JOHN ROBIC
On how Alex Poythress is health-wise:
“He’s doing OK. Right now he’s just day-to-day. Expect him to play tomorrow. It’s one of those things where he just felt sore. he’s getting treatment on it right now.”
So you do expect him to play tomorrow?
“I do, yeah.”
On Georgia’s Defense:
“Really good question. They do have very good numbers. Both from the 2-point and 3-point. They even defend the free throw line pretty well too. They really don’t overextend defensively, man to man wise. Sort of more like a pack-line defense packing it in. Which we’ve seen a bunch of this year. We’re doing a good job of that. They’ll also sprinkle in a couple of zones. They’ll try to keep you off balance with what they do. Just really solid defensively. Play the ball well. Been impressive to watch on tape.
On Georgia’s Charles Mann:
“He’s lived at the free throw line for four years. I don’t know if it’s big guys as much as it is your guards being able to guard the dribble knowing that he is a driver. He’s a big physical kid that creates contact. I think it starts a little bit more out on the floor. Our big guys have to challenge at the rim.”
On how well the guards have defended:
“We’re getting better and better at it. I thought Saturday’s game was terrific defensively. Coach put in a great game plan of how we were going to guard Florida. Players executed it really well and we really guarded as a unit, as five. I think that takes away some of the pressure off individuals. It was truly a solid team effort in the halfcourt. And then in transition, they did a really good job of not letting Chiozza and Kasey Hill get transition layups, which they're both very good at. That was a key to the game.
On what Ulis did on defense to stymie Florida's offense:
Well, he's just such a smart player. He sees a play ahead. He's a great anticipator. We had him off the ball a little bit more. He did play both, but like him off the ball some at times too because of the anticipation. But he just has a great knowledge of the game. It's really impressive. He's a smart player.
On if he sees Isaac Humphries getting more playing time:
He played terrifically. He stepped up when the opportunity was there. He did the things exactly what we needed him to do. So sure. Getting back to it today. We had a late workout yesterday, but getting back to it today he was solid and it was nice to see that he stuck with it.
On how Ulis impacts things from a coaching standpoint:
Your great point guards are an extension of your head coach on the floor, for sure. Every one that I've personally ever been around, and most of them have been with Cal since we've been together so long. He thinks like the head coach. After two years, you get pretty solid bond of what you're thinking, when you're thinking of it.
Again, it gets back to he makes suggestions, because actually on the floor so he can get a better feel than us on the side watching it. And we trust him. That’s the biggest thing, especially you need in a point guard.”
On if they usually have a guy like that on every team: “If you’re a really good point guard, it is. Now there are going to be times where he gets overruled, but we have that trust factor in him that he has earned.”
On anything that stands out about Mark Fox teams: “Yeah. We were actually talking about it today: They’re always really solid. They really execute offensively how he wants to play. Little bit more of a pattern type team with reads off of certain plays. They’ve gone this year with this lineup they’ve had a little bit more ball-screen action because of the three guards. They’re playing (J.J.) Frazier, (Charles) Mann and (Kenny) Gaines together a lot. I think the difference this year, on this year’s team as a opposed to the last couple of years is that they don’t have that four man that can step out like a (Nemi) Djurisic did last year that was a threat from 3. So the ball is in the hands of their guards a lot, but (Yante) Maten, boy has he gotten better. Putting up great numbers. You can see his confidence level is really high. He’s gotten good, and he gives them a solid low-post threat.”
On if he’s had other point guards with Calipari that are coaches on the court like Ulis:“Yeah. Yeah. I think you go back – I think Derrick Rose was like that. I think John (Wall) and Eric Bledsoe were like that.
“I think Brandon Knight was like that for sure. It’s just that they have that – even with Andrew last year, being two years, they remember stuff that we forget. So we’ve had probably six or seven in that time. I think, again, it gets back to that feel of the game and they’ve done a good job running our teams.”
On whether Humphries has earned selective playing time or without-reservation playing time: “Well, I just think, one, it’s going to depend on the flow of the game. Like, for instance, this would be a good game for Isaac because of (Georgia’s) post players, that they actually have size in the post. If it was an undersized – say a Tennessee, where they really don’t have a true post, that would be a tough game for Isaac. This is a matchup-type game that benefits all of our bigger players. I can’t put a number on it. It just depends on the flow and how he’s actually playing.”
On Ulis saying he’d been telling Kenny Payne that Humphries could help and previously having told Calipari that Skal should play away from the basket: “I told you he was smart. Well, one, Tyler likes playing with Isaac because he sets great screens and that frees Tyler up, but then that frees other teammates up as well. Isaac is a smart young man, so he knows our offense, he knows what we’re doing, knows exactly what’s expected of him. So Tyler has liked Isaac, but there was a ton of games during the stretch (that Humphries didn’t play) where more times than not, they were bad matchups for him.”
