Final edits were completed.
Story by Zack Cziryak
1.) What is the effect of losing Isaiah Whitehead and Derrick Gordon?
Each year is a new season with new student-athletes. No team is ever really the same year-to-year, so we know that we have to adjust to losing both Isaiah and Derrick. However, we do bring back the majority of our team so we have talented individuals who are capable of stepping up and filling the roles that Isaiah and Derrick played for us. We’re comfortable and confident that they will step in and help us seamlessly move in the right direction to have a successful season.
In terms of roles, I don’t think we’re going to have any individual player do as much as we asked Isaiah to do last year. Instead we are equipped with a very strong group of returners and some very hungry newcomers who are learning our style of play and are eager to earn playing time.
As we continue to work out and practice, things will become clearer, and we will be able to sort out everyone’s roles and figure out how we can best replace Isaiah and Derrick’s production on both ends of the floor. We’re excited as we have the personnel to play a little different style of ball but yet still be extremely successful.
2.) How did Jevon Thomas and Myles Carter play in Italy and what will each be able to contribute this year?
I think it was a great trip for Jevon and Myles because they were able to compete in live games in front of people and against older, more mature professional players, and certainly that is what we wanted to get out of the trip.
Both guys did a very good job. Myles rebounded extremely well and scored the ball in a couple of games. Jevon is extremely quick with the basketball and terrific on the defensive end. They were able to gain confidence in their game, so we were very happy as the trip proved to be extremely beneficial.
3.) Profile the following players for those who haven’t seen them play:
a.) Madison Jones - In practice,Madison been exactly what we were hoping for in that he is the consummate point guard, one who is outstanding at running a team. He can really get the ball to the right people at the right time and it looks like he will be a very good defender.
b.) Eron Gordon – Eron is a slasher, he’s athletic and I think he can develop into a very good defender. He’s a pretty good standstill shooter and just a very good basketball player. He works really hard. It’s going to be interesting to watch his development over his career because I think he’s one of those guys that will continue to get better and better as he moves forward.
c.) Myles Powell – Myles has the reputation of being a great shooter, and he certainly brings that to the table. But I think he’s a much better basketball player than he’s given credit for. He can really get to the hoop and has an excellent mid-range game. He’s done a great job this summer of transforming his body and getting into the level of basketball shape that is necessary to compete in the Big East. He lost somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 pounds over the summer.
Myles is going to be a very good player and can have an impact scoring the ball right away as a freshman. We needed a 3-point threat that can score the basketball to replace some of the points Isaiah was able to give us last year and Myles can be that guy.
4.) What are the expectations for a fully healthy Veer Singh?
Injuries always set you back and it is worse for freshmen because they miss the reps they need in practice. The timing of his injury was just before the first exhibition game when he was playing pretty well, and it set him back for three to four weeks, and it had a big effect on him.
I would expect Veer to make the natural progression of going from a freshman to a sophomore, and as you saw from our team last year, we have had great success in getting our guys to make a great leap in their development from freshmen to sophomores. Veer is shooting extremely well right now and I’m looking forward to him coming in this year and taking the next step.
5.) What did the Big East Championship mean to the Hall?
What you saw last year was the culmination of an incredible amount of time invested by our student-athletes, the staff, the university, even our fans. To have all of our efforts culminate in winning the conference championship at a sold-out Madison Square Garden – I’m not sure it gets much better than that.
There is great excitement surrounding the program now, from the players, to the fans, to the entire basketball community. It was very rewarding for our kids because I don’t think most really understand how hard they worked to become a very competitive team in the Big East and to then win the championship with such a young team. It was special beyond words.
6.) What did Nova’s championship mean to the league and are there any benefits for the Hall?
The new Big East winning a national championship at just three years old reminds me of the old Big East. When the old Big East was first formed no one expected the teams to be immediately as successful on a national level in such a short time as they were. I think as the oldBig East disbanded and we put it back together we faced the same situation. But as we did back then, we have a terrific conference of like-minded schools with terrific student-athletes and what Villanova accomplished proved that point.
Villanova has obviously carried the flag and been extremely successful over the last 10 years. Winning the National Championship lets everybody else know what we’ve known all along - we have one of the best basketball conferences in the country. It’s been that way in the past and will continue to be that way moving forward.
There’s a benefit for the league and everyone involved in the league when your conference does well in the NCAA tournament and wins the national championship. The effects will prove positive for all league members as it did back in the formative years of the Big East.
7.) What are the expectations for the coming season?
