Penn State Men's Basketball
Coach's Postgame Press Conference
vs. Jacksonville State – November 12, 2018
Penn State Head Coach Patrick Chambers
Opening Statement
I'm really proud of the guys tonight. I knew that was going to be a tough, physical game because they played tremendous against Alabama. I think [Alabama] beat them by 25 and obviously they stubbed their toe in it to start the season but I knew they were going to be physical. They had a couple transfers, really good players. Ray [Harper] does a really good job and we knew that was going to be an absolute rock fight until the bitter end. But we didn't make shots and our guys just kept competing and kept playing and just went on to the next possession. I didn't see too much pouting, I didn't see any heads go down, I didn't see any poor body language, I saw a team just starting to come together; just next play, next possession, next stop. Obviously Lamar [Stevens] was a workhorse. We were in foul trouble, Josh Reaves was out for almost the entire first half, I think he played the first three minutes maybe, so you don't want to go through that experience very often but we did and I thought we handled it very well. I thought Myles Dread, his shooting is not going to indicate maybe what we're all used to but I thought his defense was really good. I thought he was in the right spots and for a freshman (Rasir Bolton) to play thirty minutes I thought he did some good things, so really good win for us 2-0. You know what I'm going to say one other thing. I think last year's past successes and wins really have taught this group how to win, how to find success. I think that's what you saw in the last five minutes.
Q: 32 attempted three-pointers tonight, obviously a little bit different from the norm for your team. What kind of attributed to that and what are your thoughts on that stat tonight?
A: The way they play is they pack it in and they force you to take jump shots, and I was pretty comfortable doing that with the amount of shooters that we have on the floor. At times we definitely need to get to the free throw line a little bit more, but I was okay because we had some really good looks. You know I thought Myles [Dread] had some good looks, even though Rasir [Bolton] was 4-for-8 I thought he had some good looks that just didn't fall. We're going to keep taking those shots but we need to mix it up a little bit especially if every team is going to double Lamar [Stevens] and why wouldn't you. Somehow he still finds 25 tonight, pretty special talent, but his teammates are finding him he's making pretty good decisions right now. Three assists, one turnover is pretty fantastic.
Q: Rasir [Bolton], how is he adjusted to coming off the bench? That can't be an easy thing to do because I'm sure he started his whole career and he's still playing thirty minutes but can you talk about the way he's adjusted?
A: Yeah I think he handled it very well, very mature and I sat him down and talked to him about it, about why and what we need to do. And I also think it's a pretty good thing for him to watch the first three and a half minutes from the bench so he can see the speed of the game, so he can see what's going on, so he can figure some things out. I think that's benefitted him as well. I know he wants to start, but he's a team player and right now he just wants to win so he's going to do whatever it takes for the team to be successful.
Q: Your free throw shooting, is that just an aberration today? Because that looked like it could've cost you had that game gone a little differently.
A: I agree with you. I'm a little bit worried about it, a little bit concerned. We shoot free throws everyday and Johnny's [Harrar] a much better free-throw shooter than that. You know 14-of-21, it's got to be better and had to be better on Friday night too and West Virginia had to be better. So we just have to go up there with great confidence and know what our routine is and have positive thoughts, positive thoughts positive outcomes.
Q: Kind of going off of that a little bit, Lamar [Stevens] mentioned back at media day that you guys had a meeting about what the roles were on this team and it seems like these guys have a pretty good grasp already of what they should and should not be doing. How do you think they are in that area because it seems like at least that everybody understands what their role is?
A: Absolutely. I think everybody understands their value to the team, their value to the program. Obviously Lamar [Stevens] and Josh [Reaves] are going to do what they do. Johnny [Harrar] is going to be tough and physical, you know it was great to see him play 26 minutes and he'll wipe off the dust, he'll make some of those dumps and some of those lamps and I know free throws will go. Myles [Dread] does exactly what he's supposed to do. But the guy I know you're waiting to erupt here is Myreon Jones and he's going to, he's going to and have the confidence. First of all I had the confidence to put him in to make free throws and he went and made them, and I think he needed to see the ball go through the basket and for him to see that I think he's going to be in a better place.
Q: Is there an adjustment for you at all with Jamari [Wheeler] at the point versus Tony [Carr]? They're different sizes, do different things but you've had a lot of point guards that have been scoring point guards and Jamari that's not what he's trying to do that's not probably what you're asking him to do. Is that different for you at all?
A: It has been because a lot of the things we ran last year were for Tony [Carr] and this year we've just mixed it up a little bit more. We've gotten more creative. We understand Josh [Reaves] has to make plays, Lamar [Stevens] has to make plays. The freshmen we have to get them spotted up to make shots and now you're starting to really see Rasir [Bolton], you know, use a ball screen and be able to make some plays for others and for himself.
