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The following presentation is brought
to you by The Pride of ODU, the official
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NIL collective of All Dominion Athletics.
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Aaron: What's up Monarch Nation, welcome
back to the Monarchist Basketball Show.
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Happy New Year, Coach.
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How's it going?
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Coach Mike Jones: Happy New Year.
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It's going, it's going,
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right at about 2025.
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Aaron: Yeah, it's going to be,
it's going to be a great year.
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Let's jump right in.
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All right.
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So we had a game a couple of
days ago, Virginia Wesleyan.
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Um, obviously we'll talk about
the previous games, but that
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game, it looked like a couple
of lights came on for some guys.
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And one thing that Uh, that R.
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J.
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Mentioned in the post game presser
was that the game at Louisiana
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Monroe, that road win gave
the guys a lot of confidence.
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Could you see that in the
guys leading into that game?
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Coach Mike Jones: Absolutely.
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Um, you know, just teams like us that
are, you know, so new to one another
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going through everything for the first
time together, like things, positive
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things tend to snowball just like
negative things tend to snowball.
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, so being able to go on the
road play as well as we did.
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kind of let it out the bag a little
bit, but then get it back and be
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able to come home with the win.
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, I think it did a lot
for our guys confidence.
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So R.
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J.
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Is 100 percent correct in saying that.
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, and we're trying to build on that.
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Um, You know, it's always been about,
Hey, let's get prepared for Sun Belt play.
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And, uh, that was a
great way to get started.
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Mike: Now, there's a lot of things
you could point out about this ULM
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game that led to the victory, but the
number one thing for me, apart from
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Robert's performance, is the team free
throw shooting 20 of 24 from the line.
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You don't win this game
without that performance.
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Um, what was the magic sauce
in that game that get you to
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be so successful from the line?
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Coach Mike Jones: Uh, I mean,
to be honest with you, I can't
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necessarily say for sure what it was.
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I know we've done different things.
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, we've talked about it before, uh,
you know, shooting free throws
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and practice and running when you
miss and not running when you make
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it, , the peer pressure that that
causes and the focus that that causes.
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Um, but also it's, you know,
guys are taking their time and
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spending time shooting extra.
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free throws.
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, and then, you know, we're
getting more comfortable.
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We're getting to the point
of, you know, just having some
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confidence stepping to the line.
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So, I mean, you couple all those things.
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It also really works when you have your
best free throw shooters taking the free
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throws and, uh, you know, Sean, you're
Gordon being a guy that's getting to
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the free throw line multiple times a
game is also helping us out as well.
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So, uh, it's it's We're building, man.
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We're we're building and you know,
that's one area that we definitely have
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improved is we just gotta keep it there.
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You're
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Aaron: not kidding about pressure.
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So Mike and I were to practice last
week and we saw the drill that that
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you're talking about there at the
end of you, you picking out who you
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wanted to go to the line at the time.
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I know Mike and I were talking to go,
you know, is there a normal order?
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But based upon what we saw, I think
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you might change that up.
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Coach Mike Jones: Yeah.
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Well, usually everybody shoots
and it's just dictated by time.
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So literally you all 17 guys go
to the line and shoot the ball.
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So, um, it's usually that way.
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Time constraints made it
a little bit different.
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So, you know, some of the guys that don't
necessarily get on the floor as much.
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We didn't have them shoot, but
anybody that does and that we
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expect to play every single night.
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Um, we had them shoot the ball.
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So, um, y'all also caught the, the,
the, the nicer version of it because
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they didn't have to run as much if
they, if they missed, um, I think
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like it sometimes, cause they know
I don't want to embarrass them.
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So I think they like it
sometimes when we have.
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company, so to speak.
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Um, you know, we, we, we
tone it down a little bit.
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Um, so when, when you guys walked
in the gym, I'm sure they were
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very happy to see you guys.
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I,
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Aaron: I have terrible hearing, but I, I
thought I heard at the end, the last, the
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last shooter, you said, if you make both
of these, we'll see you back at 4:45PM.
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That, uh, give a little bit of
inspiration and a little bit more
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nervousness to know that if I don't
hit these, we ain't leaving yet.
