Dec. 5, 2007
SAN DIEGO -
SAN DIEGO STATE MEN'S BASKETBALL
NEWS CONFERENCE QUOTES
AZTEC ATHLETICS CENTER
DECEMBER 5, 2007
Head coach Steve Fisher
Opening Statement:
"I would like to take a moment to reflect on George Ziegenfuss, who passed away recently. Many of you knew him better than I did, but I grew to know, respect and love him. Every game I would watch as he came in with his wife and they would sit right behind my wife, Angie. They would stop to talk and compliment the program. We made him an honorary coach for one game and had him in the locker room where he talked to the team. He epitomizes the success at San Diego State and this basketball program. More importantly, he epitomizes the quality of a person that put family above all else. He will be missed by all of us, but his legacy and what he meant to all of us will be there for a very long time.
"With our team, we were not what I had hoped we would be last night for a couple of reasons. Anytime you shoot the ball poorly, you are not going to look as good as you would if you are making shots. I also thought we didn't quite have the vigor defensively. We were just a half a count slow in a lot of areas and it showed. The crowd was the same way. Normally we excite the students and they'll excite the rest of the crowd, or vice versa, and that didn't happen (last night). I'm a little disappointed with last night, yet we are 8-1 and are preparing to play probably the best team we will play to date in Saint Mary's, who is undefeated. It will be a nice opportunity and challenge at the Wooden Classic.
"I really like our team. We've got five or six guys who are capable any night of being the leading scorer and that makes us hard to guard. We are making progress, and I like making progress when we're winning. We are looking forward to preparing for Saint Mary's and playing well (against them). We will have to play well if we're going to expect to be in the ball game."
On Saint Mary's:
"We won 74-73 last year with (Saint Mary's) missing a three-pointer at the buzzer. They have three starters back. Their big guy in the middle (Omar Samhan) is so much better now than he was back then. Their addition of (Patrick) Mills, a freshman from Australia, at the point is huge for them as well. So, they are playing basically the same way (as last year). They will try to run the ball up and attack off of transition. This is a good team that we are going to play."
On how SDSU will prepare to stop Saint Mary's point guard Patrick Mills:
"We can't let him go rim-to-rim. We have to keep him in front of us and force him to make hard plays. He has had some great games and he was phenomenal in the game against Oregon. He is a very good player, so we can't let him go off and score 30-plus points. He drives and if you step in the way, he will find the open man. We can't let him go straight to the rim. We have to make him move side-to-side."
On the honor of playing in the John Wooden Classic:
"It is exciting for us. It will give us a chance to play on a stage that we haven't seen this year in terms of TV and the fact that John Wooden will be there. We are part of a double-header where UCLA is also playing, and they are arguably one of the top teams in the country. So, it is exciting to go there and our kids are excited to be participating in (the tournament). It will be good for us and the program."
On his thoughts on the team so far:
"I thought that we would have a team that could go eight or nine deep and we have proven that we are able to do that. I still don't have the same feel with substitutions as when Tim Shelton was playing, so we have to work on that. We need to make sure that we give guys enough rest, but still have our best combination on the floor at the right times. I think if we can keep all of them at 30 minutes or less, it should be to our advantage, but I have to make sure I manage that. Also, the players have to come in and not only hold the fort, but help us, and we've had that happen. I think Jon Pastorek has had the most opportunity now with Shelton not there and he has done a good job. (Kyle) Spain has been out and that has hurt the comfort level of the rotations as well. If we can keep everyone fresh and willing to share the ball, we will be a better team."
On sophomore forward Jon Pastorek:
"Jon Pastorek is a smart player, especially defensively. He is an active player offensively. Right now, he performs better on offense when he doesn't have the ball, but rather when he is cutting and moving to where he can get a hand on the ball. He did that last night. He got two offensive rebound baskets for us and got one other basket where he cut (to the basket) and laid it in off the pass. He has done a nice job and Jon is a guy that is starting to feel confident and more comfortable playing. That is obviously helpful for all of us, especially him."
On junior transfer guard Kelvin Davis:
"He has a maturity about him. Kelvin has provided some instant offense for us as well. He has been a pretty reliable player offensively, where he has shot the ball well from three-point range and has been very aggressive and productive with his dribble penetration. He has also been willing to accept the fact that he is not starting. Often times when you get a junior college guy coming in and if he doesn't start, then issues are created, but he's done a great job of how he has prepared himself (for his role on the team)."
On Davis' leadership role:
"Kelvin is becoming more of a vocal leader. When he came in, I think he still felt like he was the new kid here, so he listened and watched. Now he is becoming more vocal and that is helpful for him and for us."
Junior guard Richie Williams
On this year's team compared to last year's team:
"We're different in many ways. We are a lot smaller, more athletic and play more as a team."
On if playing a high pressure style game creates any problems for the team:
"Not at all. We're in great shape and we've prepared for situations like this. We knew we were going to be a small team and we were going to have to use our speed and athleticism in order to be successful."
On Saint Mary's:
"They're a highly-touted team; they've beaten a top-25 school. They have a talented point guard which means I am going to have a lot on my plate. We have to focus and prepare for them like we would with any other team. They're going to be our toughest competition so far and it's the next game up, so it is the most important one."
On playing with D.J. Gay:
"There is no battle. We are going to do whatever it takes for our team to win. The first eight games I came off the bench and that is the least of my concerns. All I want to do is win."
Junior forward Lorrenzo Wade
On last night's game versus UC Riverside:
"We actually came out of the gate a little bit sloppy from the start. (UC Riverside) was very active on offense, they would continually move on the offensive end. Richie (Williams) came out and gave us a great boost, especially on the defensive end with creating deflections and getting steals. Last night was a game we didn't want to overlook going into this weekend's game at the John Wooden Classic playing against Saint Mary's, which is a highly-touted team who could be in the top 25. We just had to buckle down and focus on (UC Riverside)."
On playing in the John Wooden Classic against a good team in Saint Mary's:
"With our loss at Cal against a Pac-10 team, we are going to take a hit from that. But going into the Wooden Classic against a team like Saint Mary's, a team we have beat in the past but is much better now, we can't get too excited about it. We have to stay focused, level-headed and hopefully go in there and get the job done.
"Playing in the John Wooden Classic is definitely a plus for San Diego State University. It's a very prestigious tournament that you have to be invited to. I'm not sure if we have ever played in something like this. It's just another boost for our program. It will help us out as far as recruiting goes and give us some national exposure."
"It's important playing in the tournament. With it being a neutral site I know that is going to help us out. Also playing a team like Saint Mary's, which has won some pretty big games this season, will be huge for us."
On the play of junior guard Kevin Davis:
"Kelvin has brought a nice-needed spark off the bench. It's what he likes to do. He likes coming off the bench and giving us that spark. It's good to have someone like him come into the game who is experienced as a basketball player and can provide some offense."