The expectations this season and every season are to get better each and every day, compete in one of the best conferences in the country and win a Big East championship. We aim to do well in conference and then advance as far as you can in the NCAAs.
As a team, you have great expectations going into each season and that hasn’t changed this year except we’re carrying the flag of the Big East championship so people are coming for us. That presents a challenge, but the expectations are still the same. Work hard, get better and compete for a championship.
8.) What does playing in Hawaii to celebrate Pearl Harbor Day mean to the school?
It’s a privilege to be invited to play and any time you can honor history, your country and our service men and women by participating in an event like this one...it's special. We’re extremely fortunate and very honored to be invited to participate in such a prestigious event. It’s going to be a great trip for the fans.
For our guys, it's special for them to understand a part of our country’s history that changed us forever and to celebrate our brave soldiers who fight to protect our freedoms. We all can't wait.
9.) Do you see a breakout player similar to what Ish accomplished last season?
With Brandon Mobley graduating there was a spot available for someone to step in last season and get major minutes, and Ish certainly seized that opportunity and exceeded everyone’s expectations. I think all of our kids are capable of taking that next step, and with Isaiah moving on to the NBA, the same opportunity for someone to earn major minutes once again has presented itself.
This is always a fun time of the year because you don’t yet know who that person is going to be. Who is going to step into an opportunity and take advantage and excel like Ish did? Our guys had a phenomenal summer and now they’ll have the chance to make their mark much like Ish did last year.
10.) What are your initial thoughts on the schedule?
I think the schedule is very challenging, but with every challenge there is opportunity. We have great opportunities to go on the road and play some terrific programs and bring back some wins. I think that going to Iowa, Orlando and Hawaii will be the first step in our challenge this season.
Playing South Carolina at Madison Square Garden is another important game for us.
Some of our home games are against teams that advanced to postseason last year and they will be dangerous. We have to be prepared for every game.
Then when the conference schedule begins, the Big East is the Big East. You’re facing nine very talented opponents who are all trying to win a championship and get to the NCAA Tournament. What makes the conference really special in my opinion is you get an opportunity to play everyone twice, home and away - a true round robin. The teams know each other; the players know each others strengths and weaknesses. There are really no secrets when you get to league play. So you have to work hard and prepare to battle for 40 minutes.
Story by Zack Cziryak
1.) What is the effect of losing Isaiah Whitehead and Derrick Gordon?
Each year is a new season with new student-athletes. No team is ever really the same year-to-year, so we know that we have to adjust to losing both Isaiah and Derrick. However, we do bring back the majority of our team so we have talented individuals who are capable of stepping up and filling the roles that Isaiah and Derrick played for us. We’re comfortable and confident that they will step in and help us seamlessly move in the right direction to have a successful season.
In terms of roles, I don’t think we’re going to have any individual player do as much as we asked Isaiah to do last year. Instead we are equipped with a very strong group of returners and some very hungry newcomers who are learning our style of play and are eager to earn playing time.
As we continue to work out and practice, things will become clearer, and we will be able to sort out everyone’s roles and figure out how we can best replace Isaiah and Derrick’s production on both ends of the floor. We’re excited as we have the personnel to play a little different style of ball but yet still be extremely successful.
2.) How did Jevon Thomas and Myles Carter play in Italy and what will each be able to contribute this year?
I think it was a great trip for Jevon and Myles because they were able to compete in live games in front of people and against older, more mature professional players, and certainly that is what we wanted to get out of the trip.
Both guys did a very good job. Myles rebounded extremely well and scored the ball in a couple of games. Jevon is extremely quick with the basketball and terrific on the defensive end. They were able to gain confidence in their game, so we were very happy as the trip proved to be extremely beneficial.
3.) Profile the following players for those who haven’t seen them play:
a.) Madison Jones - In practice,Madison been exactly what we were hoping for in that he is the consummate point guard, one who is outstanding at running a team. He can really get the ball to the right people at the right time and it looks like he will be a very good defender.
b.) Eron Gordon – Eron is a slasher, he’s athletic and I think he can develop into a very good defender. He’s a pretty good standstill shooter and just a very good basketball player. He works really hard. It’s going to be interesting to watch his development over his career because I think he’s one of those guys that will continue to get better and better as he moves forward.
c.) Myles Powell – Myles has the reputation of being a great shooter, and he certainly brings that to the table. But I think he’s a much better basketball player than he’s given credit for. He can really get to the hoop and has an excellent mid-range game. He’s done a great job this summer of transforming his body and getting into the level of basketball shape that is necessary to compete in the Big East. He lost somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 pounds over the summer.
