Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State-Wyoming Postgame Quotes
Justin Hutson, Head Coach
On the game…
"A whole lot, it was just a complete butt kicking. Strategy wise, we were much bigger than when we were in Wyoming. So if we’re talking about strategy Enoch [Boakye] was 100%, Eduardo [Andre] hasn’t been 100% all year but he was doable so strategy wise it changed a lot. Rebounding how we have to guard in the post and even in our pick-and-roll offense, you have to account for all those dunks Enoch would get or Eduardo would get pick-and-rolls. Now when you have a half healthy Enoch and an undersized Leo [Colimerio], it showed, it really showed. They were pretty good at that time and we were pretty good at that time and I think both teams had proven it. With a conference that has probably five or six going to the dance that was the second or third game in conference, both teams were pretty good at that time. You can see some of our close games, some of their close games and they’ve continued to improve and we have been playing patch work."
Playing Wyoming in the tournament…
"I think it is better that we play them again right away. I mean when you get that butt whooping on senior night in front of everybody, obviously we’re all embarrassed about that and we understand that's part of being the man in the arena, that you’re going to put yourself out there like that and those things happen. We’re happy to be able to play them again on Wednesday, not for any type of revenge or anything but to prove ourselves. To say ‘hey, let's go play we’re better than this.’, that's the bottom line."
On Senior night…
"It was emotional for me and I didn’t know it would be that way, I can’t speak for them but for me some of emotion came over me. Not any more emotion than when Braxton Huggins and Deshon Taylor, Nate [Grimes] and Sam [Bittner] came and gave me a hug the first year even though I have known this guy next to me [Isaiah Hill] for a long time and been through a lot of things, a lot more games. It was definitely emotional for me, I can’t speak for them."
On Isaiah Hill…
"I think he’s grown a lot which is ultimately what my job is. At the end of the day you’re not supposed to be their friend, you're supposed to be a mentor, coach, a role model and a teacher. You try to do those things in a lot of different ways and I think he’s grown a lot on and off the floor. He has wonderful parents, we recruited a good one that already had talent and already had a lot of character when he got here. Just going through all the things we’ve been through, a lot of games, you know you’re going to miss him."
On preparing for the tournament…
"We need Enoch [Boakye] to be better than he is. I mean, I know we’ve played pretty good without him a couple of times but the other coaches, coach also. Nothing is catching us by surprise playing with that 6’5 and under team that we have. So you might catch some people by surprise and do a couple things differently and then there's film and they prepare for that. As you can see people take us inside, we can't control any backboard and even if we happen to get a miss usually they get offensive rebounds so we need him to be a little more like himself when he was playing well. I have to do a good job of making sure that we can stop them first. Yeah we missed a lot of shots tonight and those things snowball but we have to be able to stop them better than we did."
On the fans after the game...
"Yeah I want to echo that, that was classy. That was classy from the fan base and I’ve been out here quite a few times where you walk out and sometimes there's a lot of people out there and sometimes there's not and we have a saying as the coaches, ‘the ones that matter are here.’. We say that to each other all the time, the ones that matter are here and I want to echo what Zay [Isaiah Hill] said, that was really classy in a butt whooping we were getting, they stayed and gave those guys that ovation. Don’t expect anything different though, that’s how this valley is."
On the game…
"A whole lot, it was just a complete butt kicking. Strategy wise, we were much bigger than when we were in Wyoming. So if we’re talking about strategy Enoch [Boakye] was 100%, Eduardo [Andre] hasn’t been 100% all year but he was doable so strategy wise it changed a lot. Rebounding how we have to guard in the post and even in our pick-and-roll offense, you have to account for all those dunks Enoch would get or Eduardo would get pick-and-rolls. Now when you have a half healthy Enoch and an undersized Leo [Colimerio], it showed, it really showed. They were pretty good at that time and we were pretty good at that time and I think both teams had proven it. With a conference that has probably five or six going to the dance that was the second or third game in conference, both teams were pretty good at that time. You can see some of our close games, some of their close games and they’ve continued to improve and we have been playing patch work."
