BATON ROUGE – LSU Coach Trent Johnson met with the media prior to Tuesday’s practice to review the opening weekend of men’s basketball practice.
The team began official preparations for the 2011-12 season on Friday night and continued with a single practice on Saturday morning, two practices on Sunday and a Monday night practice.
The team is working toward a Nov. 12 season opener at noon with Nicholls State University. Admission for that game, part of a basketball-football doubleheader is free of charge. Season tickets remain on sale to the general public at the LSU Athletics Ticket Office and at www.LSUtix.net.
Follow LSU basketball on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LSUBasketball and on Twitter @LSUBasketball and @LSUCoachJohnson.
Here are some of Coach Johnson’s comments from Tuesday’s media session:
COACH TRENT JOHNSON
Oct. 18 Media Session
“With four practices in three days our intensity has been as you would expect, it has been very, very good. The veterans are a long way ahead of the younger guys, which is to be expected. There are times defensively where we’re running around and not getting a lot done, but for the most part that’s something you can expect around this time of the year.
“John Isaac has an Achilles strain so I’m holding him out (Tuesday), but overall from an intensity stand point defensively — that is where we spend the majority of our emphasis on is defensively – we’re okay but it’s really too early to get a gauge. I know what to expect from four or five guys or maybe five or six guys but really it’s too early, so when we go up against each other or when we go up against someone in the next week or two, I’ll have a better gauge.”
On the time it takes freshman to know how to practice right.
“Well it depends on the individual and that’s a good question. You know in these three young men’s case, John (Isaac), Anthony (Hickey), and Johnny (O’Bryant III), I anticipate them taking awhile offensively because there’s a lot that we do offensively from a set stand point and there’s a lot we do offensively from a structured fast break earlier stand point. Defensively, I especially expect John and Anthony to do well because they are quick and very aggressive and I really like the way they attack the ball. I expect those guys to be up to par real fast. So they have no choice other than the fact that they know they want to play right away, so the sooner they can understand what we do both offensively and defensively — and they are spending a lot of time on their own and they are very receptive to learning and teaching — the sooner the better. The first game is November 12, so that’s my target. All three of them have physical attributes that are going to enable them to play against certain people. It is my responsibility that I make sure offensively that I don’t put them in situations where they are asked to do so much where they can’t use their natural ability and react and play the game. Sometimes when you’re coaching you give guys too much and I won’t do that with these three guys.”
On how they experimented with a motion offense when in Italy and how much of that they plan on using this year…
“Well that depends on who we play and if we have an advantage offensively or if we have an advantage from a stand point of ability. When you say experiment we didn’t experiment. There are certain guys who have a very good grasp and a very good understanding of it. Motion is one of those offensive sets where you have to be able to read defense and there is some freedom to it and if you get two guys who have a good understanding of it and if you have three that don’t then it doesn’t work. For us when I say certain people, that’s when we are going to have five guys on the floor who have a very good understanding of passing and cutting, setting back screens and down screens. Structure on a half court set is basically they know where, they know when and they know why they’re getting shots. It’s pretty easy from that stand point, when we put up a two call we know that the two man will have a series of options to get the ball and score. To be successful and win at the elite level on a consistent basis you have to be real flexible, you have to be able to play fast, you have to be able to play on the half court and be structured and also you have to be able to run some type of motion so you won’t be so predictable in what you do.
On Justin (Hamilton) being a veteran on what the team is doing…
“He sat out last year but he had six games and basically 14 practices this spring so he’s a man, it’s not like he is an incoming freshman. You can’t put a premium on the experience he had for two years at Iowa State and playing against that competition and that league and then having the ability to sit out (2011) to have a good understanding of what we want done offensively and defensively. So he is a veteran no question.”
On John’s injury…
“I probably shouldn’t say Achilles strain because I am not a doctor but he has an Achilles problem so we’re going to hold him off (Tuesday). (Shawn Eddy) our trainer said he thought he needed a day of rest and then he would be able to play the next day, but for me, obviously I am going to take my time with it. The way John plays, meaning as hard as his intensity is, he is going to want to be out there every day but it is a long year and obviously from my stand point I am very cautious when it has to do with guys lower extremities, their knees, their ankles, their Achilles, and all that so we will just take it day by day.”
On Eddie liking being on the wing…
“… He has done an exceptional job in terms of shooting the ball. He has done an exceptional job from that stand point. He shot well overseas in Italy, he shot it well during off season, and he is shooting well now. Hopefully that will continue. One of his improvements that he needs to continue is his ability to pass the ball and handle pressure on the perimeter, but it is nice for me to see him have some success and it is nice for me to see him have a comfort zone and some confidence because he is a guy that has given everything to this program. I anticipate that Eddie will have a great year, health permitting.”
On what he wants to see between now and the first game (Nov. 12)…
“I want to see improvement both offensively and defensively, but more importantly health. And our confidence level which is at a premium right now in terms of being high and to sustain that. But until you start playing people the number one thing for me is to make sure everybody understands their role, everybody has their job and that everybody comes out every day and competes like the dickens in every single possession and we remain healthy. If we can get to Nov. 12 doing those things we’re going to be fine. It’s just a grind from here to there. It’s just a grind that is all it is. They are tired which they should be but the way we are going to guard and the way we are going to play there is going to be a premium of being in great shape. We are going to push like we have never pushed before.”