Ross Hodge Wheeling postgame

All right, Coach. This one and maybe the other two as well. What have you learned? You know, I learned that we have a group that supports each other. And like I said, coming into even the Maryland game, that's what I was most interested in seeing. You know, how will we – how will our huddles be? How will our timeouts be? How will we support each other when things are going good, things are going poorly? um when i'm on them you know you don't really you think you have a sense of those things but you don't really know till you're put out under the lights and so um we've had a group that they've they've really supported each other um they communicate well for each other they they play for each other and um still got a lot of learning and a lot i think our ceiling to improve is high but they're willing listeners and up until this point they've really tried to do what we ask them to do, whether it was in practice or games. The rest of the league was kind of hanging around 20 for a lot of seconds. I think you guys went on a huge run. What changed in that period? Our defensive activity on the ball. I thought we really started guarding the ball better, put them in tough positions. Again, they challenged us in some unique ways early to start the game you know we're uh we haven't played against like a true five out team obviously Maryland had pain down there and even Glenville the other night was more kind of four around one and you can get it's it is a luxury to have like Moe and Sini behind you all the time and so they kind of put us in space and put those guys in space and we didn't guard the ball well enough to start the game our hand activity and physicality on the ball so we were like chasing the ball early on the game even when they missed some shots we were like behind the ball because we weren't guarding the ball um and then i thought as the game went on we did a better job of keeping the ball in front of us making them make tough plays and decisions and we were able to turn them over and kind of get out and transition and open the game up a little bit good to have some teaching moments i'm thinking of Alou and with the technical saying i mean while you don't want it in the moment good to have teaching moments like that yeah yeah i mean um Alou has if you've if you've been around our team at all like his personality and his energy is crazy infectious man and he's uh such a good teammate and he cares so much about his team and everything that's going on and yeah he just didn't know any better and now he does. How has Alou grown over the past couple of exhibition games? Again like tonight was his first experience of kind of guarding a true pick and pop five and as the game went on he got more comfortable in that role. Again he's such an anchor in the paint and you want him around the rim He's such a deterrent. But there were a few times he was around the rim and his man was not around the rim. And I thought as the game went on, he got better and got more comfortable of guarding out on the perimeter. And, you know, he's just – he's so physical for a young player. And that's why, you know, rebounding typically translates. And if you look at what he did, like, in FIBA and then, you know, when he was at Bella Vista last year and then even in the first few games here, again, Maryland in particular, to jump in that game and get 11 rebounds, his physical presence and size is something that you feel. And the rest, he'll just continue to get better and better the more he plays. I know it's just an exhibition, but 48 points off the bench, what do you see from those guys? Who can provide a spark off the bench? Every one of them. You know, and again, we've talked about it and starting to me is just probably like one of the least important things to me personally. But I know it's like super important to people. But I mean, we easily could have nine starters, 10 starters, you know, they in their own way, you know. And so it will be like like I've mentioned before, you're looking at more like combinations of people that are playing. and when do they play because you know they're not all going to be able to play at the same time. But, I mean, Martin has been tremendous. Joson was great to start the game. You know, Javen, I mean, yeah, you have a lot of capable players and a lot of different ways you can play depending on who you're playing against. And it'll be somebody different each night with this group. Ross, how do you evaluate Moe through the preseason? I'm just thinking because he didn't play as many minutes as, you know, some of the other starters. Yeah, continuing to get better. Again, young player, man. He's played 12 college basketball games. I thought he had two really good practices this week. We challenged him on Monday and Tuesday, and I thought his response, you know, showed up in the game tonight. And he's another one. I mean, he's just – he really is scratching the surface of what he can be. and you see little glimpses, you see glimpses of it, and you see his talent and the physical gifts he's had. But he's another one, man. He's got a great heart. He's allowed me to coach him very directly and honestly, and he'll just continue to get better and better. When you have players like that that have a lot of different places where you think they can improve, do you focus on one or two and try to bring those along, or is it more an across-the-board thing? How do you do that as the season goes on? I mean, really, like, him and everyone at this point can get better at everything. And so that's what you're really trying to do. There may be something specific. If there's, like, something very specific that the individual is struggling with, obviously that will get more attention. But so much of what you're trying to do, because really outside of Brennan and Amir who's not playing, again, all these guys are still learning. I'm learning. So there's a lot of learning going on. And there is like a holistic approach to there's a lot of, hey, hey, you know, and I and that's where you kind of have to encourage the player to not lose. they've got to compete and kind of don't worry about the like let me coach you and try to let me coach and you play don't try to get bogged down by being coached because there is a lot of correction there is a lot of communication and but you can't lose sight of just going out there and competing at a really high level let me correct you you play if you do something wrong I'll