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Nyla Brooks, Coach Courtney Banghart and Elina Aarnisalo after UNC's blowout of NCCU. #UNC
Nov 3, 2025
Nyla Brooks, Coach Courtney Banghart and Elina Aarnisalo after UNC's blowout of NCCU. #UNC
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0:00
ing statement really is about how much
0:01
our marketing team um how much effort
0:03
they put in to find places for 75 buses
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to find um a seating arrangement that
0:09
works for 31 counties um and for those
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those little school day kids who came
0:14
and gave us their energy. It's such a
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great event every year um and really
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grateful for all the work that goes into
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it. Um fun to get started you guys.
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We've been at this a while. We've been
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at this since early June. Um, and just
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fun to now you get to use games as your
0:28
benchmarks and you get to learn kind of
0:30
in live fluid time. Um, we are work in
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progress as you can see. Um, and as you
0:36
can imagine with with some new really
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key pieces to being new to the program
0:40
and with some improved pieces and some
0:42
obviously some um, growth in our
0:44
leadership. So, we're you know we're in
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a work in progress. I did some things
0:47
really well and did some things that um,
0:49
we'll continue to get better at. So,
0:51
it's uh, it's go time. here.
0:54
Questions for coach or players?
0:56
Uh, um, how did it feel to get out there
0:59
with your, you know, new team today, new
1:01
uniform, new home arena, all that good
1:03
stuff. How did you feel? You fit in, um,
1:05
for the first time.
1:07
Yeah. Um, it was great. Um, I mean, I
1:10
think our team did well. We still have a
1:11
lot to work on, but it was great to play
1:14
in Carmichael. Um, the crowd was great,
1:16
the little kids, it was so loud. um such
1:19
a historical arena. So, it was a lot of
1:21
fun um playing with my new teammates um
1:24
who I really appreciate. I love playing
1:26
with them. So, a lot of fun like playing
1:28
with Nyla Brooks for example, like a
1:30
great freshman coming in. So, um yeah,
1:32
I'm looking forward to the season a lot.
1:35
You looked a lot more comfortable today
1:37
than you did on Thursday. What was the
1:39
difference? Obviously, opponent's
1:40
different, but what was the difference
1:42
for you?
1:43
Um
1:45
honestly, I would say like preparation.
1:47
Um just knowing what my team needs from
1:49
me. Uh watching film with the coaches.
1:52
Uh getting my head ready, getting myself
1:54
ready for the game. Um really trying to
1:56
lock in in practice. Um focus on what
1:59
what our team needs from everyone and
2:01
what our team needs needed needs as a
2:03
collective like defense. Like that's a
2:05
really big emphasis for us. So trying to
2:08
like get that first set in and then find
2:10
the comfortability um in the games after
2:12
that.
2:13
You talked about defense a little bit.
2:15
Um I've noticed beginning of that first
2:17
quarter you all kind of broke that game
2:18
open in transition and that's when kind
2:20
of the offense started generating. Could
2:21
you kind of talk about what kind of
2:23
mindset and identity y'all kind of um
2:25
run that offense with?
2:26
Yeah. Um we knew we we will have
2:28
opportunities to run the court today. So
2:30
we that was our emphasis. Run the court,
2:33
push in transition and find open
2:34
players. Um we're going to get layups
2:36
like Indie whatever. We're going to get
2:38
in the paint, get two feet in the paint
2:40
and look pass it out for the open
2:42
shooters. So, um I think we started off
2:44
the game really well by doing that. Um
2:47
really just focused on the keys. Um
2:49
pushed the court, tried to get stops on
2:51
defense and kind of execute out of that.
2:54
Now, for you, you ended up, you know,
2:55
kind of finding the rhythm from three,
2:57
able to get to the free throw line a few
2:58
times, obviously got to the rim. Did you
3:00
kind of feel yourself, I guess, settling
3:02
in as as the game kind of got along,
3:04
settling in and kind of finding your
3:05
rhythm as a score?