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Coach Mike Jones: That and I made
sure that that was the freshman.
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Um, you know, I made sure that was Caden.
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Um, you know, he's.
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And he knocked them both down.
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So, hey, that's good to see.
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Um, good for him to show
up in that pressure moment.
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So that when that pressure moment
arrives, when the lights are on, um,
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he's, he's been, you know, for as
much as we can, you know, kind of
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manipulate a situation in practice.
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It's, it's as close as we can get to it.
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Mike: Another thing I wanted to
highlight from the ULM game was
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the big minutes played by Jaden
Johnson and Robert Davis Jr.
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Both over 40 minutes.
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Um, obviously that's a lot to ask of a
freshman and, uh, basically a second year
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player, but they both came and delivered.
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Any thoughts on that?
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Coach Mike Jones: Um, just, you
know, we, we've got guys and again,
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I know, you know, back when we first
got here and, you know, I talked
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about depth and being able to play
multiple guys and things like that.
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And, you know, the plans and the vision
you have don't always happen right away.
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And right now we're not in a
position where we can play.
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Uh, that many guys and they're, you
know, to be as effective as we need to
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be in order to be, to be able to win.
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So, um, you know, the minutes that Jaden
is playing, obviously impacted by emo.
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Um, you know, not being able to play.
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So, you know, his minutes have gone up.
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I think he's done a really good job
of accepting that challenge and, you
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know, staying out of foul trouble
and taking care of his body off the
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court and on off days and things
like that so that he's capable.
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And then Rob, you know, still not
being 100%, you know, what he's doing
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is, It's great to see, but I mean, you
know, all of these guys are doing it.
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Steph is doing it.
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You know, Sean is doing it.
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Big Cal is doing it.
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Um, you know, RJ, you know, is doing it.
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And these, these guys are really
stepping up and taking on the
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challenge of, you know, obviously
shouldering a pretty big load in
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terms of minutes every single night.
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Aaron: Well, let's hit the
elephant in the room because I
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know we've gotten the questions.
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The question from a lot of
fans is Devin didn't play.
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He only had a few minutes the game before.
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We did notice that he had
a brace on his on his foot.
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So I'm assuming that some sort
of injury he's working through.
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Coach Mike Jones: Yes.
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And, you know, I don't want to go
too much into detail with that.
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Just he's not healthy.
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He's not cleared to play.
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Um, you know, we hope he gets better soon.
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Um, he's got some things that he's got,
uh, you know, with doctors and, you
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know, getting some things checked out.
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So, uh, you know, we'll, you
know, just keep our fingers
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crossed and pray for the best.
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But, um, and Devin's been
at every single practice.
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He's, you know, they're
encouraging his teammates.
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So, uh, Whenever he is able to
contribute, he will, um, and but
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for the time being, he's, you know,
trying to help us out in other ways.
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And that's bringing good
energy, uh, from the sideline.
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Aaron: So, in a quick
follow up, uh, I know we.
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I haven't started talking about Virginia
Wesleyan, uh, in depth, but, but Rieco
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played about seven and a half minutes
at the point guard position is, uh, if
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Devin's out for an extended period of
time, do we look to see more of that?
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Or it just depends on the matchups.
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Coach Mike Jones: Yeah, it'll,
it'll, it'll kind of be determined
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by, you know, how things are going.
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Um, you know, we have.
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You know, Rob can play someone,
Sean can play someone, Sean
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can get us into our offense.
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We can get us into our offense.
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So we do have other options, but
Rieco is a natural point guard.
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Um, the Virginia Wesleyan
game gave us an opportunity.
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To get him in in the first half and, you
know, at least see what it looks like.
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If we ever had to do that,
uh, in a Sun Belt game.
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So, um, you could see it, you could see
other guys get, and you could see both,
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you know, we could, you know, Rieco
could get, you know, some minutes here,
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but we can also give some point guard
minutes to some of the other guys as well.
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So, uh, that is the versatility
that we were going to have to have.
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you know, this year, next year,
the year like we have to have that.
