University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Postgame Quotes - UCLA vs. Norfolk State (Nov. 14, 2022)
POSTGAME QUOTES
UCLA 86, Norfolk State 56
November 14, 2022
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Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Menโs Head Basketball Coach
opening remarks
โI thought Norfolk State did a great job of controlling the tempo, staying in the game. The coaching staff did a great job. We were able to turn up the heat, more and more, defensively. We were really efficient on offense tonight. I wasnโt happy about our passing, or the lack thereof, or shot selection in the Long Beach game. We should be a team that shoots a high percentage all the time. Our passing was much, much better tonight. We got the ball inside more than I thought we have in a month. There are still areas we have to improve.โ
ย
on the freshmen getting more comfortable
โOur whole game is going to be a whole new environment. First game out of Pauley Pavilion, first game against another high major team. So for all our young guys, itโs just going through that process. We have five freshmen who played tonight, and those guys are the key to our future.โ
ย
on how the freshmen perform in practice
โThe tools are great. Nobody would start for me if they werenโt playing hard in practice. All of them have been. Thatโs what dictates if youโve made an improvement. Real improvement as a player is dictated by your aptitude, your willingness to listen, and your attitude. You have to get in the gym. Iโve done this a long time, 27thย year in college as a coach, Iโve had guys whoโve improved in different ways. Amari couldnโt guard me a month ago, with the suit on. Our goal is for him to be a defensive stopper, and heโs taking that to heart. When youโre as athletic and tough as he is, you should be able to โ heโs an NBA player someday โ guard college players. Itโs just a mindset. He wasnโt trained, itโs my job to train him. Heโs come a long way in a short period of time defensively, because of his effort and attitude. Heโs also highly talented, he picks things up.โ
ย
on Jaylen Clarkโs shooting
โI wish I was as open as him when I played. Heโs worked really hard, he really has. Again, we believe in player development. Tyger was not a shooter, now he is. Jaylen Clark was not a shooter, now he is. Youโre talking about two guys who had to make fundamental adjustments to the way they shoot the ball, and listen to the coaches and believe in their coaches. We had to reconstruct Jaylenโs shot from the time he got here. Heโs on plane. In baseball, they call it swing plane. Shooting plane. He also takes open shots. But heโs worked really hard. Early on, all this success, he deserves, because heโs put the time in. Thatโs not an easy thing to do. Thereโs guys that have been in the NBA a long time and still canโt shoot. Iโve coached guys, just hard-headed. Heโs so intelligent, that he understands when I went to break his shot down, it made sense to him. He embraced it.โ
ย
on the offensive efficiency
โIt should be for us. We have the players, the talent, if we share the ball. And we threw it inside, and then back outside. Thatโs why Jaylen Clark was the recipient, they were leaving him. If you coach a team where only a few guys can score, you have to force feed them. But we donโt have that situation. I thought it was all predicated by better passing, 20 assists. We really broke down our shot selection and lack of passing [against LBSU]. Now [Norfolk State] played some zone, forced us to pass the ball.โ
ย
on defense
โYou canโt win if you canโt play defense. Iโm talking about cutting the nets down. You canโt win. We lost to North Carolina last year because we couldnโt get a stop and a rebound. Thatโs why we lost. We lost to Gonzaga because we turned the ball over five times when they got lay-ups. Those are the things that separate. When you get the highest level and itโs top-10s playing each other, if youโre lucky enough to be one of them, they all have the same talent level. You have to be able to win by execution and toughness, defense, rebounding. You canโt just go out-score the other team. Theyโre in the top ten for a reason. Nobody is going to win big if you donโt defend, itโs just not going to happen. Just look at the NBA, look at Golden State this year. 0-7 on the road, look at their defensive numbers, Iโm sure Coach Kerr would say.โ
ย
ย
ย
Junior guard Jaylen Clark
on his improved shooting
โI feel like half of it is confidence, but the real answer is just work. Iโm here shooting every day after practice, after film, after walkthroughs, off days, on days. Iโm shooting every day, getting up 700 shots on the gun. I donโt need no trainer or nothing like that. Just seeing the ball go through the hoop over time gives me confidence. It also helps when Iโm playing with people like Jaime (Jaquez Jr.) and Tyger who get double teamed consistently because Iโm getting free looks off.โ
ย
on only having eight deflections
โ(Associate Head Coach Darren Savino) talked to me and he started telling me donโt get frustrated if the ball stops coming your way and the person I was matched up with was in the corner. He wasnโt in handoffs. So, I got the two deflections early but other than that the dude was just sitting in the corner away from most of the action. Iโm not going to gamble or do anything crazy or ridiculous. If Iโm in the action, Iโm going to get my steals but if Iโm not, Iโm not going to force it. I had two tonight so Iโm still on pace (to break the season deflections record).โ
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Freshman guard Amari Bailey
on if he felt the most comfortable tonight out of the first three games
โFor sure. I feel like it just slowed down. (I was) not doing too much, letting the game come to me (and) reading the defense, honestly.โ
ย
on the sequence with Adem Bonaโs block and his dunk
โItโs always fun when the team is starting to go on a run and youโre starting to break open a lead, so that was a great turning point in the game.โ
ย
on Adem Bonaโs defensive shot blocking
โI mean Bona is big for us. Heโs a big contributor to our team.โ
ย
Redshirt senior forward Jaime Jaquez Jr.