3:06
Absolutely. Um practicing with my
3:08
teammates, you know, building that team
3:09
chemistry. They know where to find me.
3:10
So, you know, get to the spots like E
3:13
said, get to the paint, kick it out, you
3:14
know, hoping for three, just let it fly.
3:18
All that following up, I know that we
3:19
talked on preseason, you were talking
3:20
about how much of a just a sniper he is
3:23
from like a passing stand, how much you
3:25
like playing with her, but yeah.
3:27
Um, from that respect, um, saw just her
3:30
ability also like push transition today,
3:32
knock down, um, with Re. just tell me a
3:34
little bit about um some of the elements
3:36
of her game that we can expect to see
3:38
outside of the passing that you've
3:39
already spoken a lot on.
3:41
Oh yeah, it could get downhill. She's a
3:42
bucket for sure. I mean like he is
3:45
obviously our point guard. She like
3:46
facilitate and find the open man, but
3:49
he's a bucket. Like don't I wouldn't
3:51
sleep on that. So you seen her getting
3:52
down here a little bit today shooting
3:53
that floater. So yeah.
3:55
Question for coach Bart of building um
3:58
off of that. Um I guess it's safe to say
4:01
that you might um you know see E and Ray
4:04
kind of like splitting some of the you
4:06
know point guard duties and just what
4:07
does that add having another guard that
4:09
can push the pace handle ball like?
4:13
Yeah, I'm a big fan of E's game. I mean
4:15
I I was watching it back when she was
4:17
playing internationally. I've seen her
4:18
more than most, right? Um and you know I
4:21
watched her a lot last year know having
4:23
no idea what was going on in her head or
4:24
in that program. Um, but I'm just a fan
4:26
of her game and you know, Reneia has had
4:28
to carry way too much of a load. You
4:30
know, playing 34 minutes a game at the
4:32
one is nobody's dream. Zero people on
4:34
the planet. And so I know that as Raniah
4:36
said, she's looking forward to being
4:37
able to sometimes run the corner and
4:39
receive a closeout. Um, and I think with
4:42
Laney and and E and um, Raniah being
4:45
able to all facilitate and handle and
4:48
guard the ball and pick up, it means
4:50
each of them should be far more
4:51
efficient and have more energy to to do
4:52
that because it takes an enormous amount
4:54
of concentration to play the lead guard
4:55
spot. Um, and so I think it was actually
4:58
a selling point for us that that E would
5:00
have an opportunity to have the ball in
5:01
her hands a lot, but she'd also be able
5:03
to attack from different spots on the
5:04
floor. It was a selling point. You know,
5:06
Raniah was was rooting hard for us to
5:08
get E. you know, that was something that
5:10
and Elena was her one of her I mean uh
5:12
Laney was one of her main hosts on the
5:14
visit, you know, so this guard group
5:16
knows they're going to be better
5:17
together and that's you guys saw that
5:18
today even she had to carry a big load
5:20
today without the two of them, but
5:21
they'll be back.
5:23
Was it just precautionary for uh Laney
5:25
and Blanca and for Ray only playing five
5:28
minutes?
5:28
Yeah, Ray I just wanted her to get I
5:30
mean obviously she's got so much
5:31
experience so I just wanted her to get
5:32
some game minutes under her belt and
5:33
we'll expect those game minutes to
5:34
continue to increase. Um, and then Laney
5:36
just sort of tweaked her ankle literally
5:38
after practice like messing around. And
5:40
so it just, you know, how ankles are
5:42
like you saw, she's fine. She warmed up,
5:43
but I just didn't want to take any risk
5:45
tonight as we know we've got um another
5:47
one of quick turnaround on Thursday. So,
5:49
yeah, she'll be, we expect them both to
5:50
to be ready to go on Thursday.
5:52
Coach, what do you like to see improve
5:54
between now and Thursday ahead of Elon's
5:57
game?