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So, but we also, you know, the injury
bug has kind of caused this situation.
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I won't even say it as a negative.
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It's just the situation we're
in and we'll, we'll try to
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make do with what we have.
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Mike: So, uh, I want to, in the past,
we've talked about different players.
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Uh, well, we haven't talked
about Sean Durugordon that much.
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Um, when he came in, everyone knew he was
like a talented scorer in the ISO mold.
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But I don't think any of us expected him
to be this good on the offensive glass.
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Um, has that surprised you?
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Coach Mike Jones: No, not at all.
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I mean, he averaged seven point
something rebounds a game last year.
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Uh, it is some, he has
a knack for the ball.
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Uh, he, he wants to be around,
like he, he's got a nose for it.
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He, he, he knows what he's doing.
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So, um, I, I want to make sure we
acknowledge like Sean, RJ and Steph
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are incredible offensive rebounders.
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And that is something that as they've
done a better job at it, we've had
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the opportunity to be more successful.
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So these are things we're gonna
need to see from them going
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forward and it becomes contagious.
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Um, you know, Vy gets into the
game the other day and immediately
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gets an offensive rebound.
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Like, you know, he's not one of
those guys that I just named, but
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you know, it becomes contagious
guys just chasing the ball down.
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So Um, you know, Sean is definitely,
I mean, I think literally he's like
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ranked in the top 10 in the country
and offensive rebound percentage.
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Um, and one of the highest
in terms of a guard doing it.
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So, um, his, his nose for the ball is
something that is truly valuable to us.
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And, um, we're going to need it.
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We're going to need it.
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Aaron: All right.
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So let's talk about
rebounding a little bit more.
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So obviously you've got.
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Rebounding on the offensive end,
trying to get a second shot.
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And then you've got on the defensive when
we're trying to start our possession.
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I imagine the two are very
different or, or not very different,
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but no different mentalities.
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Can you talk to the fans a little
bit about rebounding overall?
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You talk about , those three being really
good offensive rebounders, but we've been
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talking about rebounding to this point
of the season as an opportunity for us.
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Coach Mike Jones: Yeah, so I
think one of the things that
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people have to remember and it's.
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it's coaching.
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Um, and if you talk to any coach
right now, just like a lot of coaches
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will complain about, you know,
players today don't want to talk.
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Well, players today also
don't like boxing out.
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They just don't.
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It's not, you know, I guess at younger
levels, it's not taught as much anymore.
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And if you were to poll coaches, you
know, that's gonna be in the top five.
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issues that they have.
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Um, having a knack for the ball and boxing
out are two totally different things.
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Um, the guys that a lot of times someone
who's such a great offensive rebounder
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is not a great defensive rebounder
because of the lack of boxing out.
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Um, we've got guys that are good
at one and we've got a couple of
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guys that can be good at both.
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Um, we need to be a much better
defensive rebounding team.
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Um, for the way we play.
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Um, and obviously any team wants to limit
scoring opportunities for their opponents.
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So, um, we're okay, but
we could be a lot better.
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And that is one of the areas that as
the season goes along, we need to keep
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making strides at amongst other things.
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But our defensive rebound of being one of
them and then still to be as you know, you
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call it reckless, just have that reckless
abandon going after offensive rebounds.
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Mike: Now, continuing on this whole
thing of hitting up players that have
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I've been doing some good things lately.
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Cal has been a menace on the blocks.
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Um, he also seems to get, be
looking more and more comfortable
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every game in the offensive set.
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Um, I know he had an off season
surgery or injury and maybe that
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delayed his impact on the game, but
it seems to be growing with each game.
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Coach Mike Jones: Yeah,
he's getting better.
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He's getting more and more
comfortable again, just reminding
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everybody like he didn't play.
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you know, last two years at
Maryland, he did not play.
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Um, you know, he spot minute
here, spot minute there.
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But for the most part, you know,
he went out there, filed a couple
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of guys and came right back out.
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He went out there, gave Julian
Reese a breather and came back out.
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So, you know, this is his first
Time in college basketball, getting
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the minutes that he is getting.
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And I, you know, I'm very
happy with his progress.
