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UNC's Caleb Wilson, Derek Dixon, Jaren Stevenson and Henri Veesaar. #UNC
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0:00
So just glad you had the confidence to
0:02
take it. Honestly, he's a great player
0:04
and he's just going to keep showing.
0:05
I guess yeah, just on on that note,
0:07
obviously um you know, coach had the
0:09
confidence in him to go to him down the
0:11
stretch. This kind of environment, you
0:13
know, he hasn't been put in that
0:14
situation too much for you guys. What
0:16
was your just confidence in him down the
0:18
stretch?
0:19
I felt like it I mean I feel like it was
0:21
great. You know, it's early in the
0:22
season. You got to figure out what works
0:23
and you pull through. Uh we're playing
0:26
against teams that are trying to figure
0:28
us out. a lot of focus on me and Henry.
0:30
So, being smart and giving lay and give
0:32
him the ability to show what he can do.
0:33
What's it been like for you to get more
0:34
attention consistently? I know Hubert
0:36
talked a lot about your ability to
0:38
impact the game in so many different
0:39
ways, but what's it like to get doubles
0:40
and get more attention offensively? What
0:42
does it feel like?
0:43
Uh, honestly, it's just something to
0:44
figure out. I don't really like I missed
0:47
shots today that I should not have
0:48
missed. I'm not going to lie. Like just
0:49
getting out, missing, stuff like that.
0:51
But we won the game, so I'm not really
0:53
tripping off of it. uh just knowing
0:55
where the stuff is coming from, watching
0:57
more football down here and just having
0:58
my teammates communicate with me and
1:00
also the coaches to let me know where
1:01
it's coming from.
1:02
You already mentioned that um these past
1:04
few games or sorry, past few practices
1:06
in particular, you guys have been
1:07
working on a lot of late game
1:09
situations. Um I mean without you know
1:12
giving away any secrets obviously like
1:14
what were some of the things that you
1:16
guys worked on that feel? just detail,
1:18
just screening, communicating, being
1:21
physical, the simple stuff that was
1:24
I'm curious. It kind of looked like we
1:25
were talking with coach Davis about
1:26
this, things broke down a little bit on
1:30
that play where Derrick ended up hitting
1:32
the three like some of the screens just
1:33
kind of weren't working. What What was
1:35
it from your vantage point?
1:36
I mean, me personally, like I I was on
1:40
the wing and uh my guy was denying me,
1:42
so I was just like, he gonna put it up
1:44
and I'm just gonna be able to get off
1:45
the rebound just crash hard. But he made
1:47
it. I was like, "This is crazy." But
1:49
then he came back and hit a layup again.
1:51
So, I was I was just happy with him,
1:52
honestly. We played great.
1:53
How important were those offensive
1:54
rebounds? I know you had six. You guys
1:56
out rebounded them offensively, 20 to
1:58
eight. How important were those in the
1:59
outcome of the game?
2:00
That's the details, honestly. You know,
2:01
that's why that's what we focus on in
2:03
practice and that's what I had to
2:04
improve on. So, I was just focused on
2:05
the DJs.
2:06
I had gotten some good runs and I felt
2:07
like I was pretty confident out there on
2:09
the floor. So, I feel like down the
2:10
stretch I just kept that same confidence
2:12
and you know,
2:14
come on. what was going through your
2:15
mind on the three first and then the uh
2:17
the go ahead bucket.
2:18
Uh on the three we had a play called and
2:21
uh the look wasn't there that we were
2:22
looking for. So it was 6 seconds I think
2:24
on the shot clock. So I just had to go
2:25
make a play and you know that's the move
2:27
I work on. You know creating space
2:29
getting the step back and luckily the
2:31
shot was able to go in and then uh off
2:33
the ball screen just trying to make the
2:34
right read. I saw the lane open up and
2:36
take the layup.
2:37
You didn't look you didn't look afraid
2:38
for the moment. Where do you get that
2:41
kind of poise as a freshman?
2:42
I don't I feel like I've just always
2:43
been that way. I'm always straightfaced.
2:45
Uh not too emotional, not too high, not
2:47
too low. Uh I feel like that's just a
2:49
characteristic about me. So I feel like
2:51
it treats me well in these type of
2:53
environments.
2:53
Derek, you had an offensive rebound that
2:55
sequence, too. How lost in the game were
2:57
you? Was this maybe the most lost in the
2:59
game we've been since?
