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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE BASKETBALL MEDIA CONFERENCEJanuary 23, 2012Jim LarranagaCOACH LARRANAGA: Well, we're not where we'd like to be, and we're struggling to improve in the areas that the coaches are emphasizing, and until we can improve in those areas, we're going to continue to struggle. Q. The other day both your veteran guards struggled at the offensive end. Was that just a bad game, something they did defensively, or was there something technical going on? COACH LARRANAGA: No, I would say it's more mental. It's not the physical ability to play the game or make the shots, but it's the decision making‑ when to shoot, when to pass. We're trying to encourage the guys to share the ball better, because we tend to have a lot of faith in our individual ability and are willing to take guys one‑on‑one and try to score in that environment rather than share the ball and get an assist. Against N.C. State yesterday, we only had one assist at halftime and it was on the last field goal we made at the half. And that is the exact opposite message of what we've been trying to get across to our guys. That we're going to be a much better team when we're averaging 16, 17, 18 assists a game. Against Clemson we had 19 assists and we shared the ball very, very well. But against N.C. State for some reason, I think mentally we were not sharp and made a lot of bad decisions, put us behind at halftime. And then at the very end of the game, we made some decision that's cost us opportunities to cut into their lead. Q. One guy that seemed to step up for you at the end was the on youngest of the guards, Shane Larkin. Can you talk about what did he at the end of the game to bring you back? COACH LARRANAGA: Well, Shane Larkin is the fastest player on our team. Because of the circumstances, behind by 12 with about eight minutes to go, we felt compelled to go to a full court press. Whenever you press, it opens up the court and gives your opponent a chance to run. And Shane made some very significant steals coming from behind using that speed and quickness of his. He's got great anticipation. Then on offense, I think things affect each other. So if you're playing really good defense, and you come up with a couple of steals, you feel good about yourself, and he was able to then attack the basket. He made a nice little bank shot against their zone, and then he penetrated and dumped it off to Kenny Kadji twice for dunks, and then finally hit a three. He played a good all‑around game and we need him to play like a veteran player all the time. Q. The guy who seems to have played consistently well for you, Kenny Kadji, can you talk a little about the way he's developed for you this year? COACH LARRANAGA: Yeah, I think they're starting the season when Kenny was basically our biggest guy. He was not totally comfortable in that role, and he hadn't played in a long time. He hadn't played in like a year and a half against competition. He started to play pretty good in early December, and then when Reggie Johnson became eligible and he was able to move away from the basket he was much more comfortable playing that four than really being the five‑man. Since that time, he shot the ball extremely well. He's helped us by rebounding the ball well at both ends, and he's really having a nice year. Q. What are the things that make him an effective four man? COACH LARRANAGA: Well, he can shoot. He's a very skilled shooter. If he improves his passing skills, he's going to be really, really tough. Because what happens when you play a guy like Reggie Johnson, you get some looks on the perimeter because other teams are double teaming Reggie. We're hoping that he and Reggie can combine so that Kenny can get the ball to Reggie a little bit more. The two of them should be a dynamic combination. Haven't figured out a way to put all the pieces together with really good guard play and the two big guys being able to share the ball properly. Q. Coach, since we've got a second, N.C. State's Scott Wood set the ACC consecutive field goal free throw record against you guys. Just as a coach, your reaction to a guy that's a hundred percent from the free‑throw line at this point of the season? COACH LARRANAGA: Yeah, I wish he would have missed a couple against us. He is a great, great shooter. One of the things that's very, very impressive about Scott is his consistency of performance, game in and game out. If he gets a chance to get an open three, if he gets any separation at all, he shoots that at a very, very high level of proficiency. You absolutely cannot foul him because he goes to the foul line, and he's just so focused, so consistent and so skilled in that area. It's a part of the game that a lot of players overlook, and that's why you see so many guys not shoot a high percentage. But in this case, that is his game, and he's come from a state that's produced an awful lot of great shooters over the years, and he's certainly one of them. Q. Have you had anybody in your career that's close to that or close to that level? COACH LARRANAGA: The closest I ever coached was Jeff lamp at the University of Virginia. I think he made 41 or 42 straight at one time. I think Scott passed him recently. I know he passed J.J. Redick to get the record. Those guys were great shooters and really work at their craft. I know every day at practice, he shot at minimum a hundred free throws, and if he made less than 95, he'd stay and shoot another hundred. So the great shooters, they work at it. You hear stories about Ray Allen and the Boston Celtics, the leading three‑point shooter in NBA history, and he still shoots two hours before game time to get his stroke right. Scott Wood falls into that category. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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