Kentucky Players
#13, Isaiah Briscoe, Sophomore, G
On if he agrees when UK assistant coach Joel Justus says Briscoe is the key to UK’s energy …
“Yeah, and then everybody responds off how I’m playing. If I’m bringing energy, they look at me and follow along. Yeah, I think Coach Joel is right about that one. They feed off my energy.”
“Yeah, and then everybody responds off how I’m playing. If I’m bringing energy, they look at me and follow along. Yeah, I think Coach Joel is right about that one. They feed off my energy.”
On if playing with more energy was a point of emphasis …
“Yeah, that was very important for us just to see how we were going to bounce back.”
“Yeah, that was very important for us just to see how we were going to bounce back.”
On the lack of energy in the UCLA game …
“After the game, Coach (Cal) called me into his office and he just told me like, ‘What happened today? You weren’t yourself. I didn’t see the energy or anything like that.’ Me, being the leader of the team, I had to accept it. I told him, ‘Yeah, I didn’t bring energy.’ I felt like that one was on me. But coming out when we played Valpo they were just making an emphasis on me bringing energy. In practice, the time we had in between (games) in practice I was going hard, giving it my all and he was just saying, ‘That needs to be you every game, and that needs to be you every day in practice.’ That’s just what I’ve been focusing on.”
“After the game, Coach (Cal) called me into his office and he just told me like, ‘What happened today? You weren’t yourself. I didn’t see the energy or anything like that.’ Me, being the leader of the team, I had to accept it. I told him, ‘Yeah, I didn’t bring energy.’ I felt like that one was on me. But coming out when we played Valpo they were just making an emphasis on me bringing energy. In practice, the time we had in between (games) in practice I was going hard, giving it my all and he was just saying, ‘That needs to be you every game, and that needs to be you every day in practice.’ That’s just what I’ve been focusing on.”
On it being surprising that he wouldn’t have the energy for a big game like UCLA …
“Yeah, that was kind of weird, but there will be days like that. I’m not really trying to have a lot of days like that, but that one’s behind me. Just looking forward.”
“Yeah, that was kind of weird, but there will be days like that. I’m not really trying to have a lot of days like that, but that one’s behind me. Just looking forward.”
On what the team learned from the loss …
“That we can be beaten. I think that some of us thought we were so good that we can just come out and play and they’ll see that it’s Kentucky and think we can just get the win based off that. UCLA is a good team. I’ll give them credit. But also we didn’t have our best game, and we didn’t play to our full potential. We let that one slip away from us, but like I said, that one’s over with. We’re judged on what we do from here on out.”
“That we can be beaten. I think that some of us thought we were so good that we can just come out and play and they’ll see that it’s Kentucky and think we can just get the win based off that. UCLA is a good team. I’ll give them credit. But also we didn’t have our best game, and we didn’t play to our full potential. We let that one slip away from us, but like I said, that one’s over with. We’re judged on what we do from here on out.”
On what the young guys can expect from Camp Cal …
“This time coming up is very important because we only really have to worry about one thing and that’s basketball. If that’s what you want to do for the rest of your life, this Camp Cal – or whatever y’all call it – should be fun. Last year it was fun for me. No school, just all basketball and getting better. That’s the things I live for and I’m sure the freshmen, great group of guys and I know that they love basketball, so I’m sure they’re looking forward too.”
“This time coming up is very important because we only really have to worry about one thing and that’s basketball. If that’s what you want to do for the rest of your life, this Camp Cal – or whatever y’all call it – should be fun. Last year it was fun for me. No school, just all basketball and getting better. That’s the things I live for and I’m sure the freshmen, great group of guys and I know that they love basketball, so I’m sure they’re looking forward too.”
On Coach Cal saying Briscoe makes Mychal Mulder more comfortable on the court …
“I think I make everybody more comfortable on the court, just by talking and being there for them. But Mike’s my guy, we’re cool. That’s my roommate when we’re on the road. Mike, he just needs somebody to encourage him because Coach is on him pretty tough because he’s a senior. He’s expecting a lot out of him. I think Mike likes the message when it’s coming from me rather than Coach. Whenever Coach is getting on him I’ll pull Mike to the side and let him know, ‘Yo, just do this and this and you’ll be fine. He won’t say nothing to you,’ and things like that. Mike’s been playing well, he’s been getting after it, and he’s been working on playing defense. Like I said, I’m the leader of this team. I’m trying to keep everybody on board and trying to get Mike better.”
“I think I make everybody more comfortable on the court, just by talking and being there for them. But Mike’s my guy, we’re cool. That’s my roommate when we’re on the road. Mike, he just needs somebody to encourage him because Coach is on him pretty tough because he’s a senior. He’s expecting a lot out of him. I think Mike likes the message when it’s coming from me rather than Coach. Whenever Coach is getting on him I’ll pull Mike to the side and let him know, ‘Yo, just do this and this and you’ll be fine. He won’t say nothing to you,’ and things like that. Mike’s been playing well, he’s been getting after it, and he’s been working on playing defense. Like I said, I’m the leader of this team. I’m trying to keep everybody on board and trying to get Mike better.”
On if he’s sticking up for Mulder because of all he can bring to the team with his outside shooting and athleticism …
“Absolutely, and we’re going to need Mike. I think we’re going to need a lot of people on this team and I don’t want anybody to fall behind.”
“Absolutely, and we’re going to need Mike. I think we’re going to need a lot of people on this team and I don’t want anybody to fall behind.”