tell you, if you do something right, I'll tell you. And just play, compete, and we'll correct you through. There'll be some good film out of this one. And it's just like, it's very process-oriented. You play, you watch film, you learn, you try not to make the same mistakes. You try to make new mistakes. Don't keep making the same mistakes because inevitably something new will happen. And so there's just a ton of teaching and a ton of learning. Coach, in terms of everyone still kind of learning here, I think the way Finley put it was that there's really not a whole lot figured out at this point was kind of how he put it. Is that concerning at all at any level, knowing that, you know, hey, the regular season starts in five days, these games are going to start counting? Or does that make it fun? I'm not – I'd probably have to hear the question and hear his exact answer to give you, like, my thoughts on his answer. You know what I mean? Like, I think he's only probably parroting, you know, what I would say. You know what I mean? Like, yeah, there's a lot of – there's a lot you don't know. And, unfortunately, you will not know until you get out there and you play in real games and get in a real situation. That's not unique to us. That's not an us problem. That would be just about an every single person problem in college athletics. Do I feel like we're good enough right where we are to win the games that we need to win and play? Of course. But this will be a long journey to playing the best basketball. Yeah, you want it to be like this. You don't want highs and lows. and it's a challenge for players in the climate that we're in because there is such emotional swings from one game to the next and everybody kind of wants to be the person to make very robust statements and opinions on something as if it's finite and if it's final And it's like, there's just a lot. It's a journey. It's a long journey. Sorry about that. Everybody's got different backgrounds, I know. But I was just thinking about Joe Sutton He played for Hurley. He's an all-time college player. And Patino, who's an all-time college coach. Do you notice things like that when you're trying to get to know somebody? Like you said, let me coach you. Is it a different, easier, harder part with some players? Not with him specifically. Is that a variable? And does his background distinguish him at all? Um, you, you certainly get, um, so like Joe's on average double figures in the Big 12 as a freshman. And then, so there, you know, there's a talent component there. Um, last year he was a part of championship team. And again, the things that I'm evaluating, cause you know, the talent is there. So I'm watching in games where maybe he didn't get the amount of shots he would have liked or maybe he didn't even play as much as he would have liked in that moment what was his body language on the bench how was he when a teammate made a big play or they were about to win and again that's what drew me to him even more like yes there was a talent and as a competitor they all want to be out there as much as they can be but even in the midst of like maybe personal disappointment do they still have the ability to get outside of themselves and pull for the rest of the group and he was able to do that and so his experiences at both places benefit him in different ways and shapes him you know in a manner that you're getting a better version I feel like you're I feel like we're getting a better version than the original version and then when he was at St. John's and now you're getting the best of both worlds you're getting a guy that played a ton of minutes albeit not on a great team record wise but was a double digit scorer and then played on a team that won the Big East and won the Big East tournament championship and then what showed that he could play a role and still be connected to everybody so connection with him at Arizona State obviously you said you guys reach back to all the people at St John's and try to figure out a little bit more about him and some of the stuff you're specifically talking about oh yeah yeah and you watch it and you again you you know you're you're you're trying to you're trying to you got to ask the difficult questions you know you're trying to get as much intel again as much as the people the the talent in some ways is obvious you know i mean like anybody can kind of like oh man he's six six he can run he can jump he can shoot like but you are you're always trying to get as much intel on the person as you can you know and there was even someone that wasn't connected directly to that program but lived in that area and they said every time they were in the gym he was in the gym you know and that was like kind of a unfiltered it was just like something that came up in conversation at the time you weren't even it wasn't like we were asking that conversation or trying to dig on that one it just like organically came up like man he lives in the gym then you see he can be a good teammate then you know the talent and you're like man this is this could be good ross your evaluation on your interior defense especially the shot blocking where did you see him through that in three games and what is this potential with that with that aspect yeah like i said it can really it can allow you to be more aggressive on the perimeter um i guess officially i had mo for one block he probably altered four or five other ones that's the other deterrent and then just they're they're it's not only the shot blocking and the size it's their ability to move and cover ground and so the more shot blocking you have the more aggressive you can be on the perimeter and maybe you can be you don't want to gamble and do dumb things but you can maybe extend your defense a little bit on the perimeter knowing that if you were to get back cut or if you were to get beat off the bounce you have someone that can protect the rim like i said now the difference was in the first half there were times where again they went with like Pitt Snoggle pick and pop five and our forwards still they just it's natural they gravitate towards the rim and all of a sudden they're guys out on the perimeter shooting a wide open three which was new and i felt like hurt us in the first half but as the game went on i felt like we adjusted to it and they learned on the fly and executed better what indicators will you look for from now until Monday evening to, I guess, give you a better feel and idea that maybe you guys are ready for