Hoop Quotes – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/13/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 13, 2000
Coach Jim O’Brien
“We know two things about this team. First, Ken Johnson and Brian Brown return with the most experience. Second, that we have a lot of depth, but most of those guys do not have experience.”
“Brian (Brown) and Ken (Johnson) both played significant minutes for us last year and have been through the wars. We know what they are going to give us. So, now we just have to see how the new guys fare.”
“One of the questions we have to answer early is who is going to step into the scoring roles vacated by Michael (Redd), Scoonie (Penn) and George (Reese). I think we have a few guys who have the ability to score some points who just didn’t get an opportunity last year. Brent Darby is going to be a key guy running the offense. Ken Johnson will have to change his role a little and become more of a key guy in offense.”
“Sean Connolly will help because he does have a year of experience coming from Providence. He is unquestionably our best perimeter shooter.”
Matt Marinchick, Velimir Radinovic and Zach Williams will all add depth to our frontcourt. They are all going to be very good for us in the future.”
“Tim Martin was with us last year, he could be our best rebounder. Will Dudley is back for his junior season, he will factor into our system. Doylan Robinson is ready to assume some more responsibilities. The Serbian Connection with Boban Savovic and Cobe Ockolijic both had flashes of playing well. I don’t think we have anybody who I am going to hesitate to put into a game. We have some depth but how ready they will be to play is still to be determined.” “I would rather be in last year’s position. We knew what we had. We knew we had experience and talented players. Regardless of what the expectation level there is a reason why people think you are going to be pretty good. The reason they had looked at us like that last year is not here any longer. I personally think we are going to be better that what people say we are.”
Co-captain Brian Brown
“I am still in contact with Scoonie (Penn). It is difficult because he is over in Italy. We talk a lot through e-mail. The connection is still there. I am going to miss his presence on the court.”
“I always felt like I was leader. Now, the only difference is that the other guys are looking to me for leadership and answers. I have to do everything right. I can’t slack in practice because if the younger guys see that they can say `he is a junior captain and he is slacking so I don’t have to work as hard.’ So I have to go out everyday and give it my all.”
“You have to go out and play and have fun. Without Scoonie (Penn), Michael (Redd) and George (Reese) a lot more shots are going to open up. We lost about 45 points of our offense with those three guys. So now the other guys and I have to go out and put up good shots that will count.”
Co-captain Ken Johnson
“I have proven myself at the defensive end of the court. Now, I have to go out and score and help this team.”
“We have a deep team, I need to develop my role as a scorer and let the younger guys like Velimir Radinovic and Matt Marinchick to come out and play tough frontcourt defense.”
“Everyone is pretty much balanced. Everyone is trying to score. We are in a position where everybody has to score.”
