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NCAA MEN'S REGIONAL SEMIFINALS AND FINALS: ANAHEIMMarch 30, 2019Mark FewJosh PerkinsBrandon ClarkeAnaheim, California Texas Tech 75, Gonzaga 69 THE MODERATOR: We are joined by the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Coach? MARK FEW: Hey, we lost to a really, really, really good basketball team in a great basketball game. It went back and forth, back and forth and I was very impressed with Texas Tech, obviously with their defense, but also with their offense. But our guys fought and were right there, especially I thought we had good rhythm in that first half and the game just came town to a couple plays down the stretch where they made big plays and we just didn't quite answer. It's a tough way to end a spectacular season and year and even era, when you're talking about a guy like Josh Perkins. I told 'em in the locker room, man, just when you think you've done everything at Gonzaga and there is no way you can top it, this group comes along and sets an amazing, amazing standard. Hurts really bad right now, but once time clears I think they will sit back and realize how awesome it was. Q. Josh, it's been five years. You've had a lot of memories here with GU. Talk to me about the things you're going to miss most? JOSH PERKINS: Just being around these guys, honestly. Countless memories. No putting it into words. Being with them on a daily basis, road trips, being coached by such high-character guys, high-character dudes, playing with their family, their kids. It's a family atmosphere and I'm going to the real world now. Best five years of my life. I feel it right now for sure. Q. Brandon, your thoughts on playing with a guy like Josh and knowing where he's at right now and how much can you say about him, especially in a game like this. BRANDON CLARKE: I came here to play with a guy that's like Josh, really, to play with a point guard that I knew we would have a connection that he is deeper than I've ever had before with a teammate, playing on the court with him is basically something I've dreamed about. So it's something that I love doing and I'm going to miss a lot. Josh is just huge for the program and he was very, very big for the team this year and we wouldn't have been close this year without him. Just really blessed to play by him. Q. Brandon, what was it like playing against that defense and what did you think of the flow of the game? BRANDON CLARKE: Yeah, you know, they're really, really handsy on defense. In the first half, I turned the ball over five times, something I've never done. I think five is my season high if not my career high, so props to them, really. They were not handsy and they forced us to make passes or plays we probably shouldn't have made. But I still feel like it just came down to us missing some shots and them hitting some big shots. So I feel like it was even defensively, but they just came up with some big plays in the end. Q. Brandon, a lot of people know what the transfers are able to do after their year off. Can you talk to me not the basketball side but the family aspect of the coaching staff and you know Josh mentioned playing with coaches' kids and things like that. Can you talk to me about some of the things you were able to experience here? BRANDON CLARKE: Gonzaga is just one big family, really. I'm blessed that they just -- obviously, I wasn't here my freshman year, so it was kinda different. There have been guys that were here four years, five years. But I've only been here a year, two years now. So the coaches and the players did a really good job making me feel like I was family and I've been here the whole time. I've made bonds that I will have forever. It's just something that I'm really blessed about. Q. Josh, you hit that big three that pulled you within two. Did you feel like you more or less had the game right there where you wanted it toward the end? JOSH PERKINS: Yeah, we were in the huddle saying believe. We never doubted that we would win that game. Unfortunately got that tech on that violation and the whole time to answer your question we thought we would win that game the entire time. Q. Not to bring up that tech, can you talk about that play? JOSH PERKINS: He was ball faking a lot and I thought he ball faked in front of me, instinctively reached in, bonehead play. Something I will think about forever. Unfortunately that happened. THE MODERATOR: Thank you, gentlemen. Questions for Coach Few? Q. Had a lot of guards come through this program, a lot of different personalities. Josh Perkins. MARK FEW: Yeah, I mean, we can write a book on Perk and Perk and I. But, listen, the amount of growth that has occurred during his five years in our program and every facet of his life is kinda what coaching is all about and what playing college basketball is all about. He's a much more mature player, a much better player now and we've been an incredible program and had an incredible run with him at the helm. It's been an awesome experience, but not unlike raising your children, you know. There's 95% good times and 5% where there's times where you've got to correct stuff. But I tip my hat to him, man. He's hung in there, been kind of a lightning rod over the years because our program garners so much attention and he's handled it with grace and always been just -- if you went and asked those guys in the room they would hands down say he is the best teammate they every had. Q. Brandon talked about the handsy defense. How disruptive is that and how difficult is it to prepare for even though you see it on tape? MARK FEW: First of all, preparing. We had one day, you know, so it's not like we can really drill that down. We talked quite a lot about it in our meetings and showing them on film. It's something you've got to experience. They are really good at reaching, poking and digging things outta there. This is the best team I've every had for taking care of the ball. We've had games with four turnovers, three turnovers which is unheard of, halves with zero turnovers. So it's real. That defense is real, and Chris has done a great job with it and it definitely impacted us tonight. They took a lot of balls from us when we had the ball in a great position for us, where I'm feeling, yes! And then we just lost it. It's tough. It's real. Q. When you go into the locker room after a game like this what do you tell the guys when you get in there? MARK FEW: First thing you say is there is nothing I can say that's going to make this any better. But today, as I explained to them, this emotion wouldn't be running like this if we didn't care and there wasn't that incredible amount of love in the program, you know, from player to player, to coaches to players, to staff members to trainers, and it was real. Those are powerful big moments that most people don't get to experience. As I said earlier, I told them just when you think it's impossible to do -- set higher standards at Gonzaga these dudes roll in and did it. I thanked them and told them, you know, every day will get a little bit better. THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Coach. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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