Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 First thing that kind of sticks out when I look at the box scores, that's 17 assists.
00:05 You look back at the game against St. John's, I believe we had six.
00:09 So we definitely played well together and shared the ball.
00:14 I didn't think we'd come into this game and only shoot five free throws,
00:19 considering how many times we got to the line on average.
00:22 But it was a well called game and
00:26 credit to Coach Spiker for coming here and having a great game plan and
00:32 taking us to the wire.
00:33 So it was a really battle and he's a really good coach.
00:35 And I'm sure it was special for him to be back in the Coliseum and
00:40 getting a coach on the floor here.
00:41 >> So second half to first half, you guys had some struggles.
00:46 First half offensively, second half you shot much, much better.
00:49 Was good offense by you, what was the difference in the second half?
00:53 >> In the two days leading up to the game, the big message for
00:57 me to our guys is you got to, don't lose the joy in this game.
01:02 We all dream to be in a position to be where we're at,
01:08 whether it's us as coaches or those guys as players.
01:12 And I said, don't second guess yourself.
01:14 Play with complete confidence and you get a good look, you shooters let it fly.
01:22 So seeing Seth get that early one and you could just tell there's a flip of a switch.
01:29 And I kept on trying to go back at him and trying to get him more shots.
01:33 And I'm gonna go to the hot hand whenever I can, but it was refreshing to see.
01:38 Seven for 17, it's a good change of pace there.
01:43 >> Kind of lifted at Coach Gibby today.
01:47 >> Huge, I mean, that's the second thing that jumps out.
01:49 He's plus 15 in 12 minutes and only scoring five points.
01:55 But big three, but more than anything,
01:59 he just gives everybody a lift on the defensive end.
02:02 He's with his size and length and he can sit down and guard a point guard if he has to.
02:09 He can switch on to anybody on the floor, he can guard big.
02:12 So from a coaching standpoint, it gives you so
02:15 much more leverage out there to do what you wanna do defensively.
02:19 And so he was a huge lift.
02:21 I don't know what he played, maybe eight minutes in that last game and
02:25 now he's up to 12 and he looked a little better, a little fresher out there.
02:29 I know we had to get him out at one point, foul to get him out.
02:32 But hopefully, that'll be a big week for him to get him the conditioning,
02:38 take it up a couple notches and have a week off to get ready for UMass.
02:42 And hopefully, we can get his numbers up and
02:44 minutes up to whether it be 16, 17, 18 minutes a game.
02:48 So yeah, he was a huge lift for us.
02:51 >> And then he keeps firing away from three?
02:55 >> Yeah, I even looked at trying to get him another shot out of a set, but
02:59 they blew it up on the strong side.
03:02 So I couldn't get it over, swung to that other side to get him a look.
03:05 But I was certainly trying to get him another shot in the process.
03:08 But by the time I was getting back around to getting him another look,
03:13 it was time to get him out of the game because he was gassed at that point.
03:17 >> Is that a strength for him, the three point?
03:20 >> Yes, I mean, yes.
03:22 I mean, we've had practices where I believe early and
03:26 before even when we first got him, the second week,
03:30 I believe he had a practice where he's seven for seven from three.
03:33 And he just had no problem just lifting it and it was very comfortable for him.
03:40 So he's not one of those bigs that's gonna take you down low, but
03:44 he is such a force defensively, and he's got a good shot.
03:48 So I have no problem with him letting that thing go.
03:51 >> Do you have any explanation of what the name was on his back?
03:57 On his jersey?
03:58 >> Who's that?
03:59 >> A cook.
04:00 >> A cook?
04:01 >> Yeah.
04:01 >> What about it?
04:02 >> It's part of his full name.
04:03 >> That's what?
04:04 >> It's part of his full name.
04:05 >> That's part of his full name, okay.
04:07 >> I didn't realize what's on the back of his jersey.
04:08 >> [LAUGH] >> I don't really.
04:10 >> Yeah, I can read.
04:10 >> Honestly, I really have a hard time with our players' numbers and
04:14 names on the back of their jersey.
04:16 I'm more concerned about the other team and their numbers and
04:18 understanding what they do.
04:20 I know what our guys do, so.
04:22 >> Considering he missed five weeks, conditioning wise,
04:25 when can he get back to close to 100%?
04:28 How long do you think that'll take him?
04:29 >> I don't know.
04:31 Being in game shape's a little different.
04:33 So playing, getting that adrenaline going and being in a game.
04:39 We've definitely made some huge progress even in three days from some Wednesday to
04:44 Saturday.
04:44 So it'll be critical.
04:47 We have tomorrow off, we'll have Wednesday off.
04:50 We'll have two hard practices, Monday and Tuesday.
04:52 And then we'll have another two hard practices before we go to Springfield.
04:56 So we got four practices this week during finals week.
04:59 And hopefully we can get up and down as much as we can.
05:02 And especially on that Monday, Tuesday stretch and
05:05 get him even closer to giving us that 20 minutes and
05:09 25 minutes that I'd love to see him play.
05:11 >> As far as transitioning Kerr in, is it a matter of just telling him to
05:17 maybe put on a different color practice jersey and just get in there?
05:22 >> It is.
05:23 I mean, he's a very intelligent basketball player and
05:26 probably his IQ is off the charts in terms of basketball IQ.
05:32 So he's been doing everything with us from day one.
05:37 Now, a lot of it here recently has been on scout team, but
05:41 he knows our plays inside and out and he can really be that coach on the floor.
05:46 And I think with him in the game, I think I've told you guys many times,
05:51 Kobe's steady with it and he's done a great job at point and
05:55 he'll back up the point with Kerr in there.
