Kentucky vs. Georgetown Post-Game Quotes
11/09/2005
Kentucky Head Coach Tubby Smith
“I was very impressed with Georgetown tonight. I knew [Georgetown head coach] Happy [Osborne] would have his team ready to play. His team played with a lot of passion, heart and intensity. Certainly we had to match that tonight or we could have very easily lost the game. They were a very good test for us – they are a team that overplays and denies, and there were times when they were out-rebounding us. We responded by picking up the intensity on the boards. I was impressed with Rekalin [Sims]. He obviously had a very good all-around game with a double-double. I was impressed with his rebounding and his scoring and outside shooting were really impressive as well. I think the group that we started tonight had been playing well in practice and I thought that it showed when they came on the court because they were ready to play. We have a lot of depth and quickness on our team and we thought that the key would be to wear Georgetown down. I thought we got good play from everybody that stepped on the court. I was disappointed with our turnovers. We need to do a better job controlling the ball with that defensive pressure that Georgetown was putting on us.”
On junior forward Rekalin Sims’ 4-of-5 shooting from three-point range…
“I knew he was a very good outside shooter. He’s a very aggressive player and also a very well- rounded player. He just has a nose for the ball. He’s got a good touch. You can tell that he’s a very veteran, mature player. Other than the three turnovers tonight, I thought he had an excellent game. He is a guy who understands who he is and what he is capable of and he tries to do that to the best of his ability.”
On sophomore guard Joe Crawford…
“Joe is getting better. He’s starting to get some more time under his belt and he shot the ball extremely well. We were really having trouble defensively, not just Joe, but everybody out there tonight. We were taking too many chances and getting too many people out of position defensively.”
On whether he was pleased with the team pushing the ball vs. Georgetown…
“I always like it when we push the ball. I certainly don’t like 24 turnovers. We threw too many lobs and I think we only completed one of them tonight. Georgetown was attacking under the rim and we didn’t really have a chance to get in under the basket.”
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Kentucky Players
#4 Rajon Rondo
On what Kentucky must work on…
“We need to continue to rebound the ball better and run better sets. We need to come together as a team more.”
On Joe Crawford…
“Joe and I talk a lot off the court and I keep telling him to let the game come to him. I tell him ‘don’t force anything and let the game come to you.’”
#3 Ramel Bradley
On the tempo of the game…
“I think it was a good tempo. It was a little new with me starting and I got a little winded in the beginning, but I liked the pace.”
On Kentucky’s starting lineup…
“I think a lot of it is up in the air. Coach stresses to us that nobody’s spot is set in stone. We know that we have to work hard in practice.”
#42 Rekalin Sims
On how he played…
“I just got out there and worked hard. I got hot right away and hit three straight three-pointers. That got me pumped up and my adrenaline was going, so that really carried me throughout the first half. I didn’t think I was rebounding well, so I felt like I had to do better. My first double-double is definitely exciting, but this is just an exhibition game. It’s still a good feeling, but I can’t let my head get too big and be over-confident.”
On the turnovers…
“We had 24 turnovers in the game, so that really hurt us. Coach (Smith) was really impressed with how we bounced back in the second half. He wasn’t too upset with the turnovers because we were trying to do things and run with the ball.”
#32 Joe Crawford
On Kentucky’s defense…
“We really need to be more patient. I think we are always looking to get a steal, so we need to get back in practice and work on being more patient.”
On his confidence…
“It was very important for me to have a good game because the season starts Sunday. Everyone has been working so hard the past few weeks, and I’m ready to start seeing it pay off.”
On Rekalin Sims replacing Chuck Hayes...
“He surprises me every day. He really puts in the work in practice, and he’s usually the first one in the gym. He is not necessarily replacing Chuck Hayes because he adds to the team in a different way. He can really score when you give him the ball, and he also had 11 rebounds tonight.”
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Georgetown Head Coach Happy Osborne
On playing at Rupp Arena….
“It was awesome. I can’t put into words how fun it was to play in Rupp Arena. I can’t put into words how much I appreciate the opportunity to bring our team here. It’s something our kids will never forget and it’s something that I’ll never forget. It’s pretty cool to play in Rupp Arena for us. Those guys out there busting their tales for Georgetown are Kentucky kids. We try to do a good job recruiting Kentucky and building relationships with high schools in the state. This game is really good for those Kentucky kids to be able to come here and have a chance to play at Rupp. I would sure like the opportunity to bring my team back.”
On Georgetown College’s play….
“I think we were right there in first half. I got kind of carried away out there with them in the timeouts about them respecting Kentucky too much and telling them they have to get out there and play harder. I thought we lost some composure and I take the blame for that. We lost eight guys last year and we have young team that does not include a senior. In my 26-year career at Georgetown, I’ve never had a team that didn’t have a senior. I just think the game kind of got away from us. Our depth is something we have to develop and when that happens we’ll be a better team. All this game is going to do is make us better and I hope we were good enough to make Kentucky a little better.”
On Georgetown College…
“I believe Georgetown College is a special place or I wouldn’t have spent 26 years here. We have had a lot people from our school do very well. I think at Georgetown people really care. People have a lot of pride in Georgetown. Our kids have a lot of pride in Georgetown basketball. In NIAA, I’m not going to say we’re Big Blue, but we’re very well-respected. Our kids believe we do great things. We are disappointed by tonight’s outcome, but they gave me all they had. All I ever ask my kids is to give me all they had.”
On Georgetown’s play at the end of the halves…
“Our guys got wore out at the end of each half. That’s a tribute to Kentucky’s depth. I think everyone in this room should feel pretty good about Rekalin Sims. He’s a very good player and once Kentucky gets Randolph Morris back they are just going to keep coming at people all game long. They are so deep. I think depth is the sort of thing you have to have to go far in the national tournament. Kentucky is very good.”
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Georgetown Players
#12 G Brian Silverhorn
On the opportunity to play in Rupp Arena…
“It was a good opportunity to build our confidence. We were happy for the opportunity to compete against a very good Kentucky basketball team.”
On what the team takes away from the exhibition game…
“It helped boost our confidence going into the tournament (Berea Tourney) this weekend. That is what we have to focus on right now. Those are the games which really matter. This was an exhibition game which didn’t count on our schedule. We just have to learn from this and move on.”
#5 G Aubrey Whit
On the opportunity to play in front of his hometown crowd at Rupp Arena…
“We were very excited for this opportunity. It reminded me of playing here my junior year with Henry Clay in the KHSAA Sweet Sixteen.”
On what the teams takes away from the exhibition game…
“This was a great learning experience. This was an exhibition so it doesn’t count against us. We have to focus on getting better at the things we didn’t do well and improve on the things we did do well. Most of the teams we play aren’t of the caliber Kentucky is.”
On what coach Happy Osborne told his team after the game…
“He told us he was proud of us. He told us whether we win or lose we are still going to be his team.”
#33 F/C Mark Surgalski
On playing in Rupp Arena…
“I’ve had the opportunity to play here before in the KHSAA Sweet Sixteen tournament but I have sure never played against Kentucky, so it was a great opportunity.”
On what the team takes away from the exhibition game…
“We are going to take away that we played hard and improved for the rest of the season.”
On the fans reaction to the tussle with senior UK guard Patrick Sparks…
“Sparks knew I wasn’t trying to play dirty. I had the chance to talk to him after the game and everything was alright…we were both just playing hard. I think the crowd knew I wasn’t trying to play dirty and they were just booing because I was playing hard.”
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Originally Posted by savafan