5:57
You know, I I think it's a little early
5:59
to tell. I need to see the film. um
6:01
because there's a lot of jitters in the
6:02
first game and you have lots of
6:04
different lineups and when you're not
6:05
playing your other two lead guards, you
6:06
don't want to grind E. So, you've got
6:08
people playing out of position. Um kind
6:10
of all the things. And so, you know,
6:13
statistically you can say, well, we
6:14
outrebounded them. We we made we made
6:17
threes. We There's some things I think
6:18
that statistically we did well. We made
6:20
an adjustment and and started to be more
6:23
physical in the interior. Um, but in
6:25
terms of the the growth of the things,
6:27
as I'd say, the things that happen all
6:28
the time, um, we really need to see on
6:31
film. We need to see where we were late
6:32
to things and where we're what our
6:34
angles were because, um, there's such a
6:37
mar such a small margin of error to be
6:38
great, right? And and those are only the
6:39
angles. So, um, we're just a work in
6:41
progress. We're we're we're the first to
6:43
admit in up here that we're not a
6:44
finished product and that's part of what
6:46
we're excited about.
6:47
Courtney, you talked about obviously
6:48
saying her game is will kind of
6:50
increase. I guess from your perspective
6:52
at this point, where do you think she's
6:53
kind of at? I guess in her, if you want
6:55
to call it maybe recovery or
6:56
progression, I guess where at this stage
6:58
do you think she's at?
7:00
You know, I just trust her so much. So,
7:02
I think it's partly like I'm going to
7:04
just lean on her to tell me, right, what
7:05
does she need? What part of practice
7:07
does she did she need to do to prepare
7:08
for this game? And it was much about me
7:10
giving her a chance to play for five
7:12
minutes just to get, you know, I didn't
7:13
think we need her much beyond that. Um,
7:15
and E has the conditioning to be able to
7:18
carry the load and I know she's looking
7:19
forward to to Reinia getting an
7:21
increased amount of time on Thursday so
7:23
that she can be a little bit more
7:24
efficient and and not tired. So, um, I
7:26
would imagine now I just sometime
7:28
sometimes when a kid is so important to
7:30
you, you just want to make sure, you
7:31
know, so for her, I imagine her minutes
7:33
will go up pretty quick.
7:35
Sierra was stupid. Sierra looked, you
7:37
know, stronger today and had the four
7:38
blocks on defense, was able to get into
7:40
the post as well. Just what did you like
7:42
out of her and what she was? a lot of
7:44
things that I liked about her. I thought
7:45
she was um you know impactful, right?
7:47
She's very she's very unselfish and so
7:49
we have to continue to help her
7:50
understand her dominance in the
7:52
interior. Um but her line was really
7:54
efficient, you know, and a double double
7:55
from a kid who hasn't played much and
7:57
kind of the three years that that she's
7:59
been out with injuries and on and off.
8:00
Um it's a really good start for her. You
8:02
know, she's a key piece to what we're
8:04
doing.
8:04
Ask about turners. You had more turners
8:06
than you did against South Carolina. Is
8:09
that a concern and how you what do you
8:11
attribute that to? You know, I think
8:12
they're finding how aggressive they can
8:14
be. Obviously, with E having the main
8:16
being our main ball handler and not
8:18
really having anybody else, you know,
8:20
they're with so many talented lead
8:22
guards and that can that we trust with
8:23
the ball in their hands. Our practice is
8:26
they've been receivers, these kids that
8:28
are now we're asking them to do things
8:29
with it. Um, and then I also think it's
8:31
just the jitters. I mean, this was the
8:33
first game and the basket looks big and
8:35
um, so I don't I don't look into it at
8:37
all. We don't I mean E has been a little
8:39
bit loose with the ball at times but for
8:41
the most part it just hasn't been an
8:42
issue for us. So I think this just has
8:43
more to do with the first game.