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Cal will acknowledge and I
will be the first one to say
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he can get so much better.
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Like there's so many things
that he can get better at, but
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I mean, he's making progress.
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Very happy to have his size.
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Again, you talk about, you
know, national statistics.
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He is you know, in the top 25
nationally in blocked shots.
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Um, you know, he's, he's
doing a really good job.
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His shooting percentage keeps going up.
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You know, you're talking about
guys getting up extra free throws.
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He's always in the gym
shooting free throws.
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Um, you know, he's, he's,
he's working, he's working.
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And if everyone you coach has his type of
work ethic, You, you, you got a chance to
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be really good and, you know, hopefully
we have him around for another year after
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this and he, he will leave his mark on
this program, uh, before he graduates.
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Aaron: You're not kidding about
being out there early last game.
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I was to the Ted almost two and a half
hours before and put two hours and
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15 minutes and he was out there and,
um, and Robert was out there working.
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And then, you know,
everybody else as well.
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But, um,
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Coach Mike Jones: yeah, I'm proud to
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Aaron: realize,
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Coach Mike Jones: yeah,
I'm proud of our guys.
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I mean, literally the work that they
put in, like you can say what you
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want, but you cannot deny that these
guys want to do things the right way.
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Like we finished practice today with
just a, a talk about our fan base with
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a talk about how blessed we are to play.
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at ODU, how blessed we are
to play in the 757 with the
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passion that our fan base has.
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And, you know, every chance I get, I
remind our guys of that because it is
280
:
00:15:03
something that, you know, a lot of other
places you might just overlook that.
281
:
00:15:07
But we are lucky and for our fans to
know that these guys are working really
282
:
00:15:12
hard to, you know, we want to be great.
283
:
00:15:16
We want to be great.
284
:
00:15:17
We want to be great as
soon as we can be great.
285
:
00:15:19
Um, it is a process we have been
patient, but you know, these guys are
286
:
00:15:23
working really hard, really, really,
really hard, um, to, to, to have the
287
:
00:15:28
best season we can this year and to
lay the foundation for what we hope
288
:
00:15:32
will be years and years of success.
289
:
00:15:35
Aaron: You read my mind because
that was the first thing.
290
:
00:15:37
I don't even think you had sat down.
291
:
00:15:40
The post game presseer or the
other day that you made it a
292
:
00:15:43
point to talk about the crowd.
293
:
00:15:46
Coach Mike Jones: I mean, that
was, that was unbelievable.
294
:
00:15:48
That was unbelievable.
295
:
00:15:49
Um, you know, it's, it's
a Christmas break game.
296
:
00:15:53
Like no students are here, like, you
know, a lot of people with family.
297
:
00:15:57
So there's so many other
things you can be doing.
298
:
00:16:00
And I mean, I, my expectation was that
the crowd wasn't going to be great.
299
:
00:16:05
Um, you know, we had just played a
Louisiana Monroe and no offense to
300
:
00:16:08
them, but like, I mean, there was.
301
:
00:16:10
50 people there.
302
:
00:16:11
Um, we don't have to worry about that.
303
:
00:16:16
Like, we don't like our fans
are going to show up for us.
304
:
00:16:19
And like, I mean, come on, like, there's
a lot of places that just can't say that.
305
:
00:16:26
And like, I was just so happy to see.
306
:
00:16:30
how many people were there and
even those that were there to
307
:
00:16:33
root for Virginia Wesleyan.
308
:
00:16:35
It was just an unbelievable
college basketball environment.
309
:
00:16:38
And, uh, again, I'm so
proud to be the ODU coach.
310
:
00:16:42
And again, I'm, I'm busting my ass, man,
to try to make sure that we do everything
311
:
00:16:47
we can to, to, to, to, to make sure our
fan base has something that they deserve.
312
:
00:16:53
Um, and that's a, that's
a winning program.
313
:
00:16:56
Mike: I'm going to back you up on the
fans thing because I saw an update today.
314
:
00:17:00
We are leading the Sun Belt in attendance
again, coming off a seven win year.
