The following is a rush transcript of the Maumelle post-game press conference.
It has been lightly edited for clarity and to correct typographical errors related to the AI transcription process, which is not perfect and some errors are still in there.
Apologies.
Michael Shook, Maumelle coach
So first off, so proud of these guys, people doubted us all year and they fought, they came together, just like all teams we had our fair share of peaks and valleys. We had some struggles but we talked all year about, peaking at the right time. And I felt like during the state tournament we peaked at the right time we started playing good basketball, had an opportunity to get here, and it really stinks to be here but I know there are 30 other teams that would be happy to trade places with us here in 5-A, the character that I felt that our guys showed, we dug ourselves a hole D. Early on, Jonesboro’s Wes Swift does an amazing job. They were extremely well prepared and did a great job. I mean they outworked us, they out toughed us, they rebounded, they out everything us, the first half. But, I mean like I said the way my guys battled the second half, they never gave up and gave themselves a chance, and that's all you can ask for to have a chance at the end. I'm so proud of them.
That's all I got
Question: Everything was off, you know, especially compared to the way you guys had been playing the last few games.
Shook
Well, I mean, if you've ever been here, it's hard to be ready. You know it's a totally different environment and a different experience and we, there were definitely some nerves early on a little bit jitters, took a little time to settle down. You know, next year when we're here, hopefully we'll get to get a shoot around in the day before and then we won't have the COVID issues and stuff where we don't get to shoot around the day before and maybe we'll shoot a little better in the first half.
We didn't shoot the ball well in the first half and dug ourselves a big hole, it was a difference in the game.
Question by Jeremy Peppas: What adjustments did you make it halftime, other than taking off your tie at halftime. What adjustments did you make at halftime, that got Maumelle back into it and I know that Josh Denton shot really well in the third quarter, and had, I think he had nine points in the third quarter by himself.
Shook
Yes sir. Well, one of the things, that you tell him to settle down, you know, it's just basketball and doing what you do. We also talked a lot about going inside our original game plan I felt like we had more of an inside presence, and we didn't really utilize that in the first half and rally way over here, we were able to get him, I felt like there was a guard mismatch inside so we're able to feed it to him a little bit and try to get him go and he stepped up big for us. And then defensively. We put so much emphasis on trying to stop, Kiln [McBride], I mean obviously he's a phenomenal player and we finished with points, eight points. So that's, I mean, if you hold him to a point that's a pretty good job. But, but one of the things we did was we switched up. Instead of having Riley and JayBo [Jaylon Smith] guarding him.
Riley had a couple of steals took a charge we were able to, you know, make some adjustments defensively, you know, switching up our matchups.
Question, Peppas: On the game's final play you had Daugherty in the corner, running the baseline were you trying to get the ball to him because Riley Wade was inbounding and then he got it to Denton, where you're trying to swing around, ready for the final shot.
Shook
That's when we drew it out and we wanted to have multiple options because, you know, we didn't know what to expect. Defensively, and so yes Carl was an option as well as Josh and we had even talked about where Darvis was setting the screen on the baseline for Carl coming to turn in seal with it being a two point game. You know we would have been OK to try to score quick and take it to overtime. We didn't want to turn it over, we wanted to shoot. I didn't care. Whoever shot it I had confidence in them all. And I just said, you know, make the right play and here are your reads.
Maumelle: Post-game press conference
Maumelle: Post-game press conference
Maumelle: Post-game press conference
The following is a rush transcript of the Maumelle post-game press conference.
It has been lightly edited for clarity and to correct typographical errors related to the AI transcription process, which is not perfect and some errors are still in there.
Apologies.
Michael Shook, Maumelle coach
So first off, so proud of these guys, people doubted us all year and they fought, they came together, just like all teams we had our fair share of peaks and valleys. We had some struggles but we talked all year about, peaking at the right time. And I felt like during the state tournament we peaked at the right time we started playing good basketball, had an opportunity to get here, and it really stinks to be here but I know there are 30 other teams that would be happy to trade places with us here in 5-A, the character that I felt that our guys showed, we dug ourselves a hole D. Early on, Jonesboro’s Wes Swift does an amazing job. They were extremely well prepared and did a great job. I mean they outworked us, they out toughed us, they rebounded, they out everything us, the first half. But, I mean like I said the way my guys battled the second half, they never gave up and gave themselves a chance, and that's all you can ask for to have a chance at the end. I'm so proud of them.
That's all I got
Question: Everything was off, you know, especially compared to the way you guys had been playing the last few games.
Shook
Well, I mean, if you've ever been here, it's hard to be ready. You know it's a totally different environment and a different experience and we, there were definitely some nerves early on a little bit jitters, took a little time to settle down. You know, next year when we're here, hopefully we'll get to get a shoot around in the day before and then we won't have the COVID issues and stuff where we don't get to shoot around the day before and maybe we'll shoot a little better in the first half.
We didn't shoot the ball well in the first half and dug ourselves a big hole, it was a difference in the game.
Question by Jeremy Peppas: What adjustments did you make it halftime, other than taking off your tie at halftime. What adjustments did you make at halftime, that got Maumelle back into it and I know that Josh Denton shot really well in the third quarter, and had, I think he had nine points in the third quarter by himself.
Shook
Yes sir. Well, one of the things, that you tell him to settle down, you know, it's just basketball and doing what you do. We also talked a lot about going inside our original game plan I felt like we had more of an inside presence, and we didn't really utilize that in the first half and rally way over here, we were able to get him, I felt like there was a guard mismatch inside so we're able to feed it to him a little bit and try to get him go and he stepped up big for us. And then defensively. We put so much emphasis on trying to stop, Kiln [McBride], I mean obviously he's a phenomenal player and we finished with points, eight points. So that's, I mean, if you hold him to a point that's a pretty good job. But, but one of the things we did was we switched up. Instead of having Riley and JayBo [Jaylon Smith] guarding him.
Riley had a couple of steals took a charge we were able to, you know, make some adjustments defensively, you know, switching up our matchups.
Question, Peppas: On the game's final play you had Daugherty in the corner, running the baseline were you trying to get the ball to him because Riley Wade was inbounding and then he got it to Denton, where you're trying to swing around, ready for the final shot.
Shook
That's when we drew it out and we wanted to have multiple options because, you know, we didn't know what to expect. Defensively, and so yes Carl was an option as well as Josh and we had even talked about where Darvis was setting the screen on the baseline for Carl coming to turn in seal with it being a two point game. You know we would have been OK to try to score quick and take it to overtime. We didn't want to turn it over, we wanted to shoot. I didn't care. Whoever shot it I had confidence in them all. And I just said, you know, make the right play and here are your reads.
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