Men's Basketball SEC Press Conference Transcript
3/10/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 10, 2010
Alabama Head Coach Anthony Grant
Opening comments:
"On behalf of our team, we're very excited to be here. Obviously looking forward to opening the tournament tomorrow with the first game at noon against South Carolina. Our team is coming off two great wins for us, one with our opening opponent in the tournament, South Carolina at their place. It was a very good win for us.
"And then we came back with a good win at home on our senior night against our rival Auburn. So I think right now as a basketball team we're pretty much hitting on all cylinders.
"I think we've got a lot of guys that are doing a lot of good things for our team right now on both ends of the floor. A lot of things that go into building a season and trying to prepare to win, and I think our guys are starting to understand what allows us to win on a consistent basis. So we're in a good place. I'm looking forward to the game tomorrow."
On any difference in the talent level in the league now as opposed to when he was an assistant at Florida:
"Well, it's a different league really. When I look back on my last year, obviously my last year at Florida we won the National Championship. You had LSU that was in the Final Four as well. There were several teams I thought that had the capability of advancing deep in the Tournament. I think with this year, the way it's played out, I think you're looking at the East being the stronger of the two sides right now. I think you've got a lot of teams right now that are really trying to play themselves in position for postseason. It's a different look. I do think the league right now is probably has a lot more parity than it had maybe four years ago, just with the way the season's played out. I think, at least for us, we've had opportunities in games where we've been right there, and different things have stepped up where we haven't been able to close out games. We've had opportunities. I think that's probably the same thing across the league all year long. So probably a lot more parity this year than maybe years past."
On if the win over South Carolina was a 'defining moment' for the team:
"I don't know if I'd say it was a defining moment. It was a very good win for our basketball team. I thought it showed great character for our guys. With everything, the distractions, the adversity that we had going into that game, with the emotion of it being senior night on the road, for our guys to stay together and fight, I thought it showed great character. You know, it was a great win. It's one win. Obviously, that game last week will have nothing to do with the 40 minutes that we've got to play tomorrow. Both teams will make adjustments and be very well prepared. They're coming off a great win at Vanderbilt as well. So we'll look at that and try to learn what we could from it and then be prepared for tomorrow."
On the status of JaMychal Green:
"His status is the same as all our other guys. Everybody on our team has a level of responsibility and expectations that they've got to meet for our program. You know, I'm not a guy that has a dog house or any of that stuff. We dealt with the situation that we needed to deal with, and we've moved on. JaMychal has moved on, and he's preparing like the rest of our guys to do our job here on the court, to put ourselves in position where we can be successful, and to take care of the things that we're supposed to take care of off the floor."
On the role Anthony Brock has filled:
"Anthony has been an integral part of our team this year. I've asked him to play a variety of roles, off the ball at the two guard spot, at the point guard spot, to being a guy that's guarded the best player on the perimeter on the other team at the one and two position. And to me, he's done a phenomenal job. He's been a guy that, as a coach, you kind of gauge guys by, do you want to have them on the floor or off the floor? And he's been a guy to me that I've needed to have on the floor. Just because of his toughness, his understanding, his willingness to do whatever needs to be done to put his team in position to win. He's the ultimate team guy, and he's been a pleasure to coach."
On the challenges Devan Downey poses defensively:
"He's very difficult to deal with. I think he's one of the more dynamic players in the country, not just our league. For him to be able to do what he's done with the attention that he gets every game, I think it's really incredible. You know, he's got the ability to score but also allow other guys to be more effective than maybe they could be had he not been able to do some of the things that he can do. So I think he's definitely a difference maker. You just look at the game the other day that they had against Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt seems to be in control of the game, and then he stepped up and within a minute or two, you know, the whole complexion, the feel of the game changed. And that's what he's capable of doing. That's not the first time he's done it. So from a gameplan standpoint, yeah, he does require a lot of attention, and I think it's a respect level that I know we have, and I think everybody in this league has for what he's capable of doing."
On the growth of the program's junior-college transfers:
"I do think I've seen growth. We've talked about this before, just for Chris Hines, his ability to understand what his role is and what's needed and what's required, and he's really embraced that. He's become a very integral part of our team, and I think a big reason why we've been able to have a little bit of success here of late, because of the things that he brings to the table. And I think for Charvez (Davis), just an understanding and maybe it's not the right word, but I think confidence. He's a guy that is capable of really shooting the basketball at a good clip when he's going. I think his teammates and everybody understands that he brings that element to our team which is sorely needed. He started off where his percentage wasn't great, and I think his confidence wasn't where it needed to be. But, again, just the understanding of what his role is and what we're asking him to do on both ends of the floor, I think it's added a level of confidence for him. I know our team, if we have a lot of confidence, we can get him looks and what he's capable of doing. He's had the ability to step up in some games and provide scoring and some different things. When you have success, that certainly, I think, breeds a level of confidence for you."
On the possibility of no Western Division teams earning a berth to the NCAA Tournament:
"I don't know how to answer that question, that's out of my control. I really don't have anything to do with who gets the bids. I think right now you're in a situation where, as a league, we think we have a very competitive league, as we spoke about. There's a lot of parity in the league. I think, obviously, the committee has a very tough decision in terms of who gets selected. I don't know what the whole scope of it is. When you look at all of the conferences and all of the leagues across the country, but I do feel like our league is deserving of multiple bids. I think last year was a very rare situation where maybe the league wasn't as good or deep enough to get four, five, six bids. But I think this year, I think you've had some teams in the league that have done a pretty good job with nonconference scheduling and the wins that they've gotten nonconference. Then obviously, once you get in the league, it's very competitive. So for me to sit here and say I would feel one way or another, I think the committee's got a tough job, and obviously every team here has a chance to compete and play, and I think that's what makes this time of year so exciting."
Senior Guard Anthony Brock
On how the coaching transition has been in his senior season:
"It's been pretty good. I'm thankful that Coach Grant came in and gave me the opportunity to do what I love and for us to have the season we're having and to come here and try to continue it."
On what it takes to win consistently:
"Coming together, just coming together as a team and helping each other. And really just staying together out there on the court."
Senior Guard Mikhail Torrance
On why he feels Alabama is a dangerous team to face in the tournament:
"We've got two big wins coming into the SEC Tournament. We had a great chance to win the couple games we did lose. So I just think we have a great chance on a neutral court to do a great job."
On what Anthony Brock is like as a teammate:
"He's a great teammate. He's a good point guard, great defender. He does anything Coach Grant asks us to do, you know, which is just play hard. He's an effort guy. You never had to get onto him about anything like that."
On the importance of point guard play in the tournament:
"I think it's very important for me and Anthony Brock. I feel like both of us are seniors, so I think the coaching staff and our team is going to look for us to be the leaders on the court. I think we've got to go out there and set the tempo."
On what it takes to win consistently:
"Just hanging out on defense and closing games. These last two games we've really been closing out games and just playing defense and finishing our defensive rebounds. That's very important. So I think we're doing a great job of that right now."
On coming from behind to defeat South Carolina in the first meeting:
"We knew coming in there was going to be a lot of emotion. It was their senior night. Coaches kept reminding us during the game. When things settled down, we continued to stay focused and just continued to go with the game plan. We just had to fight back. They threw the first punch, and we just had to continue to stay steady."