315
:
00:17:06
Obviously, you coming in brought some
excitement, but that is a testament
316
:
00:17:10
to our fan base, and we know we can
get better, which is the cool part.
317
:
00:17:14
Like, this isn't our top of
how our fan base should be.
318
:
00:17:18
This is like the low end of our attendance
is she should only go up from here.
319
:
00:17:22
Coach Mike Jones: Well, and I agree
with that, but to be honest with
320
:
00:17:25
you, like the fans can get better.
321
:
00:17:28
Yeah, but we need to
be better on the floor.
322
:
00:17:32
We need to be better.
323
:
00:17:33
We need to make fans excited to
want to come to the games and it's
324
:
00:17:37
not hey, let's go root on our guys.
325
:
00:17:39
Just how about we were excited
to go root on our guys.
326
:
00:17:42
Like this game is going to be exciting.
327
:
00:17:44
This game is going to be like,
you're going to see things.
328
:
00:17:47
And to be honest with you, we are
laying the foundation for that.
329
:
00:17:51
You know, even the games that we have not
won at, at Chartway, you know, you know,
330
:
00:17:55
a one point loss, the first game, an eight
point loss to GW, a four point loss or
331
:
00:18:01
three, whatever it was to Northeastern,
but we're in every single one of those.
332
:
00:18:06
And like I, I love it
like I want some blowouts.
333
:
00:18:10
I want to win by a lot and not have to
worry about it in the last 10 minutes.
334
:
00:18:14
But if every game comes down to
that, like again, I like our chances.
335
:
00:18:18
Our fans are willing us on
our fans are making sure that
336
:
00:18:22
we're going to keep fighting.
337
:
00:18:23
We're not going to quit and our
fans make that a lot easier.
338
:
00:18:27
So, you know, in turn, we got to
be able to reward and, and, and
339
:
00:18:32
represent them the right way.
340
:
00:18:34
And that's, you know, we're going
to continue to work to get better.
341
:
00:18:37
Mike: Well, speaking of blowouts, um,
I'm not sure what was said at halftime
342
:
00:18:42
of the Virginia Wesleyan game, but that's
second half, man, you guys put it on them.
343
:
00:18:47
Coach Mike Jones: Yeah.
344
:
00:18:48
I mean, I, I'm not one of these,
like these guys know, like, uh,
345
:
00:18:55
if I've got their fire and brimstone
speech, we're going to use that
346
:
00:19:00
when we're playing for something
like these guys know, like, I think
347
:
00:19:03
we prepare, um, we work our rear
ends off in terms of film prep and
348
:
00:19:08
scouting reports and things like that.
349
:
00:19:09
Like we, we prepare our guys.
350
:
00:19:11
Um, I don't have to come in at halftime
and custom out or anything like that.
351
:
00:19:18
Um, if I ever do that, they'll
know that I really mean it.
352
:
00:19:23
I, I can't be like that a hundred
percent of the time and it be as
353
:
00:19:27
effective each and every time.
354
:
00:19:28
So, um, you know, I trust that
we're preparing them the right way.
355
:
00:19:33
Um, we're instilling in them the
things that will, you know, last
356
:
00:19:36
no matter who we're playing, where
we're playing, how we're playing.
357
:
00:19:39
But, um, it was just literally
them coming out in the second half.
358
:
00:19:42
And, you know, our
defense was really good.
359
:
00:19:46
And we made shots and it was so great
to see those guys get in at the end.
360
:
00:19:50
Um, the guys that work so
hard, so shout out to them too.
361
:
00:19:56
Aaron: All right.
362
:
00:19:56
So when you have a game like that, and
you've got some breathing space, you're
363
:
00:19:59
able to go deeper into your bench and two
guys that we saw more than we've seen.
364
:
00:20:04
Um, or was Caden and Vy.
365
:
00:20:06
Can you talk to fans a little bit
about those two guys and kind of
366
:
00:20:09
where they are in their progress of
working up to get more on the floor.
367
:
00:20:14
Coach Mike Jones: Yeah, they're
both, they're getting better.
368
:
00:20:16
Um, they're just like the rest of us, like
they're getting better every single day.
