Colorado University Athletics

PATTON PREVIEWS UPCOMING SEASON

PATTON PREVIEWS UPCOMING SEASON

Head men's basketball coach Ricardo Patton and the 2003-04 team previewed the upcoming season with their annual media day. Below are excerpts from the press conferences:

 

Colorado Head Coach Ricardo Patton

ON A REPEAT TOURNAMENT APPEARANCE: “From day one when we started preseason conditioning in August our theme with the 6 a.m. practices was that we needed to do more to have the same success that we had last season. As coaches, we have to be smarter, we have to work harder.”

“Our coaching is getting better this year. There’s not so much ranting and raving. With the young guys we had to get the message through madness last year, now there’s less madness.”

 

ON BEING A TARGET: “No team is going to have trouble getting ready to play us. We’re supposed to be somebody and with that, we’re going to have everybody’s best shot. I’ve always said it’s harder to stay good than to get good. " It’s really important to understand that we have to be willing to work harder.”

 

ON REPLACING F STEPHANE PELLE: “At the beginning of the season we had to ask the question who is going to replace Stephane Pelle. He was a major piece of the puzzle last year and somebody has to step up and take his place. At this point, we’re still looking.”

“You know, with this group, I think it’s going to be a couple of different guys. Lamar Harris has showed ability to rebound on the level of Stephane, but he doesn’t have the offense, but Chris Copeland has that offense. You put them together and you can come up with one Pelle. We just ask anyone and everyone to do their best.”

 

ON SEASON’S GOALS: “At the end of the year, we want to be back in the tournament and then try to take it a step further, not losing in the first round. That’s the low goal ? to get back and do better than we did last year.”

 

ON THE POINT GUARD POSITION: “I think everybody starts playing a couple of point guards at the beginning of the season. Certainly, Antoine McGee can’t play the whole game. I think Marcus Hall will split minutes. " The experience that McGee got last year starting all year has really paid off. I think in Marcus Hall, we’ve seen steady progress everyday and at some point, he can challenge for a starting rule. I think that’s healthy competition for us.”

 

ON G MARCUS HALL: “He’s got a good feel for the came. He came out of high school putting up good numbers. He was the leading scorer in high school in the state of Texas, but that has not shown yet. I think right now, he’s learning to lead a team of veteran players. I think we’ll see him do the same things he’s done in high school he’ll do at this level.”

 

ON G ANTOINE McGEE: “We want him to be more of a threat on the offensive end. The biggest thing is that his defense has picked up. We had a great practice this morning, and the point guards were really going at each other. I think one time down the court, Marcus Hall stole the ball and then next time Antoine McGee stole the ball. I think he has a good fee for what we’re trying to do.

 

ON C DAVID HARRISON: “One of the things that we talked about after the season last year and that we have worked on in practice is maintaining concentration and not losing his head. He’s not a help on the bench or in the locker room, We need him in the game, so he can’t lose it if a call doesn’t go his way. " He’s starting to understand the game better. From a physical standpoint, I’d like to see him run the floor a little bit more.”

 

ON HOME-COURT ADVANTAGE: “We’ve made this a very difficult place to come and play. It wasn’t like that before last year and I think it will be the same this year. I don’t see why it wouldn’t be that way again. I think the fans really became a sixth man and our guys really fed off the crowd.

 

ON THE BIG 12: “I think the Big 12 overall will be better because you look at all the teams at the bottom and all of us are getting better. K-State is a team that’s really trying to get to the tournament. Texas A&M had the freshman of the year last year, and they’ve got a bunch of guys to build around them.

 

 

Colorado Players

 

C DAVID HARRISON

ON RETURNING FOR HIS JUNIOR SEASON:  “It felt right coming back.  We were all supposed to be better.  Not many players have as three talented players as Blair (Wilson), Michel (Morandais) and myself are.  I thought with the three of us and the return of some other players that we could take this program somewhere.”

ON ROAD GAMES:  “I think we are going to show we are a better road team.  It’s really hard to go in someone else’s arena, shoot with their balls on their rims and be able to beat them.  I always enjoy playing Kansas?more there than at home.  It’s always fun to play on the same court as Wilt Chamberlain and other legends.  There is more tradition there and I love the hostility.  Not so much from the players, I am cool with most of them, but from the fans.  Their fans are there a night before games just for the opportunity to get a ticket.  It would be nice to see that at Colorado.”

ON THIS SEASON:  “Players have lofty goals and coaches have realistic ones.  I really think we have a chance to win either the Big 12 regular season championship or the Big 12 Tournament.  Not many people around the league like us.  Well, other fans love us, but they just love to boo us.  I don’t think many teams think we deserve to go to the NCAA Tournament and we want to prove them wrong.”

ON THE BIG 12 CONFERENCE:  “You can’t name three big name centers in any other conference, nor can you name wings that are that are as good as ones in our conference.  Here (Big 12 Conference) we have players from every position that are talented.  I don’t mean to look down on other conferences, but you won’t find that many talented players at every position.  In this conference, you have to bring it every night or you will lose.  We are developing to be the toughest conference in the nation?we are definitely the most physical.”

ON THE HOME CROWD:  “Teams like Kansas have good since the 1950s and we are just starting something here.  They sell out every game, even exhibitions.  If we could look up to the stands and see a huge crowd for the Regis game (Exhibition game on Nov. 11), then we know we are starting something.  We need to start selling out exhibition games as much as regular season games.”

 

F BLAIR WILSON

ON PERSONAL IMPROVEMENT: “I did a lot of work with the strength coach and worked on being in better shape. I realize I am not the most talented on the floor, so I need to be in the best shape physically. Individually I need to shoot the ball better, I would like to improve my shooting percentage from last year. I need to be there in posting, rebounding, and shooting.”

ON INDIVIDUAL GOALS: “I would like to break the school record for three’s and just improve on all aspects of the game.”

ON TEAM GOALS: “I would like to compete for the Big 12 Championship Title. I will be disappointed if we are not in the running and it doesn’t matter what the media or coaches’ poll believes, we believe it as a team.”

ON WHICH PLAYER WILL STEP UP: “Chris Copeland has the opportunity to step in with Stephane leaving.”

 

F CHRIS COPELAND

ON COACH PATTON AND TEAM: “He is establishing a foundation and bringing in guys to continue a winning record. He’s bringing in talent to continue that.”

ON A TEAM WANTING TO PLAY: “I am looking forward to playing Richmond. I went to high school out there, was recruited by them, and know a lot of the players, so I am pretty excited.”

ON PERSONAL GOALS: “I just want to chip in and help do what Steph (Pelle) did. We have a lot of talent with Blair, David, and Michel, and I just want to help out.”

ON PERSONAL IMPROVEMENT: “My strength has improved a lot. I am a lot stronger and faster and overall just athletically a lot better.”                                                                                                   I

 

F MICHEL MORANDAIS

ON HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: “We had a good run at home last year and I don’t see any reason why we can’t do it again this year.”

ON LAST YEAR’S INJURY: “Last year I sprained my ankle against Baylor and that slowed me down for pretty much the rest of the season. I wasn’t really myself again until the Michigan State game.”

ON HIS DEFENSE: “Right now we are just practicing together and haven’t played any games yet, so I won’t really know until we play our first game. Defense is important but you have got to score points to win.”

ON PLAYING A DIFFERENT ROLE: “I’ve been asked to put on a different hat so many times since I have been here. I don’t mind taking a different role because it makes me more versatile.”

ON OFFENSIVE GAME: “I’ve got to improve my game in areas like my outside shot, but I still need to be able to get to the rack and finish over people and get to the foul line.”