8:45
Courtney on um on Sierra I think a lot
8:47
of people looked at her you know last
8:49
year you coming into this year. Oh she's
8:51
kind of a perimeter player more stretch
8:53
big. Um but today like four blocks
8:55
double digit rebounds you know finished
8:57
all her little buddies inside. How have
8:59
you kind of challenged her to like you
9:01
said that dominance that you can't be in
9:03
the post realize that? Yeah, we're going
9:06
to need her teammates help, you know, to
9:07
help her see that. I think she needed to
9:09
see it. Um, and so I think today really
9:11
helped her because we'll be able to show
9:13
that. Um, she certainly prepared for it.
9:15
You know, I joke her mom was her high
9:16
school coach and I joke that her mom
9:18
kept her away from the basket, so we had
9:19
to kind of build her postame. Um, but
9:22
she's really worked hard on her
9:23
finishing with her right and left. I
9:24
think she's a she's I don't think she
9:25
realizes how big she is. Um, you know,
9:28
and so she is a true inside out inside
9:30
out kid. I think there's games where
9:31
we'll utilize her as a passer and
9:33
perimeter player more and there's games
9:34
we'll utilize her more as an in-out
9:36
presence. Um, and today was more of that
9:37
in-out presence.
9:38
Really quick, I guess on that, um, you
9:41
talked about how you kind of change
9:42
things up schematically on the offensive
9:45
side, especially with such a different
9:46
personnel. Part of that is, you know,
9:48
instead of Deng and Alyssa, you have
9:51
Seir with that certain skill set.
9:53
Obviously, you know, Nyla's skill set in
9:55
there, too. Um, how specifically kind of
9:58
have you, I guess, changed offense
9:59
again? like not give away the whole game
10:01
plan thing, but that skill set I guess
10:03
with those first.
10:04
Yeah. And we have other parts of the
10:05
offense that we haven't necess we didn't
10:06
need today. So that we we're sort of
10:07
building some other parts of our offense
10:09
too. Um you know and so a lot I mean I
10:12
think you have to play to the strengths
10:13
of your best players. That is my job
10:15
right. It's not it's not my job to have
10:16
a certain system and whoever I can get
10:18
that fits that system here. I've got to
10:20
go get the very best players and play to
10:21
their strengths. And we've got really
10:23
good um lead guard combo guard play.
10:25
We've got really good wing play. Um, and
10:27
then we also have more mobile, you know,
10:29
more stretch post. So, our offense is
10:30
going to reflect that um, in all ways
10:32
um, all year long.
10:33
Going off of that, could you sort of
10:35
talk about what you were seeing from
10:36
kind of the offensive pace from the
10:38
interior offense to the three-point
10:40
shooting and how um, the game kind of
10:42
translated from work done in practice?
10:44
Yeah, you know, we were able to play a
10:45
little bit faster um, than we did
10:47
against South Carolina. I thought we
10:49
advanced the ball better. Um, you know,
10:51
and again, when you have I think when
10:53
when when we're more full strength and
10:55
there's more you you get you don't get
10:56
so tired, that will help even more. But,
10:59
um, you know, I think you'll just see
11:00
it. I think you'll see you saw today
11:02
when there's so much more space, these
11:04
guys can get into the paint more, right?
11:06
I mean, this is this is Nile Brooks's
11:08
first time playing college basketball.
11:09
She'll continue to become a really good
11:11
facilitator as well. Um, but, you know,
11:14
we we want to have our our shooters have
11:15
their feet set. Um, and we put a lot on
11:17
our on our playmakers to get them shots.
11:19
And now there's just more space than
11:21
there was before. And that's not better
11:22
or worse. It's just different different
11:24
skill sets.
11:26
I guess just for um both of the players
11:28
too um and again coming from high
11:31
school, coming from a different you know
11:33
program, but um what maybe stands out
11:35
for you guys um like schematically so
11:38
far, just the things that you kind of
11:39
picked up from um Bangar. She said she's
11:41
doing a lot of teaching, you know, in
11:43
the preseason, but what have you guys
11:44
picked up that's going to be different
11:45
for this kind of scheme?