369
:
00:20:19
Uh, Caden Diggs, man, like he's, he's,
he's chomping at the bit and had our
370
:
00:20:26
games and the game flow of our games
gone a little bit differently, he would
371
:
00:20:31
have had the opportunity to play more.
372
:
00:20:33
And this is not a knock against Caden,
what I'm about to say, but the games
373
:
00:20:38
were coming down to one possession.
374
:
00:20:40
And like, Literally having the value
each and every possession, like it
375
:
00:20:45
has definitely started their growth
a little bit and, um, for Vy as well,
376
:
00:20:50
but as we're getting more comfortable,
they're able to do more now injuries
377
:
00:20:56
and the way the season goes is also
providing more of an opportunity for them.
378
:
00:21:01
Um, and as we go through
some belt play and.
379
:
00:21:04
Yeah, I think both of those guys
are getting well, well rehearsed
380
:
00:21:09
and what Sun Belt and how
physical college basketball is.
381
:
00:21:12
Um, you know, they'll have opportunities
for their minutes to increase.
382
:
00:21:16
Um, and, and I'm looking forward,
looking forward to that because they
383
:
00:21:20
both can help us win some games.
384
:
00:21:22
And again, they're freshmen, they're
freshmen, they're in a different
385
:
00:21:27
circumstance, if this was year three,
a freshman maybe gets to play through
386
:
00:21:32
some of the mistakes a little bit
more because he's got four guys around
387
:
00:21:37
him that truly know what is expected
and how I want it done this year.
388
:
00:21:42
Just, it's been different.
389
:
00:21:44
And it's not fair, but
it's just, it's reality.
390
:
00:21:49
So, but I've tried to stay in
both of those guys ears, letting
391
:
00:21:53
them know that, hey, just keep
working, keep working, keep working.
392
:
00:21:56
Their attitudes are great.
393
:
00:21:58
Their attitudes are unbelievable.
394
:
00:21:59
Um, and again, their, their day is coming.
395
:
00:22:02
They both got to play a
little bit more last game.
396
:
00:22:05
I don't see any reason why that
won't continue going forward.
397
:
00:22:09
Mike: All right.
398
:
00:22:10
A couple episodes ago, we talked
about, um, how you're, Teaching the
399
:
00:22:14
concepts you're trying to install
and how you're going to break it down
400
:
00:22:19
to more like simple steps, learning
one part of the concept until they
401
:
00:22:23
can figure out the entire concept.
402
:
00:22:26
And if we looked at game one versus
the last couple of games, the
403
:
00:22:30
offense looks completely different.
404
:
00:22:32
Because of that, I think, um,
how is, how far along are we in
405
:
00:22:37
installing the entire offense?
406
:
00:22:39
Is there a lot more to go?
407
:
00:22:40
Or, um, I'm just interested because it
is much more like, I'm not trying to
408
:
00:22:47
be hard on you, but the team basketball
is clearly growing each game and it's,
409
:
00:22:52
it's, it's, it's, it's good to see.
410
:
00:22:54
Coach Mike Jones: Yeah, I laugh because
uh, it's the head coach's dilemma.
411
:
00:23:00
It's I want to do all of these things.
412
:
00:23:04
I want to do all these things that I
think are cool and these are the way
413
:
00:23:07
this is the way kids want to play.
414
:
00:23:10
Like this is exciting and you
know, we can throw this live
415
:
00:23:12
and get a dunk in the crowd.
416
:
00:23:13
Like I've got all these
things that I want to do.
417
:
00:23:19
But then you have to decide what can you
do and what can you do to be effective?
418
:
00:23:22
And it is the internal
struggle that I go through.
419
:
00:23:26
I've gone through it for 25 years.
420
:
00:23:29
Um, and it takes my staff to pull me back
sometimes like, hey, hey, hey, coach.
421
:
00:23:37
So, um, so that's why I'm laughing
because, I mean, this is literally
422
:
00:23:41
a I won't say daily, but a weekly
conversation, uh, we are getting better.
423
:
00:23:47
Uh, we are deeper into the
playbook, but we have so much more.
