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Princeton University Athletics
Myles Stephens, Amir Bell and Mitch Henderson were among the Tigers meeting the media.
Quotes: Men's Basketball Meets the Media
November 02, 2017 | Men's Basketball
The Princeton men's basketball team met the local media Thursday for its annual media day, which comes 10 days before the Tigers open the 2017-18 season at Butler.
Check out the full video above, and quotes are available below.
Head coach Mitch Henderson:
I think the guys and myself and the staff are starting to feel ready to go. It's time to play somebody else that's wearing a different color jersey and to get into that, so I'm excited about it.
A lot of the leadership is right here (with Myles Stephens, Amir Bell and Devin Cannady) and we have a senior class of four, and the expectation is that they would bring the level up and they would bring the rest of the group with them. I think that they've been doing that, and it's just about doing it every day. We lost a lot of minutes, but we have – it's a different kind of a team, but I think we could be equally as good if not better in some areas, including defensively.
In terms of the strength, I think we're a little bit further ahead than we were a year ago defensively, and then the schedule is so challenging, we really challenged ourselves, put ourselves out there in terms of, I think, with this group, you can do it. We'll find out really quickly if we're as far ahead as we think we are. I think Myles – and these guys understand this too – but Myles is able to guard other teams' best players, and that gives you an opportunity to be in any game because everybody's got really good players and then the other two guys here have so much experience on the defensive end. Our goals are where they've always been – we've got to defend and make sure we're making each other better on each possession, and I'm encouraged. I really like what we're seeing.
We recruit guys that can play lots of different positions. … We're going to post up everybody. Maybe not Devin, as much, but everybody wants to play in the post. When the rubber hits the road and we really start to get in the thick of it, Myles, Will (Gladson), Alec (Brennan), we have some freshmen that are very good in the post. I think Amir is going to have some advantages down there. We like to go inside and out.
On freshman Elijah Barnes
He's very athletic an he can put himself in different kinds of positions on the court. We've had success with guys at his size. He also can shoot. He's coming out of a little bit of an injury, so we haven't seen him as much as we'd like, but I think he has the potential to be a very high-level defender, and also making shots from the perimeter. I'm really excited about getting him involved.
As far as freshmen go, it's as good of a group as we've had since I've been here, and we've had some really great groups, but as a whole, what I like about what they're doing is, they've made themselves coachable. They're listening, they're asking for input from these guys, which is all you can ask for. You don't know everything yet, and they want what these guys have and they're willing to go through that together as a group. You've got to be vulnerable in that process. I think all of them are going to be helpful. Ryan Schwieger, Jerome Desrosiers, Sebastian Much, Elijah Barnes, who we talked about, and Charlie Bagin, it's a good group.
On opening with Butler and BYU
We wanted to be challenged. Last year, we played a difficult schedule, and this is even more difficult. I think it's one of the most difficult schedules we've played in over 20 years. Non-conference, we're on the road in some really difficult places to play. But, it'll come down to the same things that it always comes down to. You've got to take care of the ball, especially on the road. We lost a really difficult game at BYU to open up last year, so we're happy to have them back here. You've got to make shots when you're open, and get really good shots. We've talked about this a lot. This is a goal of ours, is to use, obviously, the non-conference season as an opportunity to get better do prepare us for the league, but this group has bigger goals in mind, which I really like.
I had lots of thoughts going into last season (on playing time) and it changed completely in the middle of December. All of the sudden, we're a completely different group, we have a shorter rotation. What I learned from a year ago is you don't make your mind up (ahead of time). Watching and seeing what you really are now, I think there's a lot of pieces, and I'm looking forward to it, but all that I'm focused on at this point is, can we have another good practice tomorrow and how do we respond to having a couple of good practices in a row?
Junior forward Myles Stephens:
We're returning us three and then we have a lot of young guys on the team that I think are going to contribute and play significant minutes, and then a lot of sophomores that hadn't really played. I like the direction things are going right now. We're just pulling guys along, getting them used to how we know how to play and how we want to imprint games, so I like the way things are going.
I try to approach every season the same with different goals in mind. In terms of the offseason, working hard, just working on different things. l think I can improve little things, still working on my shot, ball handling, and one big thing is just making sure (about) the leadership coming from us three, so that's definitely one thing I'm working on, on-court leadership. And then, just trying to do the things that will help the team win, so defensively, whatever I can do guarding the best player, offensively, if it's getting in the post or getting Devin shots, setting screens for him, setting drag screens for Amir, whatever it is, just help the team win, that's what I'm trying to do.
The pressure (to lead the team), it may or may not be there, but at the end of the day, it's just a game, we're just playing basketball, and when you're playing, you're just locked in and all that goes away.
On having several players on the roster from New Jersey
Just having places to go on breaks, like going home for Thanksgiving, your (Bell's) house, my house, family coming to games that are local or in New York or Philly. It's nice just to have a bunch of guys that are from the area on the team.
Senior guard Amir Bell:
It's going well so far. As (Myles) said, we've got some young guys, but its up to us to lead, show them that experience. We've had a good start and it's just (about) getting better each day and trusting the process.
