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PUERTO RICO TIP-OFF MEDIA CONFERENCENovember 7, 2012Patrick ChambersQ. Talk about the preseason and how has it been going. PATRICK CHAMBERS: Preseason, so far, so good. It's November, what, 7th today. We are exactly where we should be November 7. My whole goal is to prepare and get us ready for the Big Ten and create the best habits we can and compete at a high level and I think we are doing that for the most part. Now it's hit or miss, we still have a youthful team and still have some inexperience and some practices, as you guys know, are great, and some practices, you want to restart, rewind and bring them back another day. But that's the challenge as a head coach, I wouldn't have a job if that wasn't the ways. But Tim Frazier is playing at a very high, elite level and is bringing along D.J. and the other guards, Jermaine Marshall and Ross Travis. I'm excited about the talent we have and I think we are going to have a solid year. Q. You talked about a couple players there. Any other standouts? PATRICK CHAMBERS: Obviously Tim, right now he's practicing like a senior. He's coming out there with an approach that this is my last go around and I don't want to be 12‑20, and I'm going to do everything I can to elevate my teammates and that's what he's doing. He's winning every drill no matter what it is: One‑on‑one, two‑on‑two, three‑on‑three, four‑on‑four; he's winning every drill which is phenomenal for us and the direction we are headed and the leadership he brings. He still has some room for growth in the leadership department but he's open and he has a willingness to learn which is great. I think D.J., with a scrimmage and an exhibition game, I played him 36 minutes in the exhibition game for a reason but I wanted him to get that rust off. He's sat out a year so the speed of the game, playing 36 with refs and people in the stands, things likes that. He needs to continue on the right path and he's doing that. But Jermaine Marshall, Ross Travis, if you saw them play a little bit last year, I think the lights have come on for them and they understand what they need to bring to this program and this team and their roles. Q. Talk about the strengths of your team as you see it now. PATRICK CHAMBERS: Right now, we are very guard‑oriented with Tim, D.J., Jermaine and Ross. There's four guys right there that are very interchangeable. That is where you're going to see a lot of our points come from. I've been saying this in the preseason, if our bigs, Jon Graham and Sasa combined if they could give us a double‑double every game, I think we could win some tight games and we could win some close games because of that production. But it's also good to have another ball handler. Like Tim carried the ball for 40 minutes last year and D.J. is able to relieve him of that and play some points, so I think that's only going to help Tim. Q. You've been to Puerto Rico with another team and you're coming back a second time. Talk about the format and your first round opponent, North Carolina State, which Penn State has not played since 2000. PATRICK CHAMBERS: The Puerto Rico tournament was great. First time I was a head coach I brought my team‑‑ Boston University and I'm actually looking at the game ball. We beat Indiana in a pretty big upset and it was just a great win for those kids. It was great to be down there. Great event. Very well run. I love the format, two days, day off, game, and I think it's set up beautifully, first‑class. Excited to go back there and excited about the competition that's there. I'll be honest with you, I don't know much about NC State. Worried about Penn State right now and getting better today. We play St. Francis on Friday, I know that sounds like coaches talk but being truthful, trying to get this team to be the best it can be. We are happy to be a part of it again, a lot of great teams, a lot of good early competition and will let us know exactly where we are and what we have to work on and prepare for for the Big Ten. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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