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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE OPERATION BASKETBALLOctober 29, 2014Montay BrandonAaron ThomasCHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA Q. Having three seven‑footers on the team, not a lot of teams can say that in college basketball. What can you say about your teammates there down low? AARON THOMAS: I think it's going to help us a lot. We've got Kiel Turpin, Ojo, Bo. Those guys have got a lot better, so we've got high expectations for them. Q. What are you working on in practice right now? AARON THOMAS: Just working on just being connected, all getting on the same page. We're doing a lot of pick‑and‑roll things, getting our big men involved more. Coach stressed that a lot, getting our big men the ball more, so we've been working on that. Q. As far as defining Florida State basketball, obviously football is well known around the country. What can you say about the strides that you've been taking and the team has been taking to be relevant, as well? AARON THOMAS: We've just been focused. We came up short last year, so I think this year we're just focused on the NCAA Tournament and just focused on that. Q. The three freshmen, how well are they blending into practice and this team? AARON THOMAS: Oh, they're looking real good. Those guys are willing to learn. They're asking questions. They're actually learning quicker than what Coach Hamilton thought. They're working really hard, so those guys can bring a lot to the table. Q. When you look at the roster and you look at what the possibilities are this year, when you get to the end of the season and look back, how will you know if you were successful? AARON THOMAS: Just have we done everything we said we was going to do going into the season? Like I said, just all on one page. Q. What is it about your game that needs to get everybody on the same page? AARON THOMAS: Just being that leader, not just focused on me, worried about everyone on the team. Like I said, just being on one page. Just being a leader. Q. Aaron, there's some guys who are not around this year: Ian Miller and some other guys who provided a lot of scoring support and things like that. Do you feel like you'll have to step up your scoring even more this year, or how do you see your role? AARON THOMAS: I'm not even focused on what I have to do. I'm just focused on us as a team and what we have to do. Q. Tell us about Montay's preseason right now. AARON THOMAS: Montay has been doing a real good job. He's gotten a lot better. He's been focusing on things he needs to work on. He's becoming a better leader. My expectations for him are high. THE MODERATOR: Montay, tell us about Aaron. MONTAY BRANDON: Aaron had a great preseason. He's always been extremely focused. So this summer he had no different perspective on what he had to do this summer. He worked hard, becoming more of a vocal leader and also helping the younger guys come along, too. Q. What is your role this year on the team? MONTAY BRANDON: Just do a little bit of everything, be the tool guy, a couple points, rebounds, steals, try to guard the best player on each and every team, do a little bit of everything to help the team out. Q. Montay, how do you view the team this year? How would you define Florida State basketball? MONTAY BRANDON: As mature. We've all grown up now. We've been here for three years. We have five juniors that have had a significant amount of playing time, and we have Kiel Turpin back. Plus we've integrated three new guys that are going to be very talented. So we feel we're going to be very good this year. Q. Leonard Hamilton's teams always seem to have high energy, always big on defense, and you guys seem to have fun. Talk about what it's like playing for him. MONTAY BRANDON: Playing with Coach Hamilton is awesome. I know he doesn't smile too much to the media and on game days, but off the court he's always cracking jokes, making everybody feel comfortable. So we play as hard as we can for him, because we know he truly cares about all of us. Q. A lot of people say that student‑athletes will sometimes take on the personality of their coaches. Coach Hamilton has a lot of fire in his belly. Does that translate to you guys? MONTAY BRANDON: Oh, definitely. On the court we know that once we step out there it's war. With the pregame talks he gives us, we're all out there ready to prepare for battle. Q. Montay, you're listed as 6'8". A 6'8" guard, there are not a whole lot of those around. How do you feel that helps you playing outside like that? MONTAY BRANDON: It helps me when it comes to finishing. As you know, Florida State is a defensive school so you can guard the 1 or 2, and get rebounds for us, extend possessions for us, and just anything possible at that height, at my position, helps us in a great way. Q. Florida State performed pretty well last year against the newcomers in the league, and now Louisville comes in for the '14‑'15 season. Do you think Florida State's success against the newbies will hold up? MONTAY BRANDON: I definitely feel that way. We know Louisville is a tough team, with a good pedigree in Coach Pitino. If we bring our "A" game, we can compete with anybody in this league. So we definitely feel like we're ready for the challenge. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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