Stanford dominated William & Mary Thursday night in a game that before it started appeared on paper to present a challenge for the Cardinal. Instead, Oscar da Silva got things off to a great start that set the tone for a game that Stanford dictated in terms of pace and aggressiveness.
Tyrell Terry got his first double-double (21 points and 10 rebounds) and da Sliva and Daejon Davis each scored 14 points. Bryce Wills and Jaiden Delaire each scored nine. Wills' versatility on defense is really fun to watch. He was defending Nathan Knight (who is listed at 6-10 but is closer to 6-8) and Wills worked with several teammates to frustrate Knight. Oklahoma is not good at basketball this season, but Knight put up 30 on them in his last game. He scored seven tonight and had six turnovers.
Terry had one of those games when the ball is on a wire to the middle of the basket. He was 5-of-7 from three and several of his passes had head coach Jerod Haase ecstatic on the sideline.
There were a number of reasons for Haase to be excited: The team defense, the high level of energy throughout and the fact that Stanford imposed its will on a solid opponent.
Haase Q&A
Opening Statement
"I am certainly excited we finished the homestand. I love the way the guys are believing in the messaging. I love the way the guys are competing. I love the way the guys are believing in each other and have a desire to make each other better.
"William & Mary is a good basketball team. They're going to have a good year. The truth is that missing a player and also having gone through a heck of a travel schedule these last couple weeks probably wasn't ideal for them. But having said that they competed hard, it is a good basketball team and we're ecstatic by the win."
On Tyrell Terry's play and quick maturation: "One of the greatest compliments I've ever given anybody is I told him in the recruiting process that every team I've ever seen him play on, the team takes on his identity -- the identity of making the right play for the team, passing the basketball, moving the basketball. While he doesn't look like a Greek god he may have the heart of one. He really is a tough competitor.
"Having said that we have a lot of other guys around him right now who are a big part of it. He's doing a great job. He's making the right passes. Since he's a freshman, I walked in and told the team, 'Why'd you miss your two free throws?' So, that's where we're at."
Two weeks ago you said you were beginning to find a defensive identity. Do you think that identity is more established now?
"It is more established. There's a belief but at the same time too we are going to play a couple of the BCS-level teams, really high teams, on a neutral court in Kansas City and that will be another test to see what we're doing defensively and how effectively we can be. I do think we're practicing the right things and have a good system in place. We have a group of guys who can execute it and the final piece is believing in it and playing really well."
Can you speak about the effort of Bryce and others against Knight?
"It was certainly a team effort. There were multiple guys on him; Bryce spent a lot of time on him and was able to defend with quickness. Other guys were in the gaps making it hard for him. The ball screen coverage, we were able to adjust a bit at halftime. He's a heck of a player. He's going to have a heck of a year. But I thought the team and especially Bryce did a great job competing."
What is Bryce bringing to the team defensively with his versatility?
"Last year Bryce was one of the youngest players in college basketball. Now he's a sophomore, so he is still young. Then we're asking him to play point guard and then two and then three and then four. I guess sometimes even five. His versatility is unbelievable. Offensively he's doing a really nice job not trying to force it right now. On the defensive end he can do so many different things with so many different players and that adds a lot to our team."
Aside from his technical foul, what did Daejon Davis bring to the game on offense and defense?
"Leadership, No.1. He's playing with such poise. He's playing so hard defensively. He sets the table for everything defensively with his general attitude and his ball pressure and his leadership. All those things are kind of the foundational pieces. Offensively he's making the right plays, shooting good percentages, getting some assists. It's really cool to see because he was in a position to try to take over the team and dominate everything and what he's doing is playing within himself and is really shining in that role right now."
What do you see from Jaiden Delaire?
"Jaiden is learning and growing and getting better before our eyes game by game and practice by practice. I feel like he loves the game right now. I loves trying to compete and get better. He knows that the best days are still ahead for him and there is a lot of work between now and then. I think he's embracing that and knowing he's willing to work for it."
Tyrell Terry got his first double-double (21 points and 10 rebounds) and da Sliva and Daejon Davis each scored 14 points. Bryce Wills and Jaiden Delaire each scored nine. Wills' versatility on defense is really fun to watch. He was defending Nathan Knight (who is listed at 6-10 but is closer to 6-8) and Wills worked with several teammates to frustrate Knight. Oklahoma is not good at basketball this season, but Knight put up 30 on them in his last game. He scored seven tonight and had six turnovers.
Terry had one of those games when the ball is on a wire to the middle of the basket. He was 5-of-7 from three and several of his passes had head coach Jerod Haase ecstatic on the sideline.
There were a number of reasons for Haase to be excited: The team defense, the high level of energy throughout and the fact that Stanford imposed its will on a solid opponent.
Haase Q&A
Opening Statement
"I am certainly excited we finished the homestand. I love the way the guys are believing in the messaging. I love the way the guys are competing. I love the way the guys are believing in each other and have a desire to make each other better.
"William & Mary is a good basketball team. They're going to have a good year. The truth is that missing a player and also having gone through a heck of a travel schedule these last couple weeks probably wasn't ideal for them. But having said that they competed hard, it is a good basketball team and we're ecstatic by the win."
On Tyrell Terry's play and quick maturation: "One of the greatest compliments I've ever given anybody is I told him in the recruiting process that every team I've ever seen him play on, the team takes on his identity -- the identity of making the right play for the team, passing the basketball, moving the basketball. While he doesn't look like a Greek god he may have the heart of one. He really is a tough competitor.
"Having said that we have a lot of other guys around him right now who are a big part of it. He's doing a great job. He's making the right passes. Since he's a freshman, I walked in and told the team, 'Why'd you miss your two free throws?' So, that's where we're at."
Two weeks ago you said you were beginning to find a defensive identity. Do you think that identity is more established now?
"It is more established. There's a belief but at the same time too we are going to play a couple of the BCS-level teams, really high teams, on a neutral court in Kansas City and that will be another test to see what we're doing defensively and how effectively we can be. I do think we're practicing the right things and have a good system in place. We have a group of guys who can execute it and the final piece is believing in it and playing really well."
Can you speak about the effort of Bryce and others against Knight?
"It was certainly a team effort. There were multiple guys on him; Bryce spent a lot of time on him and was able to defend with quickness. Other guys were in the gaps making it hard for him. The ball screen coverage, we were able to adjust a bit at halftime. He's a heck of a player. He's going to have a heck of a year. But I thought the team and especially Bryce did a great job competing."
What is Bryce bringing to the team defensively with his versatility?
"Last year Bryce was one of the youngest players in college basketball. Now he's a sophomore, so he is still young. Then we're asking him to play point guard and then two and then three and then four. I guess sometimes even five. His versatility is unbelievable. Offensively he's doing a really nice job not trying to force it right now. On the defensive end he can do so many different things with so many different players and that adds a lot to our team."
Aside from his technical foul, what did Daejon Davis bring to the game on offense and defense?
"Leadership, No.1. He's playing with such poise. He's playing so hard defensively. He sets the table for everything defensively with his general attitude and his ball pressure and his leadership. All those things are kind of the foundational pieces. Offensively he's making the right plays, shooting good percentages, getting some assists. It's really cool to see because he was in a position to try to take over the team and dominate everything and what he's doing is playing within himself and is really shining in that role right now."
What do you see from Jaiden Delaire?
"Jaiden is learning and growing and getting better before our eyes game by game and practice by practice. I feel like he loves the game right now. I loves trying to compete and get better. He knows that the best days are still ahead for him and there is a lot of work between now and then. I think he's embracing that and knowing he's willing to work for it."