on how this team compares to his past teams at UCLA
โI think every team that Iโve been on has been so different. I know last year we had a group of guys that was so well connected because we played together in the Final Four. This year, we just have so many new pieces (and) a lot of new freshmen coming in. I feel like they gel so well. Weโre getting better every day as you guys can see. Norfolk State is not a team that we took lightly, and our freshmen showed that. They paid attention to the scouting report, understood our defensive game plan and our offensive gameplan and executed it to a tee.โ
ย
on the comfort level of the freshmen
โThey all bring great attributes to the team. Iโll start with Amari first. I remember our first game I told him, โAfter today, youโre not a freshman anymore.โ Heโs in the starting lineup for a reason. Itโs because heโs so comfortable out there. He doesnโt take any bad shots. He plays within his game, and he knows what weโre looking for and he brings that to the table. Heโs just been tremendous for us as well. Weโve got Dylan (Andrews) and Abramo (Canka) coming off the bench as well. Those two guys bring a defensive intensity off the bench that is much needed.โ
ย
Norfolk State head coach Robert Jones
opening remarks
โWe stunk tonight. We were never in it. We rested on our laurels on how we played against Baylor. We just didnโt have it.โ
ย
on improving their visibility by playing UCLA
โWe play these games all the time. Itโs not that UCLA isnโt great, but weโve played teams like Houston as well. We play Monmouth on Thursday. Itโs just one of these days; we just didnโt have it tonight.โ
ย
on Joe Bryant
โHe just didnโt have it tonight. He played so well against Baylor โ he had 24 [points] and six [rebounds]. Now youโre at the top of the scout. They roughed him up a bit, and he had a tough game. I canโt remember when he had just four points; itโs been so long.โ
ย
on where they go from here
โItโs only a loss, and you can only learn from a loss. We just didnโt show up tonight. We all know about the UCLA tradition, but weโre one of the most highly-rated mid-major programs, and we just didnโt show up tonight.โ
ย
UCLA 86, Norfolk State 56
November 14, 2022
ย
Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Menโs Head Basketball Coach
opening remarks
โI thought Norfolk State did a great job of controlling the tempo, staying in the game. The coaching staff did a great job. We were able to turn up the heat, more and more, defensively. We were really efficient on offense tonight. I wasnโt happy about our passing, or the lack thereof, or shot selection in the Long Beach game. We should be a team that shoots a high percentage all the time. Our passing was much, much better tonight. We got the ball inside more than I thought we have in a month. There are still areas we have to improve.โ
ย
on the freshmen getting more comfortable
โOur whole game is going to be a whole new environment. First game out of Pauley Pavilion, first game against another high major team. So for all our young guys, itโs just going through that process. We have five freshmen who played tonight, and those guys are the key to our future.โ
ย
on how the freshmen perform in practice
โThe tools are great. Nobody would start for me if they werenโt playing hard in practice. All of them have been. Thatโs what dictates if youโve made an improvement. Real improvement as a player is dictated by your aptitude, your willingness to listen, and your attitude. You have to get in the gym. Iโve done this a long time, 27thย year in college as a coach, Iโve had guys whoโve improved in different ways. Amari couldnโt guard me a month ago, with the suit on. Our goal is for him to be a defensive stopper, and heโs taking that to heart. When youโre as athletic and tough as he is, you should be able to โ heโs an NBA player someday โ guard college players. Itโs just a mindset. He wasnโt trained, itโs my job to train him. Heโs come a long way in a short period of time defensively, because of his effort and attitude. Heโs also highly talented, he picks things up.โ
ย
on Jaylen Clarkโs shooting
โI wish I was as open as him when I played. Heโs worked really hard, he really has. Again, we believe in player development. Tyger was not a shooter, now he is. Jaylen Clark was not a shooter, now he is. Youโre talking about two guys who had to make fundamental adjustments to the way they shoot the ball, and listen to the coaches and believe in their coaches. We had to reconstruct Jaylenโs shot from the time he got here. Heโs on plane. In baseball, they call it swing plane. Shooting plane. He also takes open shots. But heโs worked really hard. Early on, all this success, he deserves, because heโs put the time in. Thatโs not an easy thing to do. Thereโs guys that have been in the NBA a long time and still canโt shoot. Iโve coached guys, just hard-headed. Heโs so intelligent, that he understands when I went to break his shot down, it made sense to him. He embraced it.โ
ย
on the offensive efficiency
