Hubert Davis Post-Virginia Quotes

On team's performance when Caleb Love is lighting it up…
"Our team is really good when Caleb (Love) plays well. There were a number of ways that Caleb had a good game. He led our teams in assists and only had one turnover. I thought he did a really good job when he came off of ball screens, trying to read what Virginia was trying to do. A lot of times, Virginia will have hard hedges and trap coming off ball screens and it can disrupt guards if they are not able to handle the pressure. Not just their ability to score but to get the ball out to a player that can do something with it. I thought he did that really well. His ability to make shots is such a benefit to us but I thought he had an outstanding game on the defensive end. I don't think people realize how difficult it is to guard their action. The main play that they run is circle action, consistently coming off flare screens and down screens. Virginia from an offensive standpoint is methodical and so they rarely shoot quick shots. From a defensive standpoint, you have to lock in for every possession in an average of 20 seconds plus. To be able to do that and still play 38 minutes. Caleb has had an unbelievable year and which is why he is one of the best guards in the country and why he is going to be an unbelievable NBA player as well."

How have you seen Caleb Love evolve as a distributor over his sophomore season…
"I have always said it's a big difference between freshmen guards and sophomore guards. For Caleb, he didn't have the luxury of having a veteran point guard when he came in to teach him the ropes. He came in last year, we gave him the ball, and told him you are the point guard at North Carolina, make it happen. It's such a benefit to have older, experienced players that have been there before to be an example to you not just on the court but how to prepare, practice, put yourself in a position to be successful. He's had to do that on the fly and so to see the difference in him in his freshman and sophomore year is really fun to watch and I'm very proud of him."

How gratifying was North Carolina's offensive performance against Virginia's defense and how did how North Carolina plays not affect that…
"The difference that we play now gives us the ability to be able to get shots against an unbelievable Virginia team that gets after it on the defensive end every game. Coach Bennett is one of the best coaches in basketball, not just in college but NBA, international, whatever it is. His teams all have their incredible individual defenders but they are also good team defenders. It is very difficult to get good shots against them. In order to get consistent good shots against them defensively, you have to have spacing, balance, and movement. In our offensive sets, we talked about there has to be movement. We got to change sides of the floor, give them a chance to make a mistake, you can't be stationary and try to attack, it's just not going to work for them. You also have to have the ability to shoot. The times that we have been successful against Virginia, we have been able to shoot the ball from the outside which gives us that spacing to be able to drive and attack the basket. It's a huge benefit when we have guys like Caleb and RJ that can shoot and now Brady at the 4, that can hit five threes. Then, you bring in Anthony and Justin off the bench and they are knocking down perimeter jump shots, that extends their defense and gives us the opportunity to score."

How closely did the team's performance today resemble your preseason expectations…
"After we came back from Notre Dame, I said that they have been given three things, an opportunity to play, they have also been given the ability to play. I said myself, Coach Lebo, Coach May, Coach Sullivan, Coach Frederick, we no longer have the opportunity or ability to play. Now that you have the opportunity and ability to play, you have a responsibility to play. You have a responsibility to be the best that you can be everyday on both ends of the floor and play as hard as you can. When we talked about it in that way, them having the opportunity and ability to play, because of that, their responsibility is to play as hard as they can. That seemed to resonate in them when we got back from Notre Dame and really gave us encouragement. We practiced really well yesterday in our preparation for Virginia and I was really happy with their effort on both ends of the floor. Virginia is an unbelievable basketball team and anytime that you get a chance to compete against them and end up winning, it has been a good day. It has been a good day for Carolina Basketball."

How do you carry today's intensity into next Saturday with the seven day layoff…
"Tomorrow we are going to take the day off. It has been nine days straight where the guys have not had a day off. We are either practicing or playing at 1 o'clock in Boston or 9 pm in South Bend. It is a much needed rest for them tomorrow to be able to catch their breath and get their bodies right. Then, you add in the adjustment on Monday when they start school again. The first day of classes in the Spring semester start on Monday so you add the academic piece to it. I am just excited to get back to practice next week and build on what we are doing. In the locker room after the game, I said one of the things that you should be encouraged by is that you have experienced the benefit of playing with energy, effort, and toughness. That should be an encouragement and motivation to continue to have that feeling. It all starts with preparation and practice and I am looking forward to getting back next week."

