It was special for us the possibility we had to made some questions to coach Kevin Ollie, Connecticut Huskies, a team we expect to have a great season in the AAC Conference, and now, we presente the interview to our readers with a particular pleasure.
Coach Kevin Ollie (Source: today.uconn.edu, Photo by Bob Stowell)
What kind of difficulties do you expect in a new conference?
“We will be facing some of the teams in the conference for the first time and traveling to some different venues for the first time and that will be something we have to adjust to. We had been playing the teams in the Big East for years and knew them well, as they knew us. Besides that, the conference teams are talented and tough. We have to play Louisville, Memphis, and Cincinnati twice each and they are all top 25 teams. Temple is a solid program and SMU is a program on the rise. Overall, the conference will be among the best in the country.”
What did you tell the team about working harder on in your first speech this year?
“We just talked about helping each other and becoming a strong family. Our team worked very hard last season, when there was no postseason for them and they will work just as hard this year, both in the classroom and on the court.”
Last year, the team was very low in turnover percentage and weak in offensive rebounding. Do you think turnover percentage is an area where the team should improve in the near future or are there other aspects you plan to work on before that?
“Of course, we want to improve in all areas of our defense and rebounding. We intend to use added pressure on both defense and offense to put pressure on the other team. With our team quickness, we want to get more steals, leading to easy baskets. We hope the freshman on our team will give us some rebounding help.”
Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright are an amazing backcourt. What kind of season do you expect from them and in which area of their game do you expect them to increase?
“Both of them are quick, good ballhandlers, and can score three ways — shoot the three-pointer, the mid-range jump shot, or take it to the basket. Ryan is one of the most explosive players in the country and both of them have an excellent basketball IQ. I’m expecting both of them to improve their leadership and point guard skills and make their teammates better.”
Jim Calhoun is a legend. Is there something special in the way he coached (taught) basketball which made his teams better than others, that you would like to transmit to your team?
“I think as a player, the best thing I learned from Coach Calhoun was the mental toughness you need to be successful and that’s what I try to teach our team. Especially when it comes down toward the end of a close game, when you’re tired, a lot of times it’s the mental toughness you have that makes the difference between winning and losing. Coach Calhoun brought that mental toughness every game and his teams reflected that.”
Note: I express my gratitude to Mr.Phil Chardis, Assistant Director Athletic Communications at Connecticut, for his special and kind support in this interview, and to coach Kevin Ollie, for the special time he dedicated us.