3:00
Yeah, I would say so. Uh you know, just
3:03
playing the game, not thinking about
3:04
anything else. Um you know, Jiren came
3:06
up with a big offensive rebound there at
3:08
the end to give us that possession. Uh,
3:10
so just it's a group effort and you know
3:12
I'm so proud of you guys.
3:13
So what was it you guys do or was it
3:15
just the missing shots or was there
3:16
something you guys also did when they
3:18
missed those 13 straight during that
3:20
10-minute stretch?
3:21
Yeah, I think we really just tried to
3:22
focus on locking in defensively. The
3:24
start of second half they came out and
3:26
we're making everything. So uh towards
3:28
the the latter part of the second half,
3:30
you know, we really focused on locking
3:31
in defensively and getting stops and
3:32
fuel us on offensive end. Eric, when you
3:34
got back into the locker room, were guys
3:36
like, you know, mopping you after, you
3:37
know, put the shots like what was that
3:39
scene like?
3:39
Yeah, I mean, I got a little bit of
3:40
water thrown on me. Um, it was pretty
3:42
loud. Uh, it was a good feeling. It was
3:44
a good feeling.
3:45
And to go off of that, you know, you're
3:46
talking about, you know, the confidence
3:47
in those moments. Obviously, being in
3:49
your, you know, eighth game of college.
3:51
Is the game kind of, you know, slowing
3:52
down for you, becoming easier? I know
3:54
it's early, but, you know, how do you
3:56
kind of feel yourself with Justin?
3:58
Yeah, I feel game by game. I'm getting
3:59
more comfortable. Um, you know, getting,
4:01
uh, more experience. just the game is
4:03
slowing down I think a little bit for
4:04
me. Um but you know still got to keep
4:06
working.
4:09
And I guess for you guys how important
4:11
is this is a lower scoring game a lot of
4:13
you know a lot of the times threes
4:14
weren't falling and even layups weren't
4:16
falling for either team. How important
4:17
was it to kind of win ugly things?
4:20
Yeah I mean no matter pretty ugly you
4:22
know you got to come out with the win.
4:23
Uh I think we did a really good job down
4:25
the stretch um getting stops and uh you
4:28
know we got to do whatever it takes to
4:29
win. What do you mentally early early in
4:32
the season? You didn't get as many
4:33
minutes. Um, what were the emotions like
4:35
that during that and then now?
4:38
Yeah, I think it's just trusting the
4:39
process. Um, you know, Coach Davis has a
4:41
good plan for me for us and, you know, I
4:43
trust in him and he trusted me and, you
4:46
know, game like tonight, it was it was
4:47
good to be able to get out there and,
4:49
uh, have that experience. But, you know,
4:51
it's all a process and, you know, I'm
4:52
I'm down for whatever.
4:54
Derek, I'm just curious. You had a
4:55
chance to look at your cell phone yet?
4:56
kind of what what does it look like in
4:57
terms of messages and
4:59
yeah I' I've looked I haven't opened it
5:00
up yet there was quite a lot of messages
5:02
from all different type of apps couple
5:04
FaceTime calls you know stuff like that
5:05
but you know we'll we'll handle that on
5:07
the way the way home
5:08
uh just the the the joy I mean this just
5:11
the last 30 minutes of the interview
5:12
with ESPN the guys all behind you
5:14
mentioned the locker room seen a little
5:15
bit I mean a month into your college
5:18
basketball career did you ever imagine
5:20
like this coming so soon
5:21
okay
5:21
no I didn't um you know it's just a
5:24
really good feeling um guys being Romney
5:26
guys cheer me on. You know, I wouldn't
5:29
rather do with anybody else. You know, I
5:30
love these guys and uh it's a really
5:32
good feeling.
5:34
What was the what were your thoughts on
5:35
I guess the environment overall? This is
5:37
one of the bigger places you guys going
5:39
to play. I know you guys play at home in
5:40
the Smith Center, but to kind of go on
5:42
the road with a crowd about that same
5:44
time like just what were your thoughts
5:45
on?
5:46
Yeah, it was our first like true road
5:47
game. Um and I think it was a great
5:49
experience. I've always been a fan of
5:51
road games, you know, uh just feeling
5:53
off that environment and you know, it
5:54
was a lot of fun.