Q: Regarding the struggles at the free throw line, how much of an impact did Lamar's [Stevens] performance make-up for those lost points?
A: Lamar [Stevens] can score on all three levels. He can get to the rim, he can hit from the mid-range, which he's got one of the best in the country, and he's shooting a good clip from the three right now. So it's a luxury to have a workhorse like Lamar out on the floor and he is going to demand so much attention. So these guys are going to get open shots if we make the right decisions and make the right plays. And with only six turnovers, it looks like we made the right decisions.
Q: Lamar [Stevens] was doubled-team tonight but was still able to dribble out of certain situations and make plays. Was this something you went over before tonight's game?
A: I think it's a work in progress because last game against North Florida he had four turnovers and zero assists and I think he was trying to split the double teams. Now you've got to trust your teammates and he does. Not that he doesn't, he does, and he'll find his spots. We'll figure out what they're doing, we'll get the ball back to him. He scored 25 and got doubled most of the night. That's pretty impressive.
Q: Do you think you guys are still trying to find that offensive identity with losing Tony Carr and taking more three's tonight than usual? Are you still looking for that offensive identity?
A: I think our offensive identity is exactly what we are. I mean we scored 87 points against North Florida and 76 tonight. We've been in the 70s or higher in both scrimmages and the exhibition game, so I think the offense is what it is right now. I like the pace we're playing at and if you have an open three, especially these guys who get in shooting everyday, we're going to shoot that three. It's the defensive end that I need to really concentrate on. That's our identity. We are not a team that is going to out-score you because you can't do that in the Big Ten and be successful and sustainable. It's the defense and rebounding. We gave off 12 offensive rebounds and we need to keep teams to single digits.
Q: Jamari [Wheeler] is a great defensive player but what does he need to improve on in the offensive end?
A: Jamari didn't play a ton of minutes last year, anywhere from 10-12 minutes maybe. I think he just has to relax. He wants to play perfect. He wants to hit those open three's and he doesn't have to do that. He needs to defend, rebound and make good decisions. He needs to be the guy that dictates our defense and be the guys that dictates the energy and effort for us when we start games. That's what we need from him. Nobody is going to work harder than that kid, we all know that.
Q: Talk about the freshmen on the team and their performance tonight and the confidence you have in them to make plays.
A: I like to think that I have the confidence in them to take those shots and they've also played a ton of basketball. Rasir [Bolton] played on the adidas circuit and went to like ten prep schools. He's beyond his years and Myles [Dread] same thing. He played at Gonzaga, he played UBIL and played in some major games. So they know what the pressure feels like and they know what the game looks like. So, I think the freshmen will keep playing consistent basketball and I think that's what we need from them.
Q: Can you talk more about Rasir's [Bolton] performance tonight, specifically with his three pointer with the shot clock winding down.
A: I've seen him take that shot before, and I almost want to say drive it, but I've seen him make it as well. I give him the freedom to make decisions and that's why he came here and he fits our program very well. That was a big time shot and he really extended the lead for us and we needed that.
Q: What is it like for your team to go on long stretches of time without Josh [Reaves] in the game?
A: I thought that was critical. Some guys really grew up in that first half and we only gave up 32 points in the first half. We played mostly young guys, including Trent [Buttrick], because Trent barely played last year. He's like a freshman out there and he gave us some great minutes in the first half. We're going to grow from that experience. It's only going to help us as we head into the Big Ten.
Q: What do you attribute to holding Jacksonville State to 3-for-14 from the three-point line tonight from a defensive standpoint tonight?
A: I would say it's the guys sticking to the game plan and understanding the game plan. We worked on a lot of different things to take away three's. The communication level out there, the leadership level out there, so everybody knows what they're doing. We are starting to see better habits too. High hands, better close outs, little details of the game that we need to master before heading to the Big Ten.
Q: You were able to make big plays and tonight and draw in a lot of chargers. What does that do to your players as far as the energy and momentum of the game?
A: Josh Reaves' [taking the] charge was huge. That was a big play and Josh doesn't really take a lot of charges. So it was nice to see. But those charges are game-winning plays. They're momentum-swinging plays and our guys are willing to do that from Lamar [Stevens] to John [Harrar], everybody is willing to give up their bodies for one another. That's a good team, that's a good culture.
Q: Can you talk more about your strategy playing Rasir [Bolton] more than Jamari [Wheeler] as far as the way Jacksonville State was playing against you guys?
A: I thought Rasir was really comfortable out there and he made some plays for us. He put the ball in the basket and did some good things of the defensive end. But Jacksonville State, the way they defend, they really pack it in. So it just made more sense to go with Rasir tonight.