424
:
00:23:53
Um, it is, there are so many things that
I think we're going to be capable to do.
425
:
00:23:59
There's, I mean, you gotta remember
too, like some of it is personnel based.
426
:
00:24:03
Some of it is based upon.
427
:
00:24:07
The health of your team.
428
:
00:24:09
Um, and you know, I, I think there's
some things that I like to do right now
429
:
00:24:14
that I can't do until we have a full
roster of exactly what we want, but
430
:
00:24:19
I love the players we have and we're
tweaking what we would like to do.
431
:
00:24:25
to what we can do, what this team can do.
432
:
00:24:29
Um, and I think it is showing its
versatility, but there's so much
433
:
00:24:33
more that we'd like to do and we
will be able to do in the future.
434
:
00:24:38
Aaron: All right.
435
:
00:24:39
So in a couple of days, Arkansas
State is coming in a state.
436
:
00:24:42
They're 10 and three really good team.
437
:
00:24:45
They, you know, narrowly lost number
two Alabama earlier this year.
438
:
00:24:49
They beat Memphis ranked Memphis team.
439
:
00:24:52
I know that you've been watching Lots
of, I guess it wouldn't be film now.
440
:
00:24:56
I don't know.
441
:
00:24:57
Watching electronic media on these guys.
442
:
00:25:00
Um, can you talk to the fans a little
bit about a state and what they're
443
:
00:25:05
going to see when these guys come in?
444
:
00:25:07
Coach Mike Jones: Yeah.
445
:
00:25:07
I mean, they're tough.
446
:
00:25:08
They're very well coached.
447
:
00:25:09
They play really, really hard.
448
:
00:25:11
Um, they've got a little
bit of everything.
449
:
00:25:14
Uh, they've got shooters.
450
:
00:25:15
They've got guys that drive the
ball and finish their athletic.
451
:
00:25:18
They, they're very, uh, disciplined on
the defensive end in terms of, just their
452
:
00:25:25
physicality and, and, and like they're,
they're united, they're connected.
453
:
00:25:30
Um, I'm proud of our team and where we've
come and I am looking forward to Thursday.
454
:
00:25:38
We get a chance to, I mean, I called him,
I think I called him the big bad wolf and
455
:
00:25:44
you know, I know that That's their mascot.
456
:
00:25:46
And I didn't mean it, you
know, any derogatory way.
457
:
00:25:51
But I mean, they're, they're, they're
picked to win the conference and we have
458
:
00:25:56
aspirations and, you know, to be able
to go against them on our home floor.
459
:
00:26:01
Uh, I'm looking forward to Thursday.
460
:
00:26:03
I just, we have one more day to prep
and, uh, we'll be ready to get after it.
461
:
00:26:07
Um, I hope that we do everything we can
to make the game as good as it should be.
462
:
00:26:12
Mike: Saturday.
463
:
00:26:13
We host Southern Miss who, uh,
they are one of the conference
464
:
00:26:18
favorites leading into the season,
but they've struggled lately.
465
:
00:26:21
Uh, what can you tell us?
466
:
00:26:22
I mean, I don't think you've looked at
them yet, but, uh, what can you tell
467
:
00:26:27
us what you know about this program?
468
:
00:26:29
Coach Mike Jones: So, uh, I actually did
get a chance to watch them last night
469
:
00:26:34
because they played on TV last night.
470
:
00:26:36
So in my preparation, I had Arkansas State
on my laptop and Southern Miss on TV.
471
:
00:26:43
So I got to watch a little bit of them.
472
:
00:26:44
And I think the biggest thing with
them is Andre Cabello, first preseason,
473
:
00:26:49
first team, all league member had
not played Since maybe the 3rd or
474
:
00:26:53
4th game of the season and last
night he played for the 1st time.
475
:
00:26:57
So, um, they were missing him for
almost 10 games, if not a little
476
:
00:27:01
bit more than that, and he's back.
477
:
00:27:03
So, um, you know, they were 1 of the
preseason favorites for a reason.
478
:
00:27:07
He was a huge part of that.
479
:
00:27:09
And now that he's back and healthy
and playing, um, he does provide
480
:
00:27:13
a definitely a, a different.
