Chattanooga Basketball Postgame Quotes
Cumberland (TN) at Chattanooga
McKenzie Arena – Chattanooga, Tenn.
Sunday – Dec. 29, 2019

Lamont Paris, Head Coach
Overall thoughts after win over Cumberland.
"I felt good about what we did. Sometimes when you get up like that, it's hard to maintain the same level of juice when you get to a certain point. I thought it was a good effort by everybody. We didn't finish well around the basket, our two-point field goal percentage was over 50 percent, but based on the quality of shot we got, I thought it should have been better than that. Overall I felt good. I felt good that everybody got to play and some played a lot of minutes. Some of those guys work hard during practice and we have a couple that are on the bubble of doing these things, other times they don't do these things, so they don't get as much opportunity in games to show if they can do it or not. Today was some good evidence, and some bad evidence, on if they're able to do things in the game. I felt good for the most part."
 
On some players stepping up off the bench.
"I thought we had some guys make some really good plays to find him in some advantageous situations. I thought we passed the ball well and I know our assist to turnover ratio was high and that's normal when we play well. There were a lot of guys, especially Prosper Obidiebube from a defensive standpoint, did some great things stepping in. It was a good team effort. A lot of people contributed. Overall I thought our bench was excited about playing and came in and competed, and played well."
 
On the play from guard David Jean-Baptiste.
"It doesn't surprise me. Dave gets in there and does the right things. He does a lot and affects the game in a lot of ways. His energy and overall attitude, spirit, has been phenomenal. Especially over the last month. It's trickled down to other guys and it's helped our team in general."
 
On heading into SoCon play and where the team stands.
"I like where we are and how we've continued to grow. That's the last thing I put on the board about what we wanted to take out of this game. We wanted to keep doing the things that keep our progress going in the same direction in the same amount. I don't think we could have made a huge jump in this game, but we did exactly what we were supposed to do. I thought from a rebounding standpoint we did a really good job. I like where we are. I know there's a lot of room for growth. I think we've been challenged in the non-conference in terms of the quality of our opponents, and playing on the road. I like where we are from a mental standpoint and that we recognize that we still do have a long way to go and that our ceiling is pretty high if we find a way to get to it."

Ramon Vila, R-Jr.-F
On team feeling heading into conference play.
"We're confident. I think we have a pretty good record, maybe could have won a couple more games. I think besides those games, we're really confident. We have good players who start and good players off the bench. We know we can rely on each other and that's very important."
 
On today's focus.
"Our goal was to take care of business and be mature. These are games that can be close at half and Coach talked to us about that. He said we had to start strong. We took care of business early and allowed some players who don't play as much to get some minutes to demonstrate what they can do and that they're here for a reason."
 
On the tough league that is the Southern Conference.
"The Southern Conference has been one of the best mid-major conferences the past two seasons and that's something we should be proud of. I feel like this conference is so much better than five, six years ago. We'll have a day off tomorrow and take care of ourselves then we're going to start really working hard for conference play."
 
David Jean Baptiste, R-Jr.-G
On the team's direction heading into SoCon play.
"We're definitely proud of where our team is headed. I think we're headed in the right direction with our play defensively