Nebraska Coach Fred Hoiberg
Opening statement
“I was really pleased with our overall effort tonight. I thought guys came out and played the right way for the most part played extremely hard. It is what we were looking for out of this game was to come out and really try to establish ourselves on the defensive end. I thought we had some really key moments out there when Denim (Dawson) came in the game and Juwan (Gary) came in the game. Just all over the place and all over the glass picking up full court. Emmanuel (Bandoumel) was huge in that as well after a tough start offensively. We did not shoot the ball well although we kept that about as basic as you possibly can. For this game what we were looking to get out of it I thought we accomplished. Playing with great effort and having some good solid sustained defensive possessions. I thought the run that Chadron went on to start the second half was good. I thought the guys stayed together through that adversity which you have to have and then went on two big runs I think 13-2 and 21-0 in the second half to really open it up. So we are really pleased with the effort. We have plenty to clean up which we will get back to this week heading into our next opportunity against Colorado and hopefully be where we need to be when we open up on the seventh.”
On the struggles with shooting and defensive effort
“It certainly been the message early on in the season especially when that ball is not going in the hoop you have to find a way to string together stops and I thought what that did is it got us out in transition and then the second-chance points we got was a great sign. I talked about changing our philosophy on the offensive glass just based on personnel. I think you saw some of that tonight, but you have to get stops. I thought (Sam) Griesel was phenomenal all game long. I think that is what you are going to see out of him as a stat-sheet stuffer all season long. We were efficient besides shooting the ball from the three-point line. I thought in transition we were pretty good.”
On Juwan Gary
“Juwan was all over the place. I am proud of him for his overall mentality of coming in the game and being a difference maker and a guy that can completely change the pace and the fabric of the game based on effort. His athleticism certainly showed but like I said, he and Denim (Dawson) I thought were terrific as far as changing the overall pace and getting into the ball and certainly giving us some opportunity. It was good to see Juwan (Gary) continue to shoot the open ones. They were playing way off of him. He has worked extremely hard on his three-point shot. We have looked at a lot of things from Alabama and he had a big shift on his left side. He has really worked on his balance, and he shot the ball very well especially on his open three-point looks so it is good to see him knock a couple of those down.”
Nebraska Forward Derrick Walker:
On adjusting to the game
“It was our first time playing with each other against somebody else. To go out guns blazing, that’s what we wanted to do, but we needed to settle into the game. There’s a lot of pregame jitters, and for a lot of people that was their first game in PBA. Getting the jitters out was the biggest thing for our group, we just had to settle into the game.”0
On the team’s energy and togetherness:
“This team is amazing Everyone was standing because we were so happy for each other. We gel well together. To see our other guys get into the game, we got a team that everyone can be in the rotation or start. Knowing that everyone is bought in and playing together and happy for each other, that’s our thing right now, we are all happy. We can’t wait to put on a show for PBA and play for each other.”
Nebraska Guard Sam Griesel:
On the slow start to both halves:
“It’s just part of basketball. It’s a game of runs, obviously. In the second half we didn’t start the way we wanted to. I think coach said we went on a 21-0 run, so that’s basketball. Believing in your teammates. We have a really together group. I was talking to Derrick at the end of the game there, I love playing with these guys. When we can rely on each other and maybe we aren’t executing as we should be or shots aren’t falling, we have that trust built in and it showed today.”
On Juwan Gary’s performance:
“I think at some points they kind of guarded him disrespectfully based on his talent level. We have the utmost confidence in his shot making ability, and if teams are going to guard him like that, we will feed him. He brings that dog mentality, and that showed tonight on the offensive boards. He’s a really confident player and coming off the bench he brings a certain level of juice with his game and that is very infectious for the rest of us.”
On his first game at PBA:
“I’ve been waiting for this day for a very long time. I didn’t sleep very well last night. I am just kind of glad we got the jitters out. Like Derrick said, to play against someone else. At the end of the day, it is just a basketball game, and it is important for a lot of guys to remember that.”