On having several players on the roster from New Jersey
There's a bunch of Jersey pride, especially coming from us two (Stephens and Bell), so it's always nice, be able to play in the state you grew up and represent New Jersey. Hopefully it keeps going on for a couple more years, but, yeah, it's great.
On Stephens and Cannady
They've had tremendous growth. Myles, as we saw last year in the Ivy Tournament and just throughout the whole Ivy League season, he's an incredible defender, great offensively, he can score inside and out. And then Devin, he's just an explosive threat. He's been getting so much better defensively and as a leader. I just love watching them grow and it's great having them with me in leadership and they've been a great help. With these two, I feel like I'm really confident, especially knowing that they're going to have my back and that they're going to lead the team to where we need to be.
Junior guard Devin Cannady:
On the NCAA Tournament loss to Notre Dame
I think the guys at this table, we remember the whole game. I specifically remember the shot and that's just been fuel to the fire in the offseason, and coming into this year, knowing where we've been and we were one shot away, one play away, so the goal is to get back there to win games in the tournament. But that's definitely just been motivation in the offseason.
On his growth as a player
I think for me, primarily it's the mental side of the game. I'm an upperclassman now, we had senior leadership that went out the door, and so for me, as a guard, I know I can knock down shots and that's my bread and butter, but for me defensively, being focused, making sure we're locked in, making sure that we're getting the best shot, not turning the ball over on offense, and primarily, with the offseason, we have 10 days left until we're playing another team, just make sure we're focused, and whatever way I can lead to do that, so that's kind of where my focus has been.
On being among the team's leaders now as a junior
I don't think, for Myles and I, it's pressure at all. Honestly, we're stepping in a role, that, as juniors, where we see that our actions on the court, how we play, we give max effort every practice, and I think that in itself is the kind of leadership, and that's something that we've grown together learning how to do. We came in here as freshmen not knowing anything, the Princeton Offense, all I'd done is pick-and-rolls and shoot threes, and now we're cutting and moving the ball. We both were learning that as freshmen. As sophomores, we both took on different roles and expanded those roles, and now we're leaders. The three of us are captains, and our focus is getting better every day, defensively, staying together as a team and in 10 days we'll see what kind of product we can produce.
On the Nov. 12 season-opening game at Butler
I'm looking forward to getting a chance to get back to the Midwest, get back home. I know Coach Henderson is excited. Regardless of whether we're playing in Indianapolis, here or anywhere, we're just focused on playing the best basketball we can for 40 minutes and then we'll evaluate it afterwards. Are we playing the best brand of basketball that Princeton basketball brings, or is Butler dictating the game for us? It's a Big East team, it's back home, I know I'll have a lot of fans there … There's going to be a lot of fans, a lot of alums, we're just looking forward to just playing Princeton basketball.
Check out the full video above, and quotes are available below.
Head coach Mitch Henderson:
I think the guys and myself and the staff are starting to feel ready to go. It's time to play somebody else that's wearing a different color jersey and to get into that, so I'm excited about it.
A lot of the leadership is right here (with Myles Stephens, Amir Bell and Devin Cannady) and we have a senior class of four, and the expectation is that they would bring the level up and they would bring the rest of the group with them. I think that they've been doing that, and it's just about doing it every day. We lost a lot of minutes, but we have – it's a different kind of a team, but I think we could be equally as good if not better in some areas, including defensively.
In terms of the strength, I think we're a little bit further ahead than we were a year ago defensively, and then the schedule is so challenging, we really challenged ourselves, put ourselves out there in terms of, I think, with this group, you can do it. We'll find out really quickly if we're as far ahead as we think we are. I think Myles – and these guys understand this too – but Myles is able to guard other teams' best players, and that gives you an opportunity to be in any game because everybody's got really good players and then the other two guys here have so much experience on the defensive end. Our goals are where they've always been – we've got to defend and make sure we're making each other better on each possession, and I'm encouraged. I really like what we're seeing.
We recruit guys that can play lots of different positions. … We're going to post up everybody. Maybe not Devin, as much, but everybody wants to play in the post. When the rubber hits the road and we really start to get in the thick of it, Myles, Will (Gladson), Alec (Brennan), we have some freshmen that are very good in the post. I think Amir is going to have some advantages down there. We like to go inside and out.
On freshman Elijah Barnes
He's very athletic an he can put himself in different kinds of positions on the court. We've had success with guys at his size. He also can shoot. He's coming out of a little bit of an injury, so we haven't seen him as much as we'd like, but I think he has the potential to be a very high-level defender, and also making shots from the perimeter. I'm really excited about getting him involved.
As far as freshmen go, it's as good of a group as we've had since I've been here, and we've had some really great groups, but as a whole, what I like about what they're doing is, they've made themselves coachable. They're listening, they're asking for input from these guys, which is all you can ask for. You don't know everything yet, and they want what these guys have and they're willing to go through that together as a group. You've got to be vulnerable in that process. I think all of them are going to be helpful. Ryan Schwieger, Jerome Desrosiers, Sebastian Much, Elijah Barnes, who we talked about, and Charlie Bagin, it's a good group.