โIt should be for us. We have the players, the talent, if we share the ball. And we threw it inside, and then back outside. Thatโs why Jaylen Clark was the recipient, they were leaving him. If you coach a team where only a few guys can score, you have to force feed them. But we donโt have that situation. I thought it was all predicated by better passing, 20 assists. We really broke down our shot selection and lack of passing [against LBSU]. Now [Norfolk State] played some zone, forced us to pass the ball.โ
ย
on defense
โYou canโt win if you canโt play defense. Iโm talking about cutting the nets down. You canโt win. We lost to North Carolina last year because we couldnโt get a stop and a rebound. Thatโs why we lost. We lost to Gonzaga because we turned the ball over five times when they got lay-ups. Those are the things that separate. When you get the highest level and itโs top-10s playing each other, if youโre lucky enough to be one of them, they all have the same talent level. You have to be able to win by execution and toughness, defense, rebounding. You canโt just go out-score the other team. Theyโre in the top ten for a reason. Nobody is going to win big if you donโt defend, itโs just not going to happen. Just look at the NBA, look at Golden State this year. 0-7 on the road, look at their defensive numbers, Iโm sure Coach Kerr would say.โ
ย
ย
ย
Junior guard Jaylen Clark
on his improved shooting
โI feel like half of it is confidence, but the real answer is just work. Iโm here shooting every day after practice, after film, after walkthroughs, off days, on days. Iโm shooting every day, getting up 700 shots on the gun. I donโt need no trainer or nothing like that. Just seeing the ball go through the hoop over time gives me confidence. It also helps when Iโm playing with people like Jaime (Jaquez Jr.) and Tyger who get double teamed consistently because Iโm getting free looks off.โ
ย
on only having eight deflections
โ(Associate Head Coach Darren Savino) talked to me and he started telling me donโt get frustrated if the ball stops coming your way and the person I was matched up with was in the corner. He wasnโt in handoffs. So, I got the two deflections early but other than that the dude was just sitting in the corner away from most of the action. Iโm not going to gamble or do anything crazy or ridiculous. If Iโm in the action, Iโm going to get my steals but if Iโm not, Iโm not going to force it. I had two tonight so Iโm still on pace (to break the season deflections record).โ
ย
Freshman guard Amari Bailey
on if he felt the most comfortable tonight out of the first three games
โFor sure. I feel like it just slowed down. (I was) not doing too much, letting the game come to me (and) reading the defense, honestly.โ
ย
on the sequence with Adem Bonaโs block and his dunk
โItโs always fun when the team is starting to go on a run and youโre starting to break open a lead, so that was a great turning point in the game.โ
ย
on Adem Bonaโs defensive shot blocking
โI mean Bona is big for us. Heโs a big contributor to our team.โ
ย
Redshirt senior forward Jaime Jaquez Jr.
on how this team compares to his past teams at UCLA
โI think every team that Iโve been on has been so different. I know last year we had a group of guys that was so well connected because we played together in the Final Four. This year, we just have so many new pieces (and) a lot of new freshmen coming in. I feel like they gel so well. Weโre getting better every day as you guys can see. Norfolk State is not a team that we took lightly, and our freshmen showed that. They paid attention to the scouting report, understood our defensive game plan and our offensive gameplan and executed it to a tee.โ
ย
on the comfort level of the freshmen
โThey all bring great attributes to the team. Iโll start with Amari first. I remember our first game I told him, โAfter today, youโre not a freshman anymore.โ Heโs in the starting lineup for a reason. Itโs because heโs so comfortable out there. He doesnโt take any bad shots. He plays within his game, and he knows what weโre looking for and he brings that to the table. Heโs just been tremendous for us as well. Weโve got Dylan (Andrews) and Abramo (Canka) coming off the bench as well. Those two guys bring a defensive intensity off the bench that is much needed.โ
ย
Norfolk State head coach Robert Jones
opening remarks
โWe stunk tonight. We were never in it. We rested on our laurels on how we played against Baylor. We just didnโt have it.โ
ย
on improving their visibility by playing UCLA
โWe play these games all the time. Itโs not that UCLA isnโt great, but weโve played teams like Houston as well. We play Monmouth on Thursday. Itโs just one of these days; we just didnโt have it tonight.โ
ย
on Joe Bryant
โHe just didnโt have it tonight. He played so well against Baylor โ he had 24 [points] and six [rebounds]. Now youโre at the top of the scout. They roughed him up a bit, and he had a tough game. I canโt remember when he had just four points; itโs been so long.โ
ย
on where they go from here
โItโs only a loss, and you can only learn from a loss. We just didnโt show up tonight. We all know about the UCLA tradition, but weโre one of the most highly-rated mid-major programs, and we just didnโt show up tonight.โ
ย