11:47
Stark. Um I would say for one just
11:49
staying focused in practice knowing um I
11:52
have to get everything know everything
11:54
and and in the process I'm still
11:55
learning everything. So just not getting
11:57
that in one day but um just you know
12:00
learning getting better staying getting
12:02
in the weight room staying strong. Um I
12:04
think those are the big things that
12:06
coming from high school here it's a big
12:09
difference but yeah I would say yeah
12:12
I would also say the teaching and
12:13
learning part is probably the biggest
12:14
thing. like we have a really young team
12:16
this year, so I think that's a little
12:18
bit different from last year for me. Um,
12:20
but yeah, I think we're doing a great
12:21
job with learning, picking up new
12:24
things, and actually like executing and
12:26
doing it. So, yeah.
12:28
Yeah, we forget that. I mean, Elena is a
12:29
sophomore. I look at her and I'm always
12:31
like, you know, sometimes I'm sometimes
12:33
I can be really hard on her and I'm
12:34
like, God, she is only a sophomore. Um,
12:37
and so, yeah, there's a I think these
12:38
kids will get better. I think they will
12:40
be more experienced game to game. No,
12:42
you you came with a diverse skill set.
12:44
You could do so many different things.
12:46
Do you feel like uh you showed what you
12:49
can do today or how much part of your
12:52
game did you feel like you the fans
12:55
didn't see today?
12:56
I didn't see free throws.
12:59
She makes
12:59
No, seriously. Like free throws in a row
13:02
like multiple times.
13:03
I'm going to shoot 100 free throws after
13:05
this. So yeah, but um No, no, actually
13:11
serious.
13:14
Yeah.
13:14
No, but just actually I think I showed a
13:17
little bit of everything today. Um I
13:19
mean I don't think I didn't get to
13:22
handle the ball as much. Uh I would say
13:24
just I got to the basket, shot the
13:26
three. I would say maybe my mid-range. I
13:29
didn't I didn't show a lot today. Um and
13:31
that's about it. Yeah.
13:32
You seem like you're more confident than
13:34
Thursday overall as well. Absolutely. Um
13:36
I mean I was confident Thursday,
13:38
confident now. Um doesn't change. I'm
13:41
just, you know, coming here playing
13:42
basketball and keep learning. So yeah.
13:44
And
13:45
going off of that, how are you kind of
13:46
feeling in the offense today? What kind
13:48
of stood out to you if any plays in
13:50
particular?
13:50
Um no, nothing stood out to me the most.
13:53
Just, you know, my teammates getting
13:54
making the rivies. Um I'm getting open
13:57
corners, threes, every everything. I I
13:59
think everything that translated over to
14:01
practice from practice to the game. I
14:03
mean, we practice this every single day.
14:04
So, nothing nothing new. Nothing new.
14:06
So, yeah.
14:07
For both of the players, we heard from
14:09
coach Bhard just how much she
14:10
appreciates the the field day and you
14:12
know what that means for the community.
14:14
What was it like for you guys and maybe
14:17
any moments that stood out? I can
14:19
imagine you probably saw or heard some
14:22
some things in the the crowd that maybe
14:24
stood out.
14:25
Oh, um
14:28
I think what stood out the most was when
14:31
you don't really have fans at UCLA, do
14:34
Oh, but like I think most what stood out
14:35
when Nile scored the 67th basket.
14:38
I can't believe I missed that.
14:40
I missed it, too. I was I was
14:42
Yeah. Um
14:43
What did they do?
14:45
67.
14:47
Damn, that was my Halloween costume. I
14:49
didn't even get it.
14:51
Um but yeah, I think I think it's just
14:54
great when we can have so many little
14:55
kids come and watch us. Like thinking
14:57
back when I was young, I always love to
14:59
go watch pro teams or college teams,
15:02
whatever, and see like older people play
15:04
basketball and just try to learn as
15:06
much. So, I think it's great that we can
15:08
be hopefully some kind of inspiration
15:10
for them.