On how Alex Poythress is health-wise:
“He’s doing OK. Right now he’s just day-to-day. Expect him to play tomorrow. It’s one of those things where he just felt sore. he’s getting treatment on it right now.”
So you do expect him to play tomorrow?
“I do, yeah.”
On Georgia’s Defense:
“Really good question. They do have very good numbers. Both from the 2-point and 3-point. They even defend the free throw line pretty well too. They really don’t overextend defensively, man to man wise. Sort of more like a pack-line defense packing it in. Which we’ve seen a bunch of this year. We’re doing a good job of that. They’ll also sprinkle in a couple of zones. They’ll try to keep you off balance with what they do. Just really solid defensively. Play the ball well. Been impressive to watch on tape.
On Georgia’s Charles Mann:
“He’s lived at the free throw line for four years. I don’t know if it’s big guys as much as it is your guards being able to guard the dribble knowing that he is a driver. He’s a big physical kid that creates contact. I think it starts a little bit more out on the floor. Our big guys have to challenge at the rim.”
On how well the guards have defended:
“We’re getting better and better at it. I thought Saturday’s game was terrific defensively. Coach put in a great game plan of how we were going to guard Florida. Players executed it really well and we really guarded as a unit, as five. I think that takes away some of the pressure off individuals. It was truly a solid team effort in the halfcourt. And then in transition, they did a really good job of not letting Chiozza and Kasey Hill get transition layups, which they're both very good at. That was a key to the game.
On what Ulis did on defense to stymie Florida's offense:
Well, he's just such a smart player. He sees a play ahead. He's a great anticipator. We had him off the ball a little bit more. He did play both, but like him off the ball some at times too because of the anticipation. But he just has a great knowledge of the game. It's really impressive. He's a smart player.
On if he sees Isaac Humphries getting more playing time:
He played terrifically. He stepped up when the opportunity was there. He did the things exactly what we needed him to do. So sure. Getting back to it today. We had a late workout yesterday, but getting back to it today he was solid and it was nice to see that he stuck with it.
On how Ulis impacts things from a coaching standpoint:
Your great point guards are an extension of your head coach on the floor, for sure. Every one that I've personally ever been around, and most of them have been with Cal since we've been together so long. He thinks like the head coach. After two years, you get pretty solid bond of what you're thinking, when you're thinking of it.
Again, it gets back to he makes suggestions, because actually on the floor so he can get a better feel than us on the side watching it. And we trust him. That’s the biggest thing, especially you need in a point guard.”
On if they usually have a guy like that on every team: “If you’re a really good point guard, it is. Now there are going to be times where he gets overruled, but we have that trust factor in him that he has earned.”
On anything that stands out about Mark Fox teams: “Yeah. We were actually talking about it today: They’re always really solid. They really execute offensively how he wants to play. Little bit more of a pattern type team with reads off of certain plays. They’ve gone this year with this lineup they’ve had a little bit more ball-screen action because of the three guards. They’re playing (J.J.) Frazier, (Charles) Mann and (Kenny) Gaines together a lot. I think the difference this year, on this year’s team as a opposed to the last couple of years is that they don’t have that four man that can step out like a (Nemi) Djurisic did last year that was a threat from 3. So the ball is in the hands of their guards a lot, but (Yante) Maten, boy has he gotten better. Putting up great numbers. You can see his confidence level is really high. He’s gotten good, and he gives them a solid low-post threat.”
On if he’s had other point guards with Calipari that are coaches on the court like Ulis:“Yeah. Yeah. I think you go back – I think Derrick Rose was like that. I think John (Wall) and Eric Bledsoe were like that.
“I think Brandon Knight was like that for sure. It’s just that they have that – even with Andrew last year, being two years, they remember stuff that we forget. So we’ve had probably six or seven in that time. I think, again, it gets back to that feel of the game and they’ve done a good job running our teams.”
On whether Humphries has earned selective playing time or without-reservation playing time: “Well, I just think, one, it’s going to depend on the flow of the game. Like, for instance, this would be a good game for Isaac because of (Georgia’s) post players, that they actually have size in the post. If it was an undersized – say a Tennessee, where they really don’t have a true post, that would be a tough game for Isaac. This is a matchup-type game that benefits all of our bigger players. I can’t put a number on it. It just depends on the flow and how he’s actually playing.”
On Ulis saying he’d been telling Kenny Payne that Humphries could help and previously having told Calipari that Skal should play away from the basket: “I told you he was smart. Well, one, Tyler likes playing with Isaac because he sets great screens and that frees Tyler up, but then that frees other teammates up as well. Isaac is a smart young man, so he knows our offense, he knows what we’re doing, knows exactly what’s expected of him. So Tyler has liked Isaac, but there was a ton of games during the stretch (that Humphries didn’t play) where more times than not, they were bad matchups for him.”
