Hubert Davis Quotes Post-FSU

Hubert Davis Postgame Quotes
UNC vs. Florida State
Feb. 12, 2022

Q: Obviously, 62 points in the first half is really impressive. But the defense was more impressive to me, holding them to 24 points. They didn't score in double digits, the first 1011 minutes of game. Can you speak about your defensive intensity out of the gates?

Coach Davis: No, I thought it was great. You know, I've said this before, you know, we have identified our recipe for success and the first thing is to get after it on the defensive end. The second thing is to rebound the basketball on both ends of the floor. So limit teams one shot every possession and on the offensive end, get second chance opportunities by crashing offensive glass. And then the third thing, which is a place that has played a big part in how we have played defense is taking care of basketball, and against Florida State who is terrific defensively, their length and their athleticism, they're always creating turnovers, and they do a really good job of converting those turnovers. We really needed to be good in those three areas. And in the first half, we nearly did those things perfectly. And so I was really proud of the way that they played defensively in the first half and it just confirms and continues to show me that that I think we can be a really good defensive team.

Q: Caleb said a little bit ago that short memory is key for the team moving on from what transpired against Duke last week, winning the tough game at Clemson and coming out clicking all cylinders today. Is short memory, something that you had to kind of foster yourself in the program? And if so, are the kids kind of adopted it to where you don't need to as much now, it's becoming part of who they are?

Coach Davis: I think you guys are starting to learn more about me. I'm positive. I like being positive. There's so many ways and so many, it's so very easy to be negative about anything. I'm very positive. And so you know, even though that we didn't play well, last week, the positive thing is we had an opportunity to go to Clemson on the road against a really good Clemson team and compete and have a chance to win, we're able to do that. And then we had a chance today to play against a really good Florida State team at home. And we did that. Throughout the year, one of the things many things that I'm so proud of our guys are is when we get knocked down, we always get back up. And so when we had that tough stretch at the beginning of the year at Connecticut, we bounced back. We had that tough week against Miami and Wake Forest. We came back and won four straight and then we had a disappointing outcome against Duke just last week and what was on the plate was for us to come and compete against two really, really good teams and we did that and so I'm positive. I like to look at things from a positive standpoint and I'm really proud of our guys, throughout the entire season, that they've been willing to get back up and compete and fight.

Q: You guys had a season high 22 assists. And that comes after Clemson, I think it's the it ties the highest two game total of 39 assists. Are there things you guys are doing differently to, you know, that are just more conducive to sharing the ball? Or is it just, you know, it's just kind of the teams you're playing against? You know, it was it, it was more beneficial to be whipping the ball around.  What's the key to the ball movement you guys?

Coach Davis: Well, you know, I've, we've talked about this a lot, on both ends of the floor, but specifically from an offensive standpoint we have talked about that we've we have to be able to do this together. It can't be one person, it can't be one on one. We have to do this together. And if we if we share the ball, and we do this together, everybody benefits. One of the things that we talk about every day is spacing, balance, and a combination of player movement in ball movement. And if we continue to do that, with our ability to be able to shoot the basketball and Armando finishing around the rim, and Leakey his ability to, you know, to drive and distribute. Like it puts a lot of pressure on teams. And so it's something that we've talked about, but I really believe that more and more, I think the guys are believing and understanding and trusting from an offensive standpoint of doing this together, and how that plays a part in our success on the offensive end. And I think they're seeing the benefit of it. You know, with Caleb's assist against, against Clemson, he sees the benefit of it. So then he comes back in this game, and he has six assists. RJ the last two games has 11 assists and one turnover. And so he's seeing look at the benefit not only in my scoring, but I'm getting everybody else involved. And it just bleeds to teammates and just continues to share the basketball. And it's a part that we've talked about a lot and it's a part that's when we do it, we're very efficient on the offensive end.

Q: Hubert you guys got some really solid bench production today. And I know in an ideal world, you'd rather have Anthony and Dawson in the fold. But RJ mentioned how guys are really leaning into their roles and making the most of them now.  Do you get a sense of that too? And how much growth have your guys shown in that area you know, today in the past couple of weeks?

Coach Davis:  I think you know, one of the things that I always tell the guys is with me is unity. Plain and simple. What I can't tell you is when where, how and the manner in which you'll get that opportunity but you will get a chance and an opportunity. And I tell them that when you get that chance, and when you get that opportunity, the only thing that you're responsible for is for you to be ready. And I really feel like Dontrez, Kerwin, Puff, Justin and D'Marco every time that I have given them a chance and an opportunity, they have stepped up to the challenge and all five of them did that today. Dontrez is athleticism. His energy on both ends of the floor was very impressive. Kerwin, his ability to shoot the basketball he seemed like he was in real good rhythm. Puff never stops playing hard and you know his energy and his effort just bleeds down to everybody on the team and Justin and D'Marco played well also and so being able to have guys come off the bench and contribute on both ends of the floor is huge for us, because it gives the rest to our starters that have played big minutes for pretty much the entire season.

