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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE BASKETBALL MEDIA CONFERENCEFebruary 27, 2012Brian GregoryBRIAN GREGORY: Pleased with our effort on Saturday afternoon against a very good Maryland team. I thought our guys did a great job in terms of the key objectives for that game and doing a pretty good job on the glass, taking care of the ball and getting the ball inside and playing inside out. When you do that, a lot of good things happen, especially when you can make some shots on a lot of those kick‑outs, and that's exactly what we did. I thought we took a step forward. We needed some rest. There was no doubt about it. That stretch the week before was tough, did not play well on Tuesday night, just didn't really have anything in our tank. And being able to have a day off and get some shorter, harder practices in to get ready for Saturday, I thought our guys responded extremely well. Got a big week ahead of us, tough road game at Boston College, and then finishing up at home against Wake Forest. Hopefully we'll be able to build on some of the good things that we've done over the last couple weeks. Q. How difficult is it to maintain the intensity and the emotion for a team that has struggled like you have struggled and then how gratifying is it to see them continue to put out and perform as they did Saturday? BRIAN GREGORY: Well, we've talked about it. Guys are going to not buy in or give up? If you have any character at all, and if the game is important enough to you, and if the school and what you're trying to do is important enough to you, you stick to it. You know, there's days where the cloud is a little darker than normal, but you've just got to keep telling our guys that this is a process that we're under, and it's not going to be easy. I think some of the preliminary stuff before some of the‑‑ before the season helped these guys kind of understand what they're under and had to look at the big picture of what we're trying to get done. You know, the hardest part for young guys is that there's not the instant gratification. Are they working harder? Are they trying to play harder? Are they trying to do the right things in other areas, as well, and why don't they just automatically get rewarded for it? Well, it doesn't work that way. It just doesn't. But if you do that long enough, then things are going to change. So I guess you give guys credit in terms of their resiliency and ability to kind of stick with it because I thought you saw that on Saturday, that's what you saw the Saturday before. Looking at it, games like Tuesday you've just got to throw out. We had nothing left. So you look at two of those last three games, effort‑wise, intensity‑wise, energy‑wise, chemistry‑wise, probably as good as we've had in our time here. We might have played better in some other games, but those other intangible things are what makes good programs, and you need that highlight. Q. Well, as a building program and obviously building for the future, how important are these two games against two teams that frankly in talent terms you're fairly competitive with? How important is that for going on in the future? BRIAN GREGORY: Well, I think it is important. We talked about it, that you wanted to end the season playing better, competing even with greater energy, and have some momentum going into the ACC tournament. Also to be honest with you, have some momentum heading into spring workouts into summer workouts when you add now the incoming guys that you have, different things like that. Again, you have to keep looking at the big picture. So it is important. An opportunity with one win or two wins, if you can get them‑‑ if you won two, you'd end up the second half of the season in the ACC 4 and 4, a good step. So there is a lot. And again, for me, my evaluation is if we can continue to play with that intensity, energy, chemistry, the unselfishness that we played with in two of the three last games. Q. I've noticed looking at it that the stats the last six games that Kammeon Holsey has really started to come on nicely for you. Tell me a little bit about the way that you think he's playing as of late. BRIAN GREGORY: Sure. You know, again, if you take a look at the progression through the season, I think it's one of the things that I'm most excited about, that our guys have improved as the season has moved along, and maybe no greater example than Kam, not only his improvement in some of the things that he can do but his improvement in his consistency, which is so important. You know, he's very aggressive offensively. I think one of the big developments is our ability to get the ball inside, and our ability with Daniel. Daniel's ability to score around the basket, Julian's ability to score a little bit inside, a little bit more outside, puts the defense in a tough situation when Kam gets the ball. I like the fact that he's demanding the ball in there. I like his aggressiveness. He gets a couple garbage baskets a game, either on the break or on the offensive glass. And just his overall progress and his ability to really focus on how we need to get things done has really improved, and because of that his consistency as a player has gotten better. Q. A couple things: One, is there any update on Glenn's status, and two, Mfon, I believe, had 28 assists, 14 turnovers the last six games. What's been the biggest difference with him in terms of distributing? BRIAN GREGORY: Well, I think, first, there's no change in Glenn's situation, and then with Mfon, you know, again, it's just a growth within the season. It's been, say, a pleasure to watch because there's still some backslides once in a while, but just getting a better feel for the decision making that needs to be done. I tell our guys, if you have a 50/50 shot, shoot it every time. You know, if it's a 50/50 pass, don't throw it. And the decisions‑‑ even decisions that are unselfish, that doesn't always mean it's the right decision. And so I think he's just getting a better understanding of that. I think he's starting to feel more confident, maybe a little greater confidence in his leadership. I always say it's hard to lead if you're not comfortable with who you are as a player or your role, and I think as he's got more comfortable and knows that I believe in him, his ability to lead others and make plays for others has improved. You know, the nine assists I think he had, it's the second time this year, that he set a personal record for assists in a game. He's got a long way to go. I think that's one of the best things about Mfon is he knows that, but he is a competitive kid, and that fire of competitiveness has obviously helped us out quite a bit. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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