Mike Young’s Postgame Remarks After Virginia Tech’s Win Over Bryant
After Virginia Tech’s 78-61 victory over Bryant on November 19, head coach Mike Young spoke with the media about the game, his team’s performance, and upcoming challenges. Here’s a recap of what he had to say:
Opening Statement:
“I’m really happy for Virginia Tech, especially with the recent excitement in our athletic department, particularly with football. Huge congratulations to Whit and everyone who made that change happen. We’re thrilled to have James Franklin on board as our new football coach. He’s exactly what we needed. I had the chance to meet him for the first time, and we’re all excited to have him and his family join us.
In terms of basketball, Amani Hansberry is crucial to our success. He tweaked his ankle late in practice. It wasn’t one specific play, but it’s bothering him, and we didn’t want to risk further injury. We’ll keep him out until Monday, but expect him to return for our Battle 4 Atlantis matchup against Colorado State.”
On Christian Gurdak’s Career-High Performance (15 points):
“Christian was fantastic tonight. He was on fire—completely outperformed Dorne, who had a rough game. Gurdak played like the ‘Holly Farms Player of the Game,’ and I mean that in the best possible way. Tobi Lawal had another solid performance with 18 points and 13 rebounds, and even though Jaden Schutt didn’t score as much, he still contributed. I was especially impressed with Gurdak.”
On Gurdak’s Progress and Potential:
“That’s a bit much to say this is exactly what I expected, but Gurdak is a quick learner. He’s got a great basketball IQ, and he’s also a smart kid off the court. He absorbs everything we teach him. He really stepped up today and will likely be the first big man off the bench in the Bahamas.”
On What Gurdak Has Added to His Game:
“He’s added toughness to his game. He’s not the highest jumper, but he’s physical and has long arms. He made some key offensive rebounds late in the game and kept plays alive. That was a huge momentum shift. I’m really happy with how he’s progressing.”
On Avdalas’ Performance:
“Avdalas was a bit too conservative tonight. He’s a phenomenal passer—probably the best I’ve ever coached—but he’s pressing too hard at times, trying to be perfect. He’s a special player, and we enjoy having him on the team, but he’ll continue to adjust.”
On the Team’s Development After Five Games:
“I’m excited for what I’ve seen so far, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. It’s November 20th, and we’re still figuring things out. We’re competing hard on defense, and I’m thrilled with the effort from guys like Tyler Johnson and Tobi Lawal. We’ve missed Hansberry’s leadership on the floor, though—he’s such a key communicator. But overall, I’m really optimistic about where this team is headed.”
On Rebounding (38-24 Advantage Over Bryant):
“Hansberry is a big reason for that. He’s tough, and that trio of him, Tobi, and Tyler Johnson has been ferocious on the boards. Missing one of them tonight, though, made it tougher, but Gurdak and Dorn gave a solid effort in their place.”
On the Team’s Shift Late in the First Half:
“We just kept stressing to the guys to stay aggressive on defense. I told them to keep pressing, and that they’d wear down Bryant eventually. They didn’t shoot as well in the second half, and I think we took advantage of that.”
On Preparing for Battle 4 Atlantis and Endurance Concerns:
“We’ll do our best to prepare, but it’s the same for everyone in the tournament. We’re playing 40-minute games, and we’ll take it one day at a time. We’ve got time to prepare for Colorado State, but then the schedule picks up fast. It’ll be a great test for us, and I’m excited for the challenge.”
On Bryant’s Tall, Long Team and Its Effect Early in the Game:
“Bryant’s size definitely gave us trouble early. Our offense wasn’t very smooth in the first 15 minutes, but we’ll figure it out. We had some sloppy play, like Neo holding the ball too much and Jailen Bedford not playing up to his usual standard. We weren’t moving as fluidly as we should have, but when the ball moved side-to-side, we looked much better.”
On the Difference Between European and College Basketball (Avdalas and Dorn):
“They’re adjusting well, but European basketball is a bit more free-flowing and less physical than college. College basketball is tougher, but both Avdalas and Dorn are smart players, and they’re getting the hang of it.”
On Shooting Struggles (Especially from the Line and Three-Point Range):
“We’ve been excellent from the free-throw line recently, so I’m not sure what happened tonight. We were 6-of-16, which is out of character for us. Tobi Lawal is usually automatic, and Neo has been great as well. We’ll correct that and move forward.”
On Bryant’s Toughness:
“That was by far the best I’ve seen Bryant play. They had a solid game plan, slowed the pace, and hit some tough shots. We had to adjust to their style of play.”
On Ball Security and Turnovers:
“We had 10 turnovers tonight, which is more than we usually average. We’ve been excellent at limiting turnovers this season, but we’ll clean it up. Our ball handling and passing are strong, and I’m confident we’ll continue to improve in this area.”
On Areas for Improvement:
“We need to improve in every area—ball screen coverage, offense, and special teams. Our transition defense has been solid, but we can’t take it for granted. There’s no one area we can ignore; we need to keep improving across the board. I’m looking forward to the challenge in the Battle 4 Atlantis, and I’ve never coached in that tournament, so it’ll be a great experience for us.”
Mike Young expressed optimism about his team’s progress but emphasized that there’s still plenty of work ahead as they prepare for tougher matchups at the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament.
No Comment! Be the first one.