Q: 38 point halftime lead was the biggest ever in an ACC game at the Smith Center. We just heard that stat. You hear that? What do you think?

Coach Davis: I hear that Florida State scored 50 in the second half, and we scored 32. That doesn't mean anything to me at all. I just you know, at halftime I spoke to the team and I said it's 0-0. You know this is an opportunity to get better and consistently work on good habits on both ends of the floor. It's not a time to take a deep breath. It's not a time to relax. It's not a time to stop doing the things that allowed us to be successful on the first half and at times we we didn't, you know, we didn't take care of the basketball, we didn't play defense like we did in the first half. But overall, I'm, I'm really proud of them.

Q: Today, your team probably might have exhibited its best play on both ends of the floor. You know, you've seen that on primary and secondary break.  It seems in my opinion, UNC is one of the best teams in country when you can get out and run the transition break. Is that something that you've been wanting to, you know, get your offense going, is basically a transition game primary or secondary break, and to Pitt coming up, or what's just your mentality overall running the fast break?

Coach Davis: I do, I think, I think I think we're one of the better teams in the country in transition. I do, you know, with having two primary ball handlers with RJ and Caleb, also actually three with Leaky, pushing the ball up the floor, running the lanes, wide wing and our bigs running down the middle of the floor, we do a really good job of setting random drag screens to give  our guards an angle so they can get downhill and get to the basket. But also our ability to be able to shoot the ball gives us that space in that balance. And so you know, from an offensive standpoint, I think we've been, all things considered, I think we've been consistent there. But I wanted the things that I tell the team all the time, we can't get out of transition unless we get some stops. And so it starts at the defensive end. And then us being able to rebound a basketball, which we are one of the better teams in the country in terms of defensive rebounding, and that allows us to get out in transition where I feel like we're really, really good.

Q: That one sequence where Caleb picked the pass, missed the window, but that he came back on the next possession, and then hit that three. I mean, can you take me through your emotions and your reaction through that sequence?

Coach Davis: Well, you know, Caleb missed the dunk. And then you miss something on that. They came down to hit a three and then came back and Caleb made the three. You know, they didn't want Caleb the miss dunk. And I know he didn't want to miss the dunk. But all seriousness that's, that's one of the many things that I love about Caleb, is that he can bounce back, you know, he can move to the next play, next possession, next shot. And so yes, him missing the dunk because he was trying to do something extra and special. And then it led to them hitting a three pointer on the other end, he came back and made a play made a positive play. And so that's Caleb. And that's what he did against Clemson. You know, there were some times where you had turnovers, but then he hit the big three to put us up. And then he made the play to Brady for the win when he drove to the basket. And so that's Caleb, his ability to bounce back and move to the next possession and next play is something that a lot of players don't have. And he has that and that's a really good trait as a basketball player to have.

Q: Hey, Coach Davis your team forced nine turnovers today in the first half, I thought the ball pressure looks great today, the nine passes on the perimeter especially, just wanted to ask what led to that change, either in style or that change in execution that netted all those turnovers today?
Coach Davis: Especially in the first half, just defensively, it wasn't necessarily on the ball, but it was how connected and how together we were defensively as a team. You know, we just didn't allow them to get into pain, whether it's one on one post play ball screen action, it was very difficult for them to be able to get to the paint. And that's something that we've identified that in our losses, you know, the teams have consistently scored in the paint. And that's an area that we have to be better at, keeping teams out and being able to contest threes. And so I think, you know, our help side defenders are positioning to keep them out of the lane, put us in positions to get steals and get deflections. And that allowed another way for us to get out in transition. And I kept telling the team I said, Don't be fooled. The reason why we're having success on the offensive end is because we're playing great defense and that's what I believe.

Q: Feels weird that we've gotten this far and we haven't talked about Armando once. I mean 17 points, 14 rebounds. Can you talk about him having that kind of performance against a really big Florida State frontcourt with three seven footers?

Coach Davis: Well, you know, one of the things that I told the guys at halftime, and I say this to him all the time, I said, this isn't a Armando Bacot rebounding game. This is a North Carolina rebounding game. And he's just, you know, statistically, the numbers that he is putting up, just you haven't seen this here in a very long time for him to be second in league in scoring, and to lead the league in rebounding. He's just having an unbelievable year. A lot of times, when I see him play I, I look back at the hard work and the commitment of him in the offseason. I remember when he decided to come back to school here and not to pursue to go to the NBA. And I remember all the individual workouts and the talks and the things that, you know, for the upcoming season, his personal goals and where he wanted to be and what he wanted to do. And to see him be able to live out and experience those hopes and those dreams he had for the upcoming season and what he's done this season. It's just been really fun to watch. I think, as a coach, one of the best things is having a front row seat and watching the kids be successful. And so that's what I get every day, whether it's in practice in the game, I get a front row seat to see all the hard work and effort that Armando has put in and allow it to come out this season. He's having a terrific year and I personally think he's ACC Player of the Year. He's been that good and that consistent.

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