University of North Carolina Athletics
Postgame Quotes - Carolina 90, Coppin State 55
December 28, 2016 | Women's Basketball
NORTH CAROLINA POSTGAME QUOTES
North Carolina 90, Coppin State 55 • December 28, 2016
Head Coach Sylvia Hatchell, Players Jamie Cherry and Paris Kea
Opening Statement
“Thanks for being here. It was good to let everyone play a little bit. I thought we started off really strong. We were really moving and attacking. We had a good combination of inside shots, outside shots and everything. We were clicking pretty good early on, and you know, we're just getting better and better. This group, basically all the guards are just learning to play together. Jamie [Cherry]'s doing a really good job of distributing and making everybody better. That's the number one quality of a great point guard – is that they make everybody on the court better, and you know, Jamie can score if we need her to, but also she's getting the ball to people and charging, running things out there. When we've got all of that going, that's pretty good. Getting the ball inside to Paris [Kea], she does a great job with that mid-range game, and so I thought we had a good balance and good combination of a lot of things out there. The post players – Alyssa [Okoene]'s getting better, Naomi [Van Nes]'s getting better. They just need some time and experience. We're 10-2, we've got one more game and then we start conference games. We know all those will be a war and a battle, but I'm really proud of how hard this team has worked and where we are. We've got to continue to do that, and we've got to just be really, really strong and competitive and mentally tough as we get into the ACC. But it was a good game, and we are looking forward to the next game and then getting to the ACC play.
On starting four ball handlers
“Yeah, it's hard to press us, and our assist to turnover ratio this year, it's got to be No. 1 in the conference probably because our assist to turnover ratio is really good. And again, that starts with Jamie, but the distribution of the ball and everything. But we do, we have four guards and they can all shoot. Paris is a great three-point shooter. She doesn't take that many, but her numbers are good. You know, Jamie does, and Jamie's had to in the past. This year she does if we need her to. Destinee [Walker]'s really turned it on and Stephanie [Watts]. Outside we've got some threats, and Taylor [Koenen]'s getting better as a freshman. Alyssa's coming along inside and Naomi. We're just a young group. I've said all along, I'd put our group of guards up against anybody in the country. They do, they work hard and they get in the gym and they shoot a lot. They really get up a lot of shots, and so that's good.”
Jamie Cherry, Senior Guard
On her responsibility on the court
“Everything. I mean the coaches look to me to take charge out there, and I'm responsible for everybody. I'm responsible for where everybody goes and what goes on. Just being the vocal leader out there, and just putting everybody in the right place and setting everybody up to score. Paris [Kea] and Steph [Watts] and Des [Walker] are great scorers, so just having them out there makes my job much easier just passing it to them and they're knocking down shots.
On what Destinee [Walker] has done the past two games to be successful
“Destinee's been in the gym a lot lately working on her shot, getting repetition shots up. So I think that's a major part in that and why she's knocking down shots in the game. That's her work ethic. She's working much harder in practice, and just working on everything that the coaches are telling her that she needs to get better at.”
Paris Kea, R-Sophomore Guard
On how the team works on coming together offensively
“Well games like this is when we try to work on our weaknesses. We try to work the ball, try to get the ball on the inside, see Naomi [Van Nes] out there kind of put some points up, getting rebounds, improving a lot.
On the mentality in blow-out wins like this
“Before the game, coach tells us to have fun. At the end of the day we want to get the W, but we know we're sisters out there fighting to get the victory. So, have fun.”