On opening with Butler and BYU
We wanted to be challenged. Last year, we played a difficult schedule, and this is even more difficult. I think it's one of the most difficult schedules we've played in over 20 years. Non-conference, we're on the road in some really difficult places to play. But, it'll come down to the same things that it always comes down to. You've got to take care of the ball, especially on the road. We lost a really difficult game at BYU to open up last year, so we're happy to have them back here. You've got to make shots when you're open, and get really good shots. We've talked about this a lot. This is a goal of ours, is to use, obviously, the non-conference season as an opportunity to get better do prepare us for the league, but this group has bigger goals in mind, which I really like.
I had lots of thoughts going into last season (on playing time) and it changed completely in the middle of December. All of the sudden, we're a completely different group, we have a shorter rotation. What I learned from a year ago is you don't make your mind up (ahead of time). Watching and seeing what you really are now, I think there's a lot of pieces, and I'm looking forward to it, but all that I'm focused on at this point is, can we have another good practice tomorrow and how do we respond to having a couple of good practices in a row?
Junior forward Myles Stephens:
We're returning us three and then we have a lot of young guys on the team that I think are going to contribute and play significant minutes, and then a lot of sophomores that hadn't really played. I like the direction things are going right now. We're just pulling guys along, getting them used to how we know how to play and how we want to imprint games, so I like the way things are going.
I try to approach every season the same with different goals in mind. In terms of the offseason, working hard, just working on different things. l think I can improve little things, still working on my shot, ball handling, and one big thing is just making sure (about) the leadership coming from us three, so that's definitely one thing I'm working on, on-court leadership. And then, just trying to do the things that will help the team win, so defensively, whatever I can do guarding the best player, offensively, if it's getting in the post or getting Devin shots, setting screens for him, setting drag screens for Amir, whatever it is, just help the team win, that's what I'm trying to do.
The pressure (to lead the team), it may or may not be there, but at the end of the day, it's just a game, we're just playing basketball, and when you're playing, you're just locked in and all that goes away.
On having several players on the roster from New Jersey
Just having places to go on breaks, like going home for Thanksgiving, your (Bell's) house, my house, family coming to games that are local or in New York or Philly. It's nice just to have a bunch of guys that are from the area on the team.
Senior guard Amir Bell:
It's going well so far. As (Myles) said, we've got some young guys, but its up to us to lead, show them that experience. We've had a good start and it's just (about) getting better each day and trusting the process.
On having several players on the roster from New Jersey
There's a bunch of Jersey pride, especially coming from us two (Stephens and Bell), so it's always nice, be able to play in the state you grew up and represent New Jersey. Hopefully it keeps going on for a couple more years, but, yeah, it's great.
On Stephens and Cannady
They've had tremendous growth. Myles, as we saw last year in the Ivy Tournament and just throughout the whole Ivy League season, he's an incredible defender, great offensively, he can score inside and out. And then Devin, he's just an explosive threat. He's been getting so much better defensively and as a leader. I just love watching them grow and it's great having them with me in leadership and they've been a great help. With these two, I feel like I'm really confident, especially knowing that they're going to have my back and that they're going to lead the team to where we need to be.
Junior guard Devin Cannady:
On the NCAA Tournament loss to Notre Dame
I think the guys at this table, we remember the whole game. I specifically remember the shot and that's just been fuel to the fire in the offseason, and coming into this year, knowing where we've been and we were one shot away, one play away, so the goal is to get back there to win games in the tournament. But that's definitely just been motivation in the offseason.
On his growth as a player
I think for me, primarily it's the mental side of the game. I'm an upperclassman now, we had senior leadership that went out the door, and so for me, as a guard, I know I can knock down shots and that's my bread and butter, but for me defensively, being focused, making sure we're locked in, making sure that we're getting the best shot, not turning the ball over on offense, and primarily, with the offseason, we have 10 days left until we're playing another team, just make sure we're focused, and whatever way I can lead to do that, so that's kind of where my focus has been.
On being among the team's leaders now as a junior
I don't think, for Myles and I, it's pressure at all. Honestly, we're stepping in a role, that, as juniors, where we see that our actions on the court, how we play, we give max effort every practice, and I think that in itself is the kind of leadership, and that's something that we've grown together learning how to do. We came in here as freshmen not knowing anything, the Princeton Offense, all I'd done is pick-and-rolls and shoot threes, and now we're cutting and moving the ball. We both were learning that as freshmen. As sophomores, we both took on different roles and expanded those roles, and now we're leaders. The three of us are captains, and our focus is getting better every day, defensively, staying together as a team and in 10 days we'll see what kind of product we can produce.
On the Nov. 12 season-opening game at Butler
I'm looking forward to getting a chance to get back to the Midwest, get back home. I know Coach Henderson is excited. Regardless of whether we're playing in Indianapolis, here or anywhere, we're just focused on playing the best basketball we can for 40 minutes and then we'll evaluate it afterwards. Are we playing the best brand of basketball that Princeton basketball brings, or is Butler dictating the game for us? It's a Big East team, it's back home, I know I'll have a lot of fans there … There's going to be a lot of fans, a lot of alums, we're just looking forward to just playing Princeton basketball.
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