Jan. 5, 2012
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SDSU-San Diego Christian Postgame Quotes in PDF Format
San Diego State Head Coach Steve Fisher
(from the postgame radio interview)
On the overall effort in the game:
"We talked about that before the game, we talked about the responsibility that we had individually and collectively to do just that. To not feel as if you can come out and slum around and do foolish things and get a victory, but to play hard and we did. And for the most part, we played smart. It was very good to see the kind of energy that we brought. But it's not unexpected because we've been like that almost all the time."
On the ball movement and shot selection being smart:
"I would agree with you. Right to the end when sometimes you get, `I want to get mine,' it was `how can I help somebody get a look that hasn't played much?' Jamaal (Franklin) was playing the point (guard) down the stretch and tried to get guys opportunities to shoot it. We had two walk-ons in Ryan Staten and Aaron Douglas who hadn't even suited up for a game that both got in tonight and got on the scorer's table and that felt good for everybody."
On the free-throw shooting of Garrett Green and DeShawn Stephens:
"We called them to task a little bit. I don't like to do that, but I mentioned it to the media that we're shooting free throws well except for two guys. I told the team that and I told them that. I said, `You two guys, sometimes you've got to do stuff when nobody's watching, you've got to get 100 free-throws in on your own.' I know they've come early, stayed late and whether they gotten in 100 or not, it was nice to see them rewarded for that extra work. This is what you have to do and they did a great job. When they made the first one, I think that really helped their confidence."
On Alec Williams:
"When Alec is really alert mentally, he has the quickness and footwork of a six-footer. I thought the one segment, his last segment, especially at the defensive end was as good as I've seen him have in his career here. His stat line matches that, 4-for-8, 10 points and eight rebounds. We need Alec. Alec is a smart basketball player that has and will continue to help this basketball team."
(from the postgame press conference)
Opening statement:
"I was pleased with a number of things. The most significant were the two guys that I singled out saying we're good free-throw shooters with the exception of these two guys and they need to shoot better, did (shoot better). Garrett Green (was) 10-for-14 and DeShawn Stephens (was) 6-for-8 in free-throws tonight. One was in the 20's and one in the 30's. Our goal is to do that repeatedly, it was good to see them do that tonight. We played hard and we're a team that, almost without fail, has played hard. When you play hard you usually play smarter and I thought we did that tonight also. It was nice to see two guys that hadn't even suited up before; two walk-ons, Ryan Staten and Aaron Douglas, get in at the end of the game. Guys worked to get them quality shots, not just the shot that they threw up. I thought Alec Williams had a segment where he played his best basketball as an Aztec. He had eight rebounds, he was very quick defensively. I believe DeShawn (Stephens) had a career-high 18 points. We had five guys at double figures. It was a nice way to win, not just to win, but it was nice the way we won. I think all our kids feel good about it. Sometimes you win and you walk out and you don't feel good, but I think, legitimately, all of us feel good about the way we won. We've still got to get better and I do believe that we will. We had 32 free-throws, only 10 turnovers, so we made some progress there also."
On Jeremy Castleberry not playing:
"He didn't suit up, so if you don't suit up, you can't play. He was beat up and banged up so he didn't suit up. I thought he could sit there with (Tim) Shelton tonight."
On San Diego Christian's second-half play:
"They played had, made some shots and played good basketball; I think this will be good for them. This is a team that played over at the University of San Diego and with 10 or 11 minutes to go, made it a real close game. This is a team that went to Utah and had either an overtime game or a very close game. I'm glad that they played effectively; it's good for both teams. I think this was good for us; I don't think we got `sloppy sloppy' in what we did which is also important."
San Diego State junior guard Chase Tapley
On tonight's game compared to the last three:
"More walk-on's played. This was more of a fun game and I think that we executed on the defensive end in this game, on our blocking, defensive rebounding and on our free-throws with DeShawn (Stephens) and Garrett (Green). Coming in and doing the work, shooting 100 free-throws a day, you see, is really improving. That's what we're going to need coming into league play. That's what we improved on this game, compared to the last three."
On the second half:
"We have to come out in the second half like it's the first half, with the same mentality and not let up. We didn't do that today so we have to get back in the lab and talk about that. We need to move forward and get better at that in the next game and in the game after that."
San Diego State junior forward DeShawn Stephens
On the game tonight:
"Like Chase (Tapley) said, we like to see the walk-ons get to play. It excites everybody when they get in the game. Those guys work just as hard as we do every day in practice. They stay after and shoot, just like we stay after and shoot. It's really good to see them get in the game."
On his free-throw stroke:
"I don't think I really made any drastic changes. I just concentrate better and focus more. In practice, they look as how they actually looked today. In the game, I guess, it's just a different fitting and I was feeling a little off before. It's just more focus and repetition now."
San Diego Christian Head Coach Tim Cook
Opening statement:
"When we run our system and share the ball and make plays, especially against a top-25 team, then we can compete. When we play within our system we can have some success. If we don't and try to make individual plays, it just doesn't work."
On team's second-half play:
"Again it goes back to our second-half adjustments, when we run our stuff we were able to get some fluidity and get some open shots. I really like how we slowed down our transition a bit trying to get back in the game."
On SDSU's play:
"I think that they are playing really well as a team and they are not relying so much on one or two guys and that makes a huge difference going into league play. They just look like they are playing really well collectively."