5:57
Appreciate that. Thank you.
6:01
I feel like preparation. Um I feel like
6:04
we were prepared as a team. Everybody,
6:06
even the people that didn't get in, blue
6:08
squad, they really prepared us crashing
6:09
hard, forcing us to box out. Um ran us
6:12
in transition. Um so I feel like yeah,
6:14
everybody played a big part. Um we knew
6:17
what Kucky's, you know, scheme is, you
6:19
know, get out um in transition, do
6:21
different things like that, get on the
6:22
offensive board. Um, so I feel like
6:24
yeah, just preparation helped us get
6:26
this one.
6:27
They went special. They missed 13
6:28
straight shots. The door was open for
6:30
the guys to get through, but it really
6:32
took a while for Jonathan said
6:37
you got some
6:40
shots.
6:43
He said the composure is why you guys
6:44
were ultimately able to
6:47
Yeah, composure. Um, again, I feel like
6:50
everybody played a big part. Um, put the
6:53
shot.
6:54
We do. We get in late game situations
6:56
recently in practice and we were
6:57
prepared for moments like this. Um what
7:00
to do with the foul or the type of shots
7:03
we need and defensive stops how big that
7:06
was. Um so I feel like yeah again
7:08
preparation was big just keeping our
7:10
composure and keeping everybody calm.
7:12
Everybody um got in the huddle everybody
7:15
you know calm each other down getting
7:17
each other ready.
7:19
You guys got a lot.
7:22
The way he came in
7:25
was super calm as a person point guard
7:26
was incredible to do. Being Kucky's
7:29
physical team that were like bumping and
7:31
challenging and he was still being able
7:32
to get downhill and run the plays the
7:33
way we needed to run and that's a big
7:35
time job by him.
7:36
Oh, his driving play. Well, that was off
7:38
your screen, wasn't it?
7:39
Yes.
7:40
And what was the play there? Just
7:43
make a play.
7:44
That's called make a play. Henry, I'm
7:46
I'm sure you've seen a lot of events in
7:48
Carolina offensive rebounding games. And
7:50
for y'all to have that moment today
7:52
against Kentucky, what kind of shifted
7:54
for y'all to get to that point in this
7:55
group?
7:56
Yeah, I feel like we got kind of punked
7:58
against Michigan State. They were the
7:59
better rebounding team. They were more
8:01
physical and everything. So, we came
8:02
into this game knowing that we got to
8:04
hit first and just the whole team
8:05
crashed. Everybody were tipping balls,
8:07
getting it back, hitting second, third,
8:09
shots big time for us. That's like the
8:11
way we were able to stay in the game cuz
8:12
we had first half I think. did a good
8:15
job trying to get shots up, but when we
8:17
during the bowl over they had like 10
8:19
easy dunks. So, defensive rebound,
8:21
there's no way to get the second chance
8:22
that they had like that.
8:23
How do you describe the one Jiren got at
8:25
the end that got y'all the opportunity
8:28
to have this match?
8:29
That was awesome. Goes like when
8:31
everybody goes, it's just a special
8:32
feeling. We all fight for each other. We
8:34
all trying to just wish them under two
8:36
more, three more inches and that way we
8:38
get a little pocket and we tip it,
8:40
somebody gets the ball.
8:41
Yeah. Everybody feels great for that.
8:43
seemed like you're really aggressive
8:44
inside aggressive going to the basket.
8:46
Was that
8:48
Did you determine that you'd be able to
8:50
do that today or did this happen?
8:52
I feel like I was giving the like
8:54
chances to do that in the right spots.
8:56
Just trying to be physical. They were
8:58
kind of letting us play really physical
9:00
today. The refs, so like they weren't
9:01
calling many fouls, so you have to be
9:02
strong with the ball. Just kind of get
9:04
your body moving towards the rim.
9:05
They'll finish through the contact.
9:06
Henry, in the games against Kansas and
9:08
Michigan State, you guys had 12 second
9:10
chance points on 28 offensive rebounds.
9:12
you kind of match the points and
9:14
offensive rebounds tonight. What was the
9:15
difference and how much has Hubert been
9:17
kind of harping on you guys being more
9:18
productive off the offensive glass?
