BDP: How have things been going for your Sheldon High team since returning from your
trip to the Glaxo in Raleigh?
It has been good. I hated the performance we had in Raleigh, but it helped us a lot. We are
a much better team than we showed, but we made some changes when we got back that have helped us get better.
BDP: What changes were made?
The coaches made some changes in how they coached the team & we made some changes in how
we use our personnel. Things like when we can run & when we can't run & stuff like that.
BDP: We have heard that you are playing more at the point than before. Are you playing
a different role than you were playing at Glaxo?
I am really playing the same role that I was in Raleigh. It was just mainly that a couple
of individuals on the team had an agenda which threw off our team chemistry. I have been playing the point for a while, but
most people when they see me they just think of me as a 2. But I have always handled the ball a lot anyway.
BDP: Did you get any advice from Coach K while you were at the Glaxo?
He just told me that I needed to keep my focus & that I had to deal with the environment
that I was playing in, but that it was only going to make me that much stronger. He told me not to let my teammates or the
circumstances around me bring my game down. He said that I still needed to thrive & do what I needed to do, even though
I wasn't in a good situation. He mainly just told me to play hard & to play with passion.
BDP: Have things gotten better as far as the team situation since returning from the
Glaxo?
Oh yea. Things have gotten a lot better. We really needed to get exposed like we were down
there. We are playing much better as a team now. The way that our team is playing right now, I would love to come
back down there & play the same teams again, but that is played out though.
BDP: Have you had a chance to watch Duke play much this year? If so, what do you think
of them?
I have seen a few games, but they seem to play a lot on the same nights that we play. The
games that I have seen they are playing some really good basketball. Offensively, they are starting to get things rolling
& defensively they are really shutting teams down.
BDP: Your dad was telling me that you were wanting to make a statement in the game
against Oakland Tech & Quentin Thomas. Were you matched up head-to-head with Thomas & what kind of statement was you
wanting to make?
We were matched up head-to-head when they were playing a man defense. I did guard him. There
were some possessions where they played man & he guarded me. I felt like that it was another opportunity for me to clear
some of the things up, especially with Glaxo & me not having a good showing. I knew that people were going to be tuning
into our game against Oakland & I wanted to have a big game.
BDP: What are your plans after graduating from high school? Are you planning on coming
to summer school at Duke?
Oh yea. I will probably be down there around July or August.
BDP: Who is the best player you have played with or against at the high school or
AAU level?
I would probably say Lebron. We were on the same AAU team for like a year & a half.
BDP: Who is going to win the Super Bowl?
I think the Patriots will probably win. I was pulling for the Colts though.
