With a season-ending injury, an indefinite suspension and a season opener looming, Jeff Capel met the media on Monday. Here's the full rundown of what he said.
Capel: We’re excited to get started. We’ve had 29 practices and they’ve been pretty good. It’s all led to build-up for opening night. We’re playing against a team that had a winning record last year, that returns some guys, some good players, they play an up-tempo style of basketball, they have the preseason conference player of the year back, they have their point guard back and their starting center back. Well-coached, unique style, so we’ll have our hands full but we’ll be ready. Guys are excited. We’ve had a good couple of days of practice. Obviously, we were able to build, hopefully, on some things from the exhibition game last week. I think we’ve gotten a little bit better and we’re excited about the journey we’re on and anxious to get started tomorrow.
What’s unique about The Citadel’s style?
Capel: They play one of the fastest paces. They shoot a lot of three’s. Last year, they were one of the top teams in tempo, top teams as far as three-point field goals attempted per game. So they get up and down. Their four and five are really good passers. Their four is a really good player; the kid Brown is the preseason player of the year. He’s an elite-level rebounder, he’s an elite-level competitor, he scores it, he pushes it in transition, he’s a really, really good player.
Obviously you can’t comment on Ithiel’s legal situation, but I was curious what impact his absence has for you guys on the court and how does it change some of the guard rotations that you’ll have to play?
Capel: Everyone has to step up a little bit more in his absence. We’ve looked at guys in some different positions. We’ll make some adjustments and we’ll be okay.
You have Femi and Nate Santos seemed like he played some two last Monday night; who else do you have you could look at for some those back court spots at this point?
Capel: Will Jeffress is a guard. [Onyebuchi Ezeakudo] is a guard. So those two can do that. Mo (Gueye) can swing to a wing position for us. We’ll be okay. We’ll figure it out. We’ll be okay and we’ll adjust.
Speaking of those guards, we talked to you last week about Jamarius (Burton); I was curious if there was any update or if you have a clear idea of when he might be back or what he’s been able to participate in lately?
Capel: He’s been able to do all the non-contact stuff. He has not done any contact yet, so obviously that means he will not play tomorrow. I think right now it’s probably day-by-day, seeing how he does. We ramped things up a little bit more today. We’ll see how he responds to that and then we’ll make the decision going forward depending on how he’s progressing.
Do you have a conversation with Femi about not trying to do too much?
Capel: I want Femi to be himself. I haven’t had a conversation like that. It’s just, I think he’s playing really well and I want him to continue to play well and just to be him. That’s it.
You came into this season with some of your own guys that are older and some transfers that were looking to replace some of the experience you lost; do you feel like with the losses now, you’re going to have to lean on some of the younger guys, maybe earlier than you anticipated?
Capel: Guys certainly have an opportunity to step up. That’s what they’ve prepared for, that’s what we’re prepared for. They work every day. They’ve had a great offseason. Once we started practice, they’ve improved each and every day. So it’s a tremendous opportunity for them. That’s how I look at it.
Going up against The Citadel with their fast-paced offense, are you guys looking defensively to try to slow it down, looking at potential zone matches, or are you also concerned when it comes to having extra possessions that it could play a little fast and loose when it comes to the ball and turning the ball over?
Capel: We have to be very smart with what we do. We have to value the basketball. Transition defense is imperative for us. Half-court defense, we have to be really, really good there. We have to be connected. And then we have to be smart offensively. If an opportunity is there for us to push, we have to do that; if it’s not, then we have to run good offense. But one of the biggest things is that we have to value the basketball. And we have to make sure that we get the best shot for Pitt every time down the floor.
When you look at it from an emotional and leadership perspective, what do you hope and expect from Nike to be able to provide from the sideline?
Capel: He’s an older guy. He’s been through a lot. Obviously, we hurt for him, but I anticipate Nike to be there, to be encouraging, to be a sounding board for some of our new guys, for some of our younger guys that don’t have as much experience. And for him to kind of be able to share what he sees from watching. He’ll watch it from a different lens now, and I think he’ll be able to help guys that way.
How is John Hugley progressing as an offensive player?
Capel: He’s progressing. He’s a good offensive player. He didn’t play well the other night in our exhibition game, but we have confidence in him.
I know Nate (Santos) hasn’t played a lot of basketball the last couple years; how would you say he is, as far as readiness right now, as opposed to a typical freshman that maybe would have played a couple full seasons coming in?
Capel: That’s an interesting question because a lot of guys haven’t played. It’s been such an abnormal time. Seasons in high school have been disjointed; some have played a little bit, some have played a lot. A lot of them haven’t played in front of people. But I like where Nate is. I think he’s a good player. He’s got really good size. He can shoot the basketball. He’s gotten better defensively since he’s been here. And I think he’s going to be a good player for us. We’re excited about him.
This has obviously been a difficult week for this team, where these guys in the span of a week lose two of their teammates. How did they seem to be responding and reacting to it? How did they seem to be faring and adjusting to what’s a rapidly changing environment around them?
Capel: They’ve been good. They’ve had great attitudes. We talk about ‘next man up.’ We control what we can control. We can control the guys that we have. We can control our attitudes, how we show up, come ready to work, come with the right mindset. They’ve done that. Hopefully, it shows up tomorrow.