9:20
I feel like part of it was just getting
9:22
a good offensive rebound, but we're just
9:23
able to lay it up. The other part was
9:25
that I feel like we had first couple
9:27
games we had where they got offensive
9:28
rebound and then we kind of have the
9:30
mentality of, oh, I got offensive
9:31
rebound so I can shoot whatever. So, I
9:33
feel like that game we really addressed
9:34
that issue or we watched a bunch of film
9:36
and it looks bad on film, too. If you
9:37
watch it with a team and you take a bad
9:39
shot with two guys on you. We got the
9:40
rebound, we kicked it out, we got
9:42
something or if we were able to make a
9:43
strong move, we made a strong move. But
9:45
whenever we able to get the ball out and
9:46
get it moving again, then we don't make
9:48
the defense play 10 minute 10 seconds of
9:51
defense where we take a quick shot. We
9:53
might play their whole time and get a
9:55
long long rebound. We got another 30
9:57
seconds play a minute of defense that
9:59
makes him tired. It depletes him
10:00
emotionally, making a dude stop getting
10:04
30 seconds off the clock, getting a stop
10:05
playing defense. And then when you get
10:07
offensive rebound, it's like just your
10:09
whole world kind of collapses when that
10:10
happens.
10:11
First half, 28 of their 31 points were
10:13
in the paint. What did you guys do
10:14
different? Was that a message at
10:15
halftime that you guys talked about
10:16
having to keep them on the pitch and
10:17
what you guys do in the second half?
10:19
Uh I feel like that was a message
10:21
already before the game, but we weren't
10:22
able to execute the first half. They did
10:24
a really good job of navigating it,
10:26
driving their painting, bumping us, kind
10:28
of being able to board cut and snake
10:30
those screens and just being kind of
10:31
higher up on the level helped us on the
10:33
screens and just being more physical cuz
10:35
really like they had 28 points and that
10:37
that on pace for 50 and if you let
10:39
somebody score 50 points in the paint,
10:41
you're not winning.
10:41
When they focus defense on Caleb more,
10:43
Hubert was telling us that a lot of this
10:45
has been focused on Caleb. How does that
10:46
open up the game for you guys?
10:47
It opens a whole bunch when you put two
10:49
guys on anybody. It opens a lot for it
10:51
makes them rotate long close ups. It's
10:53
easier to attack drive set if they're
10:56
late on the thing or like they're late
10:57
on the ball coverage and I set it. It's
10:59
a good screen. We get more advantage. It
11:01
help with opens everything up for me and
11:03
everybody else.
11:04
Just from your vantage point um
11:05
obviously I mean he got the layup too at
11:07
the end but that three-pointer from um
11:10
Derek says it sounds like the play was
11:12
kind of for you things broke down. Just
11:14
what did you see on that and then take
11:16
me through what's going through your
11:17
mind when you see him put that shot? Uh
11:19
it wasn't the best shot, but he had the
11:21
courage to take it and make it. That's
11:23
the big part. And yeah, at the end of
11:25
the game, it's never going to be
11:26
perfect. It's just whoever plays harder
11:28
and whoever plays with confidence wins.
11:30
I think he had the confidence and
11:31
courage to shoot it and he made it and
11:33
that's incredible. We have 100% belief
11:35
in him making any shot he can and we're
11:37
just going to crash it glass and try to
11:38
get a second chance pointed him if he
11:40
misses it.
11:41
Yeah. I guess really quick follow up on
11:42
that. I mean, it sounds like um Coach
11:44
Davis was telling us after the game like
11:46
it felt like, you know, all 16 guys on
11:49
the team made that three-pointer. Like
11:50
that was kind of the the feeling from
11:52
your vantage point. I mean, just what
11:53
did that
11:54
feel like? Take me through that and then
11:56
just kind of celebrating with him in the
11:57
huddle after on the ESPN.
11:59
I mean, I feel like yeah, every single
12:01
person from I think from the managers,
12:04
from the coaches to the players,
12:06
everybody felt like they made it
12:07
through. Like it was a big shot for all
12:09
of us. So just I feel like we have a
12:11
very united group of people on in the
12:13
locker room that everybody wants
12:15
everybody to succeed as much as they
12:17
want themselves to succeed and just
12:18
having that mentality and everybody and
12:20
the coaches preaching that is a big time
12:22
thing and it helps us win one game.
12:24
Thank you Henry.
12:24
Thank you Henry. face.