15:11
Can I ask you since we may not get you
15:13
between now and then, and I know you
15:14
don't want to look that far ahead, but
15:16
talk about playing former teammates at
15:19
UCLA game in Las Vegas.
15:21
Yeah. Um, I mean, I'm excited. It's
15:23
going to be a great game. UCLA is a
15:25
great team. Um they have a lot of great
15:27
players. So um I'm just excited to look
15:29
forward to it and of course seeing back
15:31
seeing my friends there, coaches um who
15:34
I'm still in touch with. So it's going
15:35
to be nice to catch up with them.
15:37
You giving everybody good scouting
15:38
report?
15:39
Yeah, of course. I'll do anything for us
15:40
to win. Like of course this is my team.
15:43
So
15:45
you know obviously you have a I guess
15:47
increased role compared to you know your
15:49
freshman year to now as well. I guess
15:51
what kind of lessons did you learn, you
15:53
know, from your freshman year that
15:54
you've kind of been able to carry into
15:55
obviously, you know, beating this
15:56
offense?
15:57
Yeah. Um, I think just like freshman
15:59
year, seeing what college basketball is
16:01
like, how everything is handled. Um, we
16:04
made it really far last year, so kind of
16:06
seeing what it will take for a team um
16:08
to get that far. So, just trying to
16:11
bring everything to this team now. Um,
16:13
help my teammates out, give them advice,
16:16
whatever it is to make us win and get
16:18
far in March.
16:20
I guess just one more quick one. Sorry,
16:22
I hadn't asked and I don't think anyone
16:23
asked yet about um India, but another
16:25
great game from her from her again
16:27
continuing just to dominate on defense
16:29
and get out there and um score those
16:31
points. I guess just for coach Bhart
16:33
with such depth in guard play. Um I mean
16:36
to what extent will that allow her maybe
16:37
to continue to be that bully on the
16:39
defensive end and push some?
16:41
Yeah, I mean India has grown so much. I
16:44
mean, I just really love coaching that
16:46
kid because I just see the growth um
16:48
from when she first got here, was pretty
16:50
tentative and didn't want to make
16:51
mistakes and, you know, that was sort of
16:53
where she came from. That was really
16:55
prioritized. And we really wanted her to
16:57
um to shine, right, and to blossom and
16:59
to grow. And um she's so done that she's
17:01
found her voice. She's um a menace.
17:04
She's playing harder than she was to
17:06
start um the summer and and start into
17:08
the fall. And I think for her as well,
17:10
the deeper that we get, the more she had
17:11
to do a lot last year, too. I mean that
17:13
top five played top six I should say
17:15
turn played all the time. I think she
17:17
also will benefit if she's not playing
17:18
35 minutes a game. Um but you know she's
17:21
such an important dynamic to our team
17:23
and I think she's led these young people
17:24
and these new people really really well.
17:26
She's likable. Um she's authentic. Um
17:30
she's imperfect. I mean all the things
17:32
you can get behind, right? Um and
17:34
winning matters and this program matters
17:36
and so you need that on a team with a
17:37
lot of new faces.
17:39
Any more questions? One more. Sorry. For
17:42
for both players, um, how do you think
17:44
you guys, it was kind of a game of runs
17:46
a little bit. Y'all had a lot of sort of
17:48
offensive runs. How were y'all able to
17:50
sort of generate momentum and kind of go
17:52
on those runs and find the bottom of the
17:53
net?
17:54
Um, I think it starts with defense for
17:56
us. Um, when we get everybody on the
17:58
same page, know what we're doing,
18:00
getting stops, that's when we can push
18:01
and we can really succeed in offense and
18:04
do what we want. Yeah, I would just say
18:06
pushing pace, starting on the defensive
18:08
end, of course, and just pushing pace,
18:10
getting out in transition, finding an
18:12
open look, getting downhill, just
18:13
playing our game.
18:15
Perfect. Thanks, everyone. Thanks guys.