Oct. 27, 2011
Press Conference Quotes | Clarke interviews Jenkins at Media Day
Unlike the three-day event that is SEC Football Media Day, the league’s basketball version is condensed into a 10-hour period during one day. That day, was Thursday for the SEC’s basketball programs who convened at the Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Ala, to discuss the upcoming season.
Vanderbilt’s contingent consisted of Kevin Stallings, Melanie Balcomb and John Jenkins and Tiffany Clarke. The quartet traveled to Media Day Thursday morning and returned in time for afternoon practice.
Here is a brief look at some of the key discussion points with the Commodore representatives.
Men’s Basketball
Playing with high expectations
Vanderbilt was picked to finish second in the Southeastern Conference and are ranked seventh in the preseason coaches’ poll. The high preseason marks aren’t common on West End, and the Commodores aren’t shying away from them.
“We are trying to make it so it is more normal,” Stallings said of Vanderbilt’s preseason recognition. “It is flattering and we are excited that people respect us. As I told our team, we need two things this year. We need an absence of drama and an absence of injuries. If we can stay away from those two things, we think we can have a good team.”
The high ranking also puts a bullseye on the Commodores, something the Commodores are well aware of.
“We are going to get everybody’s best shot this year,” Jenkins said.
Stallings talks the return of Ezeli, Jenkins and Taylor
After the final horn sounded in Vanderbilt’s loss to Richmond in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the attention on the team turned to the future of Festus Ezeli, John Jenkins and Jeff Taylor. The players were each discussed as possible NBA Draft selections, but each opted to stay.
On Thursday, Stallings commended the three for how they handled the situation.
“They just handled the process the right way,” Stallings said. “With my assistants they acquired information, assessed the information and made decisions. There was no drama. There weren’t third, fourth and fifth parties.”
He wouldn’t divulge who it was, but Stallings also told an interesting story about the dialog he had with one of the three who never wanted to leave from the get-go.
“I had one guy that told me beforehand, ‘Coach I don’t care if (people from the NBA Draft advisory committee) come back and say I’m a first rounder, I’m not leaving.’
“I said, ‘well I think that is stupid.’
“So we actually had this reverse conversation where I was telling him, ‘listen if you are a lock-stock first rounder you need to go.’ And he was telling me, ‘but coach I don’t want to go and you aren’t going to make me, right?’
“I was pinching myself, like ‘is this really happening?'”
“If they had all three been absolute lock first rounders, other than with the lockout, I would have told them to go because that is what would have made the most sense for them. They got the information and they couldn’t have been more mature, more professional. They didn’t let emotions or dreams or figments of their imagination get in their way.”
Tennessee’s Martin helped Jenkins grow his game
During the summer, junior John Jenkins spent time in China playing at the World University Games. One of the assistant coaches on the team was none other than Tennessee Head Coach Cuonzo Martin.
Team USA finished in fifth at the tournament and Jenkins led the team in scoring at a clip of 13.5 points per game in eight games.
While with the team, Jenkins developed a tight bond with Martin, who he credits for helping him become a better leader.
“We got really close,” Jenkins said of Martin. “He stayed on my behind all the time, making sure I was leading the team and speaking up which should help me at Vanderbilt this year.”
Festus receiving much praise
No individual Commodore player was discussed more by the media in attendance than Festus Ezeli … and it wasn’t because of his suspension.
Festus’ incredible growth as a player continues to turn heads, including his teammates’.
“It is incredible to see what he has done,” Jenkins said. “His development has been unreal. At first he was kind of shy around people and didn’t know how to play in games, but he came into his own last year and he is an absolute beast.”
Just how important has Ezeli been to the program? Head Coach Kevin Stallings considers him as irreplaceable.
“Festus is the reason that we have elevated,” Stallings said. “When you have a guy that is as good as he is inside, it gives your team a different element that not a lot of teams have. Some teams have them. But teams that have low post players that are really good like he is, those teams tend to be a little different.”
Women’s Basketball
Holzer’s health key for the Commodores
With a roster short on depth with 11 players this season, one of the keys to Vanderbilt’s success will be the health of its team. Especially important will be the health of redshirt sophomore center Stephanie Holzer, who missed time last year due to a back injury.
To help keep Holzer healthy, the coaching staff has modified her practice schedule.
“Right now we are finding a balance,” Head Coach Melanie Balcomb said. “She can perform enough at practice where she is getting stronger, getting in shape and is also on the court knowing what we are doing. She is gaining confidence and the team is building confidence with her.”
When healthy, Holzer was one of the league’s most dominant players last year en route to earning Sixth Woman of the Year honors.
“I think Stephanie Holzer can be as good as she wants to be,” Balcomb said. “She’s extremely smart, skilled and finishes everything. The difference right now is that she is practicing. If Steph can keep practicing the way she is practicing now, I expect stronger, better conditioned athlete that will be a lot more consistent and a lot more successful.”
New distance of three-point line not a concern
One of the rule changes over the offseason was to move the women’s three-point line back to 20’9″ to match where the men’s line is.
Just how much of a factor, the longer distance will be is yet to be seen, but Coach Balcomb does not believe it will be much of one at all.
“I think kids grow up shooting way behind the line now anyway,” Balcomb said. “I used to yell at them to move up to the line, but our kids don’t really toe the line.”
Balcomb also believes the added distance could help open up the floor for post players.
“I like it because I think it helps our game spread more,” Balcomb said. “I think post play is going to improve. You will be able to see post players like Steph Holzer be able to use the dribble and make some better post moves and it not being so bunched up.”
Newfound leadership
With the loss of seniors Jence Rhoads, Rebecca Silinski and Hannah Tuomi, Vanderbilt had a major void to fill not only on the court, but also in the locker room. The only senior on the roster is Jordan Coleman, but leadership has been a strength according to junior Tiffany Clarke.
“I would say everyone has stepped up,” Clarke said. “One of the young players who has really stepped up is Jasmine Lister in the point guard role. She’s been working very hard and is just relentless in the gym.”
Coaching at Memorial Gym
Vanderbilt’s Memorial Gym is the oldest arena in the SEC and it is also the most unique. It’s uniqueness adds character and makes for an interesting viewing experience for those watching a game in person or on television. But the uniqueness can also be a challenge for coaching staffs, who stand on opposite baselines and often are not heard across half court.
“Once they are down on the other end, they have no idea what I am saying,” Balcomb said. “I know that is very frustrating to other coaches, but to me I’ve learned to live with it. It is something I can’t control and I kind of think it is an advantage for us.”
As Balcomb has also learned, the setup of the court has also been helpful in the recruiting process for some individuals.
“I had a recruit one time that was a point guard and years later someone told me that her AAU coach’s advice was to go to Vanderbilt because the coach can only yell at you half the game and the other half you can’t even hear them. That was one of the reasons in the end that she came to play and that just made me laugh because I never really had thought about it.”
Juniors stepping up
With a very young team featuring just one senior, Vanderbilt’s coaching staff will turn to the team’s junior class of Elan Brown, Tiffany Clarke and Gabby Smith to take a major step forward this season not only in the leadership department but also production on the floor.
“I think our juniors have to act like seniors,” Balcomb said. “The key for us is that junior class. They have a lot of game experience and they just have to play consistently and play at the level they can play at.”
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