Myles is going to be a very good player and can have an impact scoring the ball right away as a freshman. We needed a 3-point threat that can score the basketball to replace some of the points Isaiah was able to give us last year and Myles can be that guy.
4.) What are the expectations for a fully healthy Veer Singh?
Injuries always set you back and it is worse for freshmen because they miss the reps they need in practice. The timing of his injury was just before the first exhibition game when he was playing pretty well, and it set him back for three to four weeks, and it had a big effect on him.
I would expect Veer to make the natural progression of going from a freshman to a sophomore, and as you saw from our team last year, we have had great success in getting our guys to make a great leap in their development from freshmen to sophomores. Veer is shooting extremely well right now and I’m looking forward to him coming in this year and taking the next step.
5.) What did the Big East Championship mean to the Hall?
What you saw last year was the culmination of an incredible amount of time invested by our student-athletes, the staff, the university, even our fans. To have all of our efforts culminate in winning the conference championship at a sold-out Madison Square Garden – I’m not sure it gets much better than that.
There is great excitement surrounding the program now, from the players, to the fans, to the entire basketball community. It was very rewarding for our kids because I don’t think most really understand how hard they worked to become a very competitive team in the Big East and to then win the championship with such a young team. It was special beyond words.
6.) What did Nova’s championship mean to the league and are there any benefits for the Hall?
The new Big East winning a national championship at just three years old reminds me of the old Big East. When the old Big East was first formed no one expected the teams to be immediately as successful on a national level in such a short time as they were. I think as the oldBig East disbanded and we put it back together we faced the same situation. But as we did back then, we have a terrific conference of like-minded schools with terrific student-athletes and what Villanova accomplished proved that point.
Villanova has obviously carried the flag and been extremely successful over the last 10 years. Winning the National Championship lets everybody else know what we’ve known all along - we have one of the best basketball conferences in the country. It’s been that way in the past and will continue to be that way moving forward.
There’s a benefit for the league and everyone involved in the league when your conference does well in the NCAA tournament and wins the national championship. The effects will prove positive for all league members as it did back in the formative years of the Big East.
7.) What are the expectations for the coming season?
The expectations this season and every season are to get better each and every day, compete in one of the best conferences in the country and win a Big East championship. We aim to do well in conference and then advance as far as you can in the NCAAs.
As a team, you have great expectations going into each season and that hasn’t changed this year except we’re carrying the flag of the Big East championship so people are coming for us. That presents a challenge, but the expectations are still the same. Work hard, get better and compete for a championship.
8.) What does playing in Hawaii to celebrate Pearl Harbor Day mean to the school?
It’s a privilege to be invited to play and any time you can honor history, your country and our service men and women by participating in an event like this one...it's special. We’re extremely fortunate and very honored to be invited to participate in such a prestigious event. It’s going to be a great trip for the fans.
For our guys, it's special for them to understand a part of our country’s history that changed us forever and to celebrate our brave soldiers who fight to protect our freedoms. We all can't wait.
9.) Do you see a breakout player similar to what Ish accomplished last season?
With Brandon Mobley graduating there was a spot available for someone to step in last season and get major minutes, and Ish certainly seized that opportunity and exceeded everyone’s expectations. I think all of our kids are capable of taking that next step, and with Isaiah moving on to the NBA, the same opportunity for someone to earn major minutes once again has presented itself.
This is always a fun time of the year because you don’t yet know who that person is going to be. Who is going to step into an opportunity and take advantage and excel like Ish did? Our guys had a phenomenal summer and now they’ll have the chance to make their mark much like Ish did last year.
10.) What are your initial thoughts on the schedule?
I think the schedule is very challenging, but with every challenge there is opportunity. We have great opportunities to go on the road and play some terrific programs and bring back some wins. I think that going to Iowa, Orlando and Hawaii will be the first step in our challenge this season.
Playing South Carolina at Madison Square Garden is another important game for us.
Some of our home games are against teams that advanced to postseason last year and they will be dangerous. We have to be prepared for every game.
Then when the conference schedule begins, the Big East is the Big East. You’re facing nine very talented opponents who are all trying to win a championship and get to the NCAA Tournament. What makes the conference really special in my opinion is you get an opportunity to play everyone twice, home and away - a true round robin. The teams know each other; the players know each others strengths and weaknesses. There are really no secrets when you get to league play. So you have to work hard and prepare to battle for 40 minutes.