481
:
00:27:15
Southern Miss team because he's
because he's active and available.
482
:
00:27:20
Aaron: So I just want to take
a quick step back, Coach.
483
:
00:27:25
It's OK to call him the big bad wolf
because I don't know if this is true
484
:
00:27:29
or not, but I'm going to say it's true.
485
:
00:27:32
It's I'm a Washington Commanders fan.
486
:
00:27:34
I haven't had a lot to
cheer for over those.
487
:
00:27:37
a long time.
488
:
00:27:39
I don't like the team name.
489
:
00:27:41
And when they were trying to figure
out what they were gonna call
490
:
00:27:44
him, Red Wolves was an option.
491
:
00:27:46
Coach Mike Jones: Yes, true.
492
:
00:27:48
That is.
493
:
00:27:48
Aaron: Yes.
494
:
00:27:49
And I don't know if this is true, but I
heard I don't know where I heard it, but
495
:
00:27:54
I heard that it was a trademark issue that
kept that from being seriously considered.
496
:
00:28:00
So To me, they are the big bad
wolves because they, they, my
497
:
00:28:04
team has got a crappy name now.
498
:
00:28:06
Coach Mike Jones: Yeah.
499
:
00:28:06
Yeah.
500
:
00:28:07
So, um, I was actually, I'm a
huge Commanders fan as well.
501
:
00:28:11
Um, and I didn't even mind the whole
Washington Football Team thing.
502
:
00:28:16
Like I didn't mind it at all.
503
:
00:28:17
So, um, I'm with you on that
and you know, quick side note.
504
:
00:28:20
So I played in North Dakota.
505
:
00:28:23
for the Dakota Wizards.
506
:
00:28:25
Um, they were the Wizards before the
Washington Wizards were the Wizards and
507
:
00:28:30
a similar situation where there were
trademark issues that I guess at the time
508
:
00:28:35
Abe Pollin and his company paid the money
to be able to have the Wizards as a name.
509
:
00:28:41
Um, so, you know, like I said, I
played on the original Wizards, um,
510
:
00:28:45
team, but, uh, So, yeah, I, I've
been on the other side of that before
511
:
00:28:52
Mike: next time.
512
:
00:28:52
You can just say I played for the
Wizards and not add any context to it.
513
:
00:28:59
Coach Mike Jones: I don't do that.
514
:
00:28:59
I actually had a couple of
coffee with the Indiana Pacers.
515
:
00:29:03
I'm very proud of that.
516
:
00:29:05
Um, but yeah, I'm not, I'm
not going to be out here.
517
:
00:29:09
Mike: Well, it's not fibbing.
518
:
00:29:10
It's the truth.
519
:
00:29:11
It's just misleading a little bit.
520
:
00:29:14
Uh, coach, we appreciate
your time tonight.
521
:
00:29:17
Uh, we, we can't wait for this week.
522
:
00:29:19
Two games at Chartway Arena, both
conference foes, both talented teams.
523
:
00:29:24
Uh, excited to see what
we can do against them.
524
:
00:29:27
Uh, get out to Chartway, root on the
Monarchs and have a happy new year.
525
:
00:29:32
Thanks again, coach.
526
:
00:29:34
Coach Mike Jones: Yeah.
527
:
00:29:34
Appreciate it.
528
:
00:29:34
Happy new year to Monarch Nation.
529
:
00:29:36
And, uh, you know, we'd love
to see you guys out Thursday.
530
:
00:29:40
Um, most important game on our schedule.
531
:
00:29:42
And then if you ask me on
Friday, Saturday, Is the most
532
:
00:29:45
important game on our schedule.
533
:
00:29:46
Um, we do need Monarch Nation.
534
:
00:29:48
We are so happy and blessed to
be able to represent you guys.
535
:
00:29:52
But, uh, having you guys in the building
this weekend would be tremendous.
536
:
00:29:57
Go monarchs,
537
:
00:29:58
Aaron: Go Monarchs!
538
:
00:30:00
Mike: Go Monarchs, join The Pride of ODU.