On battling De’Aaron Fox in practice …
“It’s fun. It’s always been fun. We’ve been battling since we stepped on practice. We’ve actually been winning this time so it’s been fun.”
“It’s fun. It’s always been fun. We’ve been battling since we stepped on practice. We’ve actually been winning this time so it’s been fun.”
On Coach Justus saying Briscoe is the guy who makes the team go …
“I’m cool with that. I don’t think anybody wouldn’t be cool with that. But like I said, I’m fine with that. It’s a lot on my plate, but I asked to eat. This is what it comes with. I’ll take care of it.”
“I’m cool with that. I don’t think anybody wouldn’t be cool with that. But like I said, I’m fine with that. It’s a lot on my plate, but I asked to eat. This is what it comes with. I’ll take care of it.”
On knowing this was all coming …
“I knew it was coming. Yeah, it feels good. I’m not new to this. I’ve done it before. It’s all just coming into play.”
“I knew it was coming. Yeah, it feels good. I’m not new to this. I’ve done it before. It’s all just coming into play.”
On how the team has responded to him …
“They respond well. Like I said last game, Coach made it clear that he wanted me to bring the energy and he wanted it to start with me because against UCLA I didn’t do that. I went out and did it and everybody else followed right after me. Dom (Hawkins), Malik (Monk), De’Aaron (Fox), everybody wanted to lock up and that’s when we’re at our best to get in transition. Then we’re good.”
“They respond well. Like I said last game, Coach made it clear that he wanted me to bring the energy and he wanted it to start with me because against UCLA I didn’t do that. I went out and did it and everybody else followed right after me. Dom (Hawkins), Malik (Monk), De’Aaron (Fox), everybody wanted to lock up and that’s when we’re at our best to get in transition. Then we’re good.”
On how frustrating the UCLA loss is …
“It’s frustrating, but it’s over with. It happened, we lost. We got plenty of games left in the season. The only thing we can do now is just get better.”
“It’s frustrating, but it’s over with. It happened, we lost. We got plenty of games left in the season. The only thing we can do now is just get better.”
#0, De’Aaron Fox, Freshman, G
On the weather in Lexington …
“It’s different. It’s different. I looked outside at one in the morning because it looked like it started snowing. So I looked outside and the whole car was white. I think is was supposed to be blue. It’s different. I’m not used to this.”
On his feelings of where his game is right now …
“I mean the last game wasn’t so good. I’m just trying to brush it off and try and have a good start.”
On Isaiah Briscoe …
“He makes a difference when he’s on the floor. Not only scoring but as a guard, he rebounds. Defensively, he’s the best guard in the country. Offensively, he just talks us through things so when he’s on the floor you just fell how different it is.”
On his relationship with Malik Monk…
“I mean we’ve just been together more so the chemistry has grown. Somebody that you like being around and on the court it has just made things easier for the both of us.”
On what is different about Malik Monk now …
“His confidence. We’re just so confident with each other with both of us on the floor. I feel like we help each other out. Just being around him off the court has helped us on the court.”
On the controversial triple-double …
“I didn’t care. I don’t care. I’m not playing for stats so if it didn’t happen, it didn’t happen. (Coach) Cal told me that night on the phone and I was like, ‘I don’t care.’ They made a big deal out of it, but if it didn’t happen it didn’t happen and if it did, it did. I’ll just move on.”
On if he watched the play where the questionable assist happened …
“I was like, ‘How is this controversial?’ It didn’t make sense to me, but they’re doing their job and they said it stands, so it stood.”
On what he needs to do to play better …
“Honestly for me it’s just coming out with more energy, focus more and just be ready for the game. Sometimes I’m just out there in what I call ‘chill mode.’ I’ll be on the court sometimes some people say I’m playing good, but I just know there is more in me that I haven’t shown. It’s really just the energy part. Sometimes I’m not focused. Other than that, sometimes I’m just chilling on the court.”
On what Coach Cal thinks about ‘chill mode’...
“Oh, he hates it. He calls it causal. I call it chill. He’s just trying to get me out of that. Creating habits.”
On how to get out of ‘chill mode’…
“It’s something that you have to practice. Always be ready and always bring the intensity and energy.”
On Camp Cal …
“We had two-a-days on the weekend (before the season). I’ve never had three practices in a day, so I really don’t know what to expect.”
On what the older players say about Camp Cal …
“I haven’t even asked. I haven’t heard anything, but I’m pretty sure no one likes three practices in a day, so we’ll just see how that goes when it comes.”
On adjusting to life in college …
“Just having to handle a college schedule. You know when practice is, getting up for class and now with this weather it’s harder for me to get to class. In high school, you were always in one building so it was warm in the whole building. Now you know, when you’re walking through 30-degree weather, it’s different. It’s different as a college student.”
On the weather getting even colder …
“Yeah, it’s going to be really difficult. It’s difficult for me. I’m used to 100-degree weather, not seven.”
On how much pride he has in his assist numbers …
“I’m not taking pride in my assist numbers. It’s just setting up teammates. If they make the shot they make it and it gives me an assist and if they miss, they miss. Just play it by ear. I mean I’m not looking at the numbers. I don’t see the sheet during the game so sometimes I end with 10 assists and sometimes I end with four. It just depends on the game and depends on what happens. I’m not really worried about it.”
On finding his shooting rhythm …
“I’m still trying to find my rhythm. I feel like it just hasn’t set in yet. I’m going to keep playing basketball and at some point it will start falling. It will be more difficult for teams to guard me instead of going under screens and things like that. I’m just going to continue to play basketball.”
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