the regular season? Oh, I think we're ready for the regular season. I think we're ready to play. I mean, we're not anywhere close to a finished product, but I think we have what we need to play the game on Monday. You know, I don't know if that answers the question or if, I mean, like I said, maybe touch on some things that you just haven't seen yet. We haven't seen a lot of zones. Maybe you need to make sure you understand your zone concepts. But as far as like a base foundation of what we're trying to do from a terminology standpoint and understanding a belief, I feel like that's pretty good. And then as you get in these games, naturally situations arise. You can plan for them. You can script them all in your head. But there's nothing like getting out there and playing against another team that maybe is doing something that you haven't seen in a game. Because obviously it's very different playing against a team that does something every day than your scout team that's doing it, that they put it in five minutes before your practice. And I'm getting pissed at them because they can't remember 75 new plays that they have to learn every time we play someone else. coach what uh through the three exhibition games uh your evaluations on miles things you saw that you liked maybe just disliked or you know how he handled the situations yeah coachability's been awesome um you know uh that's the big one for me you know that's ultimately that's what i'm measuring more than anything i mean he's an awesome teammate he's again i've kind of said these things he's incredibly humble um he supports his teammates he lets myself he lets our staff coach him correct him be direct with him um feel like he's made better rim decisions as he's so fast and he can get wherever he wants to get so it's just a continual progression of learning how to harness that and use it to his to his change in pace change in speeds and and i feel like he's gotten better he's gotten better defensively you know we challenged him to to rebound he only had two tonight but had six the other night six assists two turnovers so um yeah he just again these guys are they're only going to get better with the more opportunities they get to play in in real games and um tonight was the first time we played at home you know and then first monday will be the first time playing a real game at home and so the the the first times kind of keep going and he's he's met those uh with a level of confidence and humility that he's not like he's afraid you know but he also has a level of humility and humbleness to to i'm gonna learn and um makes his teammates better and yeah it was that moment in the first half about midway through the first half i don't know he's about maybe 40 45 feet out and he just kind of went he changed gears and straight line drive uh was that maybe his best example so far of how he can kind of just change speed i guess yeah just and um and again his uh the pressure he can put on a defense you know they tried to pick him up a little bit full court and you know we were about to run a a set play and he just yeah just the speed you know and but it wasn't it wasn't like he just caught the ball and went you know like you said he was able to change pace and really keep the defense off balance um and then it just becomes as he is as the competition increases and the length increases when he gets to the rim if you can't finish can you can you stop and not take you know shot turnover twos basically and just have really good decisions Coach your thoughts of of Wheeling they give you what you need to help you get better yeah absolutely i said they challenged us in some unique ways in the in the first half you know and coach richardson does a great job um they'll continue to get better but i did a great job last year with that team he was coach of the year and um again the five out nature they did a good job of moving the basketball put us in some difficult defensive positions where we were chasing the ball and you know you could feel a little bit of you know they were breaking us down and sometimes you get broken down and maybe they miss but they made you know to their credit when Cini and those guys kind of lost some of those perimeter oriented forwards to start the game they made them you know so yeah wishing those guys nothing but the best of luck coach you had multiple opportunities to be on the fast break tonight what did you like from the sequences and what would you like to see be improved um i thought our guys did a good job of just making simple plays in the open floor which is which is all you can really ask for um even in the first half i thought we had really good looks um that some that just didn't go down i think at times that can be the hardest part of coaching is um looking at it simply is this a good shot or not and not having an emotional attachment to the result which is easier said than done because we've all done we've all know what a horrible shot looks like and then it goes in and you're like good shot you know um but i thought we had some good shots in the first half that just didn't go down i thought we made simple plays um in the open floor nobody tried to do too much uh pass it it sounds so simplistic in nature but a lot of times you are just like trying to pass it to who's open it's not complicated um and and it's but you still got to be very aggressive you can't go sideways you got to go downhill sure in the first half where um ball wasn't going in but you're drawing fouls to get to the line um seems like that could be a little bit different than tough stretches last year where if things weren't going in it was going to be tough to score it seems like this year getting to the line there's going to be some different options when the game gets a little tough it seems like from year to year yeah and naturally you have historically if you look at some of these guys foul rates they draw fouls um and and miles has the ability to draw fouls finley can draw fouls um the rolling physical nature of the forwards um you know below has had a foul rate a high foul rate before in his career wasn't as high as it was the year before last but he's on an ability to get fouled, so Javen gets fouled. Like a lot of those guys, they just naturally know how to get fouled, and to your point, when runs are happening against you, it is a good way to kind of calm everybody down, get to the foul line, step up, and make them. Anything else? Thank you. Thank y'all. Thanks, Coach.