What has the coaching staff done to complement Armando Bacot and Brady Manek…
"They play really well together. It's been that way since Brady has gotten here. They are both very skilled but bring different types of talent and skills on both ends of the floor. They really compliment each other. They understand spacing, where each one of them are going to be positioned on the floor. I don't think you can script or force chemistry. Either it's there or it's not. For some reason, their communication on both ends of the floor is just really good. It's nothing forced, it's organic to be able to work well on the floor. To think they have just been together on the floor for one year. They play off of each other, the way that they play together. It seems like they have been on the floor a lot longer than just this season."

When a player has a performance like Bacot had today, does that generate an attitude for a team…
"I don't think it is an attitude. We have talked about each individual player on this team has to be clothed with energy, effort, and toughness. As good as Armando, Brady, Caleb, RJ, Leaky, Ant, or Justin, if you don't bring the energy, effort, and toughness piece, it is just not going to work out individually and as a team. In terms of the attitude, that is it. I want the identity of this team to look in person, on TV, to see that this North Carolina team always comes to play and they play with energy, effort, and toughness, irregardless of the result. They always show up. As for the identity of the team, that is what I want. At times, it has been that. I'm just stubborn and want what I want and want that all the time. I am going to continue to love them, coach them, and to encourage them to bring that every time that they step on the floor."

Decision to play Bacot, Davis, and Love heavy minutes…
"I played them so many minutes was a couple of reasons. Number one, they were playing really well. When they are playing really well, I like them on the court. Number two, because Dawson (Garcia) and Kerwin (Walton) and we just got Justin (McKoy) back yesterday, he was out for a week. We just didn't have many options for the bigs. It was a combination of missing Dawson and Kerwin. Two guys that play big minutes for us that were unable to play today. Then, also the combination how well Armando, Brady, Caleb, and RJ were playing. I didn't want to take them out."

How does the staff treat turnovers…
"I don't like turnovers. One of the things that I always say and Coach Williams said it so I borrow it. A turnover is either selfishness or carelessness. It's one of the two. I have told this team that our turnovers are carelessness, it's never selfishness. Our guys are great. One of the things that we say is make the easy play, take care of the basketball, and that we don't need homeruns. We just need singles. That is what we talk about and reinforce every day at practice and in the games."

On Armando Bacot's performance today, what kind of ceiling do you believe he has…
"I thought Armando can do this. Every year, one of the things that I love about Armando is that there is a number of things. To me, this is what college basketball is, the progression and growth of these kids. Now kids go to the NBA and transfer, we don't give them an opportunity to just grow as a player. Every year, Armando has gotten better. I am really proud that he has aspirations to play at the next level and I told him he has no chance of going to the next level if he doesn't develop perimeter skills. If he can't handle the basketball or be a threat to shoot the ball from the outside. This summer, every week he made a thousand three. It doesn't change what he can do best. Even though he can shoot the ball from the perimeter, he didn't shoot any threes today. He does what he can do every day consistently, that's rebound and finish around the basket. I didn't know he had 29 points and 21 rebounds but I know he played a really good. When I saw the stat sheet, the last time I had seen a stat line like that was Brice Johnson when we played at Florida State. That's the last time I had seen a dominant force like that. To be able to do it against a Virginia team that is very physical and tries to double-team you every time on the block, that is the best performance I have seen against Virginia that I can remember. I am very proud of Armando."

What has Armando Bacot done to be more of an effective scorer and rebounder down low…
"Rebounding is all effort. Energy, effort, and toughness. The reason why he is getting rebounds is because he's giving the energy, effort, and toughness that is needed to rebound the basketball. He had nine offensive rebounds. The ball doesn't just come to you. That is energy, effort, and toughness. His ability to finish around the basket is because he works on it. The only way that you can improve is to get in the gym and get better and work at it. Armando is somebody that relentlessly works on being the best basketball player that he can become. He's always doing stuff before practice and after practice. His preparation and work over the summer has put him in a position to have this type of year. It's all energy, effort, and toughness for Armando."

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University of North Carolina Athletics

Players Mentioned

Armando Bacot

Caleb Love

Brady Manek

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