05:59 But having both of them in the game at the same time is gonna be just as
06:03 effective as anything.
06:04 We've got two guys that can make a pass.
06:06 Look at his numbers today.
06:07 I mean, Kobe was six to one assist to turnover ratio.
06:11 And as a coach, there's so many opportunities.
06:13 You're trying to figure out who's gonna make the pass off the ball.
06:17 Especially when you're running sets, you're always asking that question.
06:22 It's not always easy to put a point guard in position to make that critical pass.
06:28 So he usually starts the offense and having another guy out there that can
06:32 make an entry pass or whatever that may be is gonna be crucial for us.
06:35 >> Will it be an adjustment for the other four guys on the floor?
06:40 >> I think it's gonna be a healthy adjustment.
06:42 If it's not somebody's night, I mean, you can certainly figure out
06:49 the minute wise in terms of bringing some of those minutes down.
06:55 Look at how many minutes some of these guys have played.
06:57 It's probably their production level is probably gonna increase with less minutes.
07:01 And we have a lot easier to keep guys accountable and
07:07 doing the right things out there when you get more numbers.
07:10 >> You just turned the offense over to him on the floor.
07:12 I don't mean necessarily calling plays and stuff like that, but-
07:14 >> Well, I mean, for
07:15 the most part, it's turned over to Kobe too.
07:17 I mean, it's hard to call a set or an action on the fly.
07:22 So Kobe's done a good job of running stuff on the fly and
07:27 calling things.
07:29 So it'll be nice to have that one-two punch with both those guys.
07:34 >> Josh, can you just kind of reflect on Kobe's nine games and
07:37 what he inherited and how he performed?
07:39 >> I think he's done an excellent job, excellent job.
07:43 Nobody ever, when they brought him in here,
07:47 looked at him as a pure point guard by any means.
07:50 And he's done an amazing job for us over the three years being that guy that can
07:56 sit down and guard their best player.
07:58 And he's got such good length and good footwork that's gonna be
08:04 just as valuable as anything to us to have him off the ball and
08:08 put him in a position to guard their best player.
08:11 And it's hard to ask a guy to do that when he's running the point and
08:16 playing 37, 38 minutes a game.
08:18 So to have that luxury is gonna be huge from a scouting perspective.
08:25 >> And then the way you structured next week, it's different,
08:29 it seems like, is your class schedule.
08:31 So it's not like just follow the model from last year, but
08:34 is it a little bit different?
08:35 It's not like you're practicing more than I'm used to you guys practicing during
08:37 finals week.
08:39 >> I think it's pretty typical.
08:40 You got a Saturday to Saturday between games and
08:45 typically we have two days off in that week.
08:48 So that's the time you can kind of hit the reset button, but
08:53 we got a lot of work to do to get everybody acclimated.
08:55 So get Cook back acclimated and getting him his game legs and
09:01 get Kerr back in there and working with first team.
09:04 So yeah, we got a lot of work to do and leading up to a really good UMass team.
09:09 And it'll be special to get out there and go against Frank.
09:13 I know I've worked with Frank in the past and we go back to the K-State days.
09:17 So it'll be a fun matchup at Springfield.
09:22 >> To Zack Spiker, I don't know how well you know him, but
09:26 he obviously coming back home, you've been to K-State a lot.
09:30 Is it different your first couple of times there?
09:32 Do you think about it or when the game starts, is it just a game?
09:36 >> I'm sure he put a lot more thought into it leading up to it and
09:39 that's kind of the way it's been for me.
09:42 But once you start, you throw the ball up in the air and
09:46 you tip it off, you just kind of zone in.
09:49 But I'm sure it's special for him.
09:50 I think it's the first time he's been back to the Coliseum as a head coach and
09:55 I was quick to welcome him back home.
09:57 I'm sure it was probably emotional for him being that he grew up in this building and
10:02 so many ways.
10:03 So it was great to have him back and I respect the heck out of him.
10:07 He's a really good coach and he's done a fabulous job with that program.
10:10 >> Coach, the news that came out a couple days ago with the state
10:15 joining together, I guess you called it a suit or court case with Raekwon.
10:22 Them seeking an injunction, have you been told or
10:25 heard of a timeline of what that could look like or anything?
10:29 >> No, I wish I did.
10:30 I mean, these things always seem to drag out a lot longer than you think that
10:35 you're gonna get a quick answer.
10:37 But from the initial waiver to the appeal, the reconsideration,
10:43 everything's just, everything's taken time and way longer time than I expected to.
10:48 So I hope we get some great news and
10:51 I think it's very important that they get this one right and I hope they do.
10:56 >> One more on that, Josh.
10:59 When they come back with the appeal and they deny it, is that case closed and
11:03 you guys can't have any other conversations or?
11:07 >> We can bring new information to the table and try to ask for reconsideration.
11:13 >> Is that where you're at?
11:14 You did say reconsideration, so- >> Yeah.
11:16 >> You actually have to ask them to reconsider?
11:17 >> Yeah, there's a reconsideration in place, so it's up to them what they do with it.
11:22 >> You in contact with any people in the portal?
11:25 >> Yeah.
11:28 >> So there's still a chance that- >> Yeah, I mean,
11:32 we're always working on trying to figure out what options are out there.
11:35 So it's nice to see where a cook is, so
11:41 that gives us more depth and we know Kerr's coming back.
11:43 So more than anything, I just love for us to get the guys that we have now.
11:49 So I'd be very happy if we had Kerr, a cook, and Raekwon.
11:53 I wouldn't feel like I need to go anywhere else.
11:55 But I'm always looking at other options.
11:58 >> Coach, thank you.
12:01 >> Thank you.
12:01 [BLANK_AUDIO]