[jwplayer GJ7OzBQz]
Tyrell Jones, G, So.
On what he’s working on in his game…
“Decision making and scoring, shooting the ball better with a better percentage.”
On the point guards…
“We’ve all been doing pretty good at it with me playing the point guard and the shooting guard position this year, JP (Justin Powell) playing at the point guard position, Sharife (Cooper) playing at the point guard position. All of us have been doing pretty good and we’re just learning from each other.”
On what he has focused on in the offseason…
“Picking the shots where I like to shoot the ball a bit more and being more consistent with my shot, and better decision making. Last year, I didn’t really do too much. This year, I feel like I’m going to be a big part of what we’re going to have coming in. Just really scoring and making better decisions with my scoring.”
On who are the leaders of the team…
“I feel like I have been a better leader. This team, you know, we’re young. Stretch (Babatunde Akingbola), Allen (Flanigan) – those guys have been leading this team in the right direction from last year to this year being more experienced players. Knowing that we’re a young team, everybody has been mature enough to take on leadership roles. We’ve done a pretty good job of that.”
On the leaders vocally vs. by example…
“Stretch is more of a vocal leader. Me, Allen and some of the other guys have led by example on and off the court. On the court, Stretch is more of a vocal leader.”
On what he sees being his role this year…
“With me playing at the 1 and the 2, I’m going to have a big role this year, as far as scoring and leading the team. As far as playing-wise, I’m not really sure.”
On his 3-point shooting…
“It’s better. Me being more consistent and picking a spot where I like to shoot at, I feel like I’ve been in the gym enough to where I can make a lot of open 3s.”
On what the fans are going to see from the team this year…
“Knowing that we’re a young team, it could be iffy in between. We haven’t really done anything yet to show the fans what we really can do.”
On the progress at practice…
“We’re making a whole lot of progress. Everyone is locked in and doing what they’re supposed to do on and off the court because of COVID. I think we’re all doing a pretty good job.”
On if there is a bad taste because of how last year ended due to COVID…
“We’ve just been locked in and staying away from outside noise. We’re in the gym a lot knowing that we’re going to have a season. With everything that is going on right now, we’re really staying focused and worried about what’s going on outside.”
On competition between guards…
“Everybody is competitive. Everybody is going hard in their roles. It’s going to be tough. I don’t know how it’s going to be, but everybody is really competitive, and we push each other to go hard each and every day.”
On the growth of Stretch (Babatunde Akingbola)…
“He’s grown tremendously. Last year, Stretch wasn’t really one to talk a lot in practice, not knowing that once he got on the court now, he learned from last year and transferred it to this year. Him being a vocal leader on the court is really big for us. That’s his role that he wanted to take on. He’s been doing a pretty good job of that.”
Babatunde Akingbola, C, So.
On hunger to get back in action after not having NCAA Tournament because of COVID…
“First of all, it’s really great to get back playing. For last year’s team, I feel bad for them. We worked so hard to get to where we were at, and for us not to get a postseason was pretty bad. But, there’s nothing nobody can do, so we’ve got to accept that and move on.”
On if a 3-point shot is in his game for this season or down the road…
“I can see it for this season because we’ve been working so hard on our outside game. Jaylin Williams is going to shoot a lot of 3s. For me, I’m probably not going to shoot a lot, but I will once in a while. We’re going to have big guys that can shoot. JT (Thor) is going to shoot a lot of 3s. Me and Dylan (Cardwell) probably aren’t going to shoot a lot, but we’re working on it every day.”
On the offense opening up once he adds a 3-point shot to his game…
“That’s going to be tough. BP (Bruce Pearl) loves 3s. I don’t know if y’all know that. If we can shoot 3s with the plays in the playbook, that’s going to be a great offense for us. We’ve been working really hard on that. Now, it’s just about confidence once you shoot it. When we get there, we’re going to be good to go.”
On the challenge of him developing a 3-point shot…
“Just staying in the gym, working on it every day. I’ve been working on my inside game – my layups, post-ups – after that, 5-out shots. I do that every day. Even if I don’t do it in the game, I make it a rhythm shot for me.”
On Dylan Cardwell…
“Dylan grew up a lot. He’s been getting better. Dylan has been pushing me and I’ve been pushing him. We’re pushing each other every day at practice. Off the court, on the court, he’s a great guy. He’s smart. He’s been working so hard.”
On his game and what he’s trying to improve…
“My offense is a big thing for me. My defense is kind of right there. I’m still working on it – being in the right spot, knowing when to jump, tying to stay away from foul trouble. My offense, I’ve been working really hard. This offseason, we’ve been getting in there (the gym), every day after practice sometimes. I’ve been working on my inside game and my post-ups. I’m trying to make my shooting percentage 70 percent if I can this year. That’s the goal and I’ve been working hard on that.”
On if there’s a move or something on offense he’s most confident in…
“Just finishing around the rim. That’s the big thing for me because that’s where I’m going to be getting my points from. Getting offensive rebounds and trying to put it back in, that’s the thing for me.”
On Turbo (Tyrell Jones)…
“Turbo has been working on his leadership. We’re a young team and we need leaders this year. That’s what I’m trying to put myself in that position. I’ve seen Turbo grow up since last year assuming that role. His shot has been really, really good this year. He’s been making a lot of shots – wide-open shots, contested 3s and stuff like that. He’s really improved his game.”
On what has made him a vocal leader…
“Even from high school, I always love to talk on the court, trying to put my teammates in the right position. I’m trying to be the man to put them in the right space and right position during games because it’s always loud in the gym. I have to be vocal. I have to talk. That’s my job. I’ve been doing that since high school, so I feel like I just keep doing it. In college, there’s more fans, so we need to talk. When the coaches call out the play, I need to tell them. When the team is down, I need to keep talking to them every time because sometimes you’re going to have bad games. I just want to put myself in the position when things are good or when things are bad, I’m telling my teammates to keep pushing.”
On what he learned playing behind Austin Wiley and Anfernee McLemore last season…
“I learned a lot. Being patient is the key. Don’t rush things when you get the ball in the post. Take your time trying to finish everything. Austin is a big guy. I don’t know that anybody can be big like Austin. The thing that I see myself doing is talking to my teammates and keeping my teammates going. On defense, I’m supposed to block shots. That’s what my job. I like to block shots. I feel like I will do a lot of that this year. Last year, from Austin and Anfernee, they’re good defenders and they’re good offensive players. I’ve been working really hard on my offense. We just have to see how that goes this year.”
On if there’s pressure of trying to meet previous teams’ results…
“Maybe a little bit. People are talking about us as a basketball school now, not just a football school. That’s a little more pressure.”
On the pride of being a rim protector…
“That’s my thing. I love to play defense. You have to be good at something. You can’t be great at everything on the court. If I’m really good at defense, I can help my team. People like Turbo (Tyrell Jones) are going to score a lot. People like Sharife (Cooper) and Allen (Flanigan) are going to score. I’m going to score, too, but my first thing is my defense. I really take pride in it.”
On the team’s progress…
“I feel like we’ve been doing great. The team is really working hard – after practice, during the weekend, playing against each other. The bigs and the guards are pushing each other.”
On Devan Cambridge and Allen Flanigan…
“Allen Flanigan has grown a lot. From last year to this year, his decision making is way better now. He’s making shots now. He’s finishing at the rim. I see Allen as our next Isaac Okoro. Around the rim, he’s gotten way better. He can take his man to the rim. He’s a great defender on the ball. He’s gotten way better. Devan has gotten better. Devan makes shots for us. Devan doesn’t miss a lot. Devan is a good shot maker. I feel like he’s going to do really great this year.”