation plan? I will take a gap year or 2 to do some traveling, spend some time with my family, and get myself ready for grad school.

You have been named to the Dean’s List multiple times: how do you balance your work in the band with your work in the classroom? I do not consider my band time work but rather my relaxation: these are my family/friends at the university.

You play the mellophone: what on earth is a mellophone, and what is your favorite song to play on it? It is the marching version of the French horn, like a trumpet. My favorite song to play is “Right Above It” by Lil Wayne.

How long have you been playing the mellophone for, and what is the best part of being in the band? About 8-9 years. My favorite part is the travel: I have gone coast to coast from NYC to LA and so many cities in between that I would otherwise not have had a chance to visit.

You are a big skier: what is your favorite ski destination? Breckenridge, CO.

How does your school decide who got to go to the NCAA tourney, and what will it mean to you to see your group doing its thing in front of a national TV audience? It is based mostly on participation during the regular season: sometimes it involves seniority, and also availability. It is a wonderful opportunity to represent our school/state and showcase our talents.

This is your school’s 4th NCAA tourney in a row: did you get play in Birmingham/Louisville in 2023, San Diego in 2022, or Indianapolis in 2021? I went to Birmingham/Louisville, and was also in Nashville for our SEC tourney win last March.

Any predictions for your game vs. North Carolina tonight? I think it will be a good game and I am excited to watch it. I think it could end up as 1 of the best Sweet 16 games: I am hesitant to make a prediction…but obviously Alabama!

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