Coach Mark Gottfried Press Conference Transcript
11/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 17, 2008
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama men's basketball coach Mark Gottfried met with the media Monday afternoon in the Coleman Coliseum Media Room. The Crimson Tide is continuing preparation for its game against Florida A&M on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 8:00 p.m.
Opening Statement:
"Obviously, last night wasn't what we had planned. We watched the tape today with our staff. I said this last night and I will say it again. The responsibility is with me, 100 percent. We have to correct some things, obviously. Last night put us in a situation where we have to learn how this team needs to play. In the exhibition games we weren't challenged and last night the tempo was a little bit more to their [Mercer's] liking. We couldn't force the tempo as much as we like. We had to learn how to play effectively, which obviously we didn't get that done. So that's the good news, we learned a lot from the game last night and that's the way we are going to approach it. It's a great teaching opportunity for us. We've got to get this team to play the way it needs to play. That means who is taking the right shots, when and where. What are our options? Who are our first options? Those are things a team needs to do to develop itself. Obviously, we've got some glaring weaknesses on the backcourt with rebounding the ball and playing with a smaller lineup. We still have to overcome that to become a better rebounding team. So, more than anything those are the two things that jumped out. We've got to learn how to play when the game slows down, and we've got to rebound the basketball a lot better. So, that's where we begin today as far getting back to work."
On the play of Alonzo Gee:
"Well, he got in a little foul trouble, which affected him. He only played six or eight minutes in the first half because he had two fouls, then he picked up his third and just had one of those nights where he never got into a rhythm at all, mostly because of fouls. I think even when he went back in he seemed to be worried about picking up his fourth foul. I think last night was just a game where the foul situation probably affected him a little bit, but I think he'll be OK. "
On last night's poor rebounding performance:
"It was a little bit of everything. Again, when you play a smaller lineup for the majority of the game, which we have tried to do and still feel like we can be good that way, you've got to gain something with a smaller lineup because you may give up something as far as rebounding goes. Last night we didn't win on the rebounding end, plus we weren't creating turnovers or getting fast break baskets - all the things you want to get with a smaller team. That, particularly last night, wasn't a good thing."
On teaching and improving in a short amount of time:
"Well, it is a short amount of time but we got their attention today and everybody's attention, there is no question about that. These guys want to win. They are competitors and want to win; they understand. They played the game and understand what happened last night from a rebounding perspective or offensively the shots that we weren't making, they want to improve. They are going to be into it."
"I went home last night and in my total of two hours of sleep, you still have to realize it is one game. Certainly it's not the way we wanted to start. But it is one game. We are going to play 30 games this year and we have a lot of room for improvement. Every team needs to learn how it needs to play to be effective. Last night was a great opportunity for us in an early season, playing against a veteran team with veteran players, to learn how we need to play to be effective. Unfortunately, there is an opportunity to learn that in the midst of a loss, which nobody wants to lose, obviously. But, it is one game. We'll be fine. I believe in this team and there is no question in my mind. I'm not going to jump off the River Road Bridge tonight, and we're going to make it. It's a great teaching opportunity and great learning time for our team. "
On the give and take of having Mikhail Torrance on the fast break but missing in rebounding opportunities:
"Well, that's the dilemma right now. He's got to rebound the ball, it's just that simple. Not only him, but Hillman - if we're going to play with a smaller team - and even Ronald Steele and Alonzo Gee need to be better rebounders. If we're going to play with one traditional post player at times, then collectively everybody has to pay more attention to that aspect of the game. It's not just Mikhail, it's everybody."
On the play of JaMychal Green:
"For his first actual, legitimate game, I thought he was sensational. Outside of his free throw numbers, if he had made some foul shots he would probably have had 24 points and 12 rebounds last night in his first night out. In his foul shooting, he has not shot poorly at all - in practices or games - so that was a little bit of an aberration maybe. I thought he did a great job. Really, to his defense, this team needs to develop some other interior scoring outside of him. Here we are in our first game, a close game; we're going to him right now. When we need a basket around the rim, we're zeroing in on getting the ball to JaMychal Green. In the first game out of the blocks, that's a lot to ask of a young guy. Another area of improvement for us is to develop somebody else inside who can score. I don't think it's fair for us to rely on him just yet like we had to last night. That's a lot for young guy and he did a great job."
On the two leading scorers from last night not being contributors to last year's team:
"Here is what you have to remember about this team right now. I thought Ronald Steele, as the game went on, showed his competitive greatness. That's what makes him great, he is such a competitor. He feels the responsibility to put the team on this back, which he doesn't need to feel that, but that's his makeup. That's what he wants; he wants to deliver in such a great way. I thought Ron was fabulous. When you look down through the numbers, just our shooting percentage of Alonzo Gee, Senario Hillman, Mikhail Torrance and Brandon Hollinger those guys ended up going 5-31, those are our perimeter guys. Here is what you have to remember. Senario is only a sophomore and he's still learning how to be an effective player in the game. So is Mikhail Torrance. I thought Brandon Hollinger had pretty good shots. Again, he was our leading three-point shooter a year ago, he shot 43 percent."
