April 4, 2002
Q: First of all, congratulations on a fine season. I wanted to ask where you saw the strengths and weaknesses of the team for next year? Will any of the incoming guys be immediate contributors? -- submitted by David Rogers, Louisville, Ky.
Coach Felton: "Thanks for the congrats and the question. We still have to sign a few more players, so it is a little difficult to give a complete answer. I can tell you of some of the things we will need to replace. We will need to replace Derek and Tremain's leadership, Derek and Raynardo's ability to penetrate to make plays and their ability to put defensive pressure on the ball, and we will need to replace Chris' production rebounding and scoring in the post. When you consider the number of new players we'll have next season, obviously we'll have a very different team and we will be relying on many of our new players."
Q: Thanks to you and the team for a very entertaining season. Thanks in a large part to you, Hilltopper basketball is back in the national limelight. Of the recruits already signed for next season, which ones do you expect to have an impact by tourney time next season? Also, besides the obvious need for a back-up point guard, what other type of player are you hoping to sign for next season?
Coach Felton: "I never try to project exactly what a new player will do in his first year because you never know how a player is going to respond for the first time to the rigors of major college basketball. The truth is the things a player accomplishes on the high school level have very little to do with what he's going to do at this level. With that said, I must tell you that I am extremely excited about this incoming class and their potential. A lot will depend on the job our veterans do at leading them."
Q: Coach Felton, Congratulations on the terrific season to you and the team. My question is concerning the overall physicality of the team. That seemed to be our only weakness in the NCAA tourney. Are there any plans to change our style to be more physical? If so, will this be through conditioning and weight training or through the addition of a big, physical player?
Coach Felton: "Thanks for the question, Nick. We the most physical team on the court during most of our games. But, we have been physically weaker in both NCAA games -- versus Florida last year and Stanford this season. The game is officiated very differently in the NCAA tournament. They simply don't call fouls in the paint. We did not play with enough aggressiveness a year ago versus Florida. After that experience, we were more ready for that going into this season's tournament. We battled and competed with more aggressiveness, but still found ourselves pushed around by stronger players. Its a simple reality that the top six conferences are going to get most of the top world-class athletes, forcing us to work from a natural deficit. BUT, we do have a plan. Since my first day on the Hill, I've worked hard to get a full-time strength coach for our basketball team so we can work to close this gap. Fortunately, with the help of some private donations, we were able to establish that position this year and hire Donald Spann, who was working for the St. Louis Cardinals. Donald is in position to have a major impact on next year's team. If you ask any of our players right now what their major challenge is, they will respond "to increase our team strength!"