Playing Wyoming in the tournament…
"I think it is better that we play them again right away. I mean when you get that butt whooping on senior night in front of everybody, obviously we’re all embarrassed about that and we understand that's part of being the man in the arena, that you’re going to put yourself out there like that and those things happen. We’re happy to be able to play them again on Wednesday, not for any type of revenge or anything but to prove ourselves. To say ‘hey, let's go play we’re better than this.’, that's the bottom line."
On Senior night…
"It was emotional for me and I didn’t know it would be that way, I can’t speak for them but for me some of emotion came over me. Not any more emotion than when Braxton Huggins and Deshon Taylor, Nate [Grimes] and Sam [Bittner] came and gave me a hug the first year even though I have known this guy next to me [Isaiah Hill] for a long time and been through a lot of things, a lot more games. It was definitely emotional for me, I can’t speak for them."
On Isaiah Hill…
"I think he’s grown a lot which is ultimately what my job is. At the end of the day you’re not supposed to be their friend, you're supposed to be a mentor, coach, a role model and a teacher. You try to do those things in a lot of different ways and I think he’s grown a lot on and off the floor. He has wonderful parents, we recruited a good one that already had talent and already had a lot of character when he got here. Just going through all the things we’ve been through, a lot of games, you know you’re going to miss him."
On preparing for the tournament…
"We need Enoch [Boakye] to be better than he is. I mean, I know we’ve played pretty good without him a couple of times but the other coaches, coach also. Nothing is catching us by surprise playing with that 6’5 and under team that we have. So you might catch some people by surprise and do a couple things differently and then there's film and they prepare for that. As you can see people take us inside, we can't control any backboard and even if we happen to get a miss usually they get offensive rebounds so we need him to be a little more like himself when he was playing well. I have to do a good job of making sure that we can stop them first. Yeah we missed a lot of shots tonight and those things snowball but we have to be able to stop them better than we did."
On the fans after the game...
"Yeah I want to echo that, that was classy. That was classy from the fan base and I’ve been out here quite a few times where you walk out and sometimes there's a lot of people out there and sometimes there's not and we have a saying as the coaches, ‘the ones that matter are here.’. We say that to each other all the time, the ones that matter are here and I want to echo what Zay [Isaiah Hill] said, that was really classy in a butt whooping we were getting, they stayed and gave those guys that ovation. Don’t expect anything different though, that’s how this valley is."
Isaiah Hill, Sr., G
On playing one more time at the Savemart Center…
"I meant alot. I got emotional at the end when I got taken out just thinking those were my last minutes on the court. I’m going to miss it, I’m going to miss playing in this arena, putting on this jersey and playing for coach [Justin] Hut and my guys out there. Leo [Colimerio] especially, I’ve been with him for all four years, one of my favorite teammates I have ever played with. Everything comes to an end but it was good to have one more game here."
On the game…
"I just think we didn’t bring enough force today. A lot of things could’ve come into play, some of the guys were emotional, who knows but we didn't come with enough force, enough fight and like the coach said they whooped us. We get to see them on Wednesday and we have to have some pride on Wednesday for sure."
On the fans…
"I mean it means a lot. Knowing that we were getting beat by 30 plus or whatever it was and they still stayed there, that says alot about this city too as well. Giving me a standing ovation and the other seniors, I appreciate that, it just says alot about their character as well."
On playing one more time at the Savemart Center…
"I meant alot. I got emotional at the end when I got taken out just thinking those were my last minutes on the court. I’m going to miss it, I’m going to miss playing in this arena, putting on this jersey and playing for coach [Justin] Hut and my guys out there. Leo [Colimerio] especially, I’ve been with him for all four years, one of my favorite teammates I have ever played with. Everything comes to an end but it was good to have one more game here."
On the game…
"I just think we didn’t bring enough force today. A lot of things could’ve come into play, some of the guys were emotional, who knows but we didn't come with enough force, enough fight and like the coach said they whooped us. We get to see them on Wednesday and we have to have some pride on Wednesday for sure."
On the fans…
"I mean it means a lot. Knowing that we were getting beat by 30 plus or whatever it was and they still stayed there, that says alot about this city too as well. Giving me a standing ovation and the other seniors, I appreciate that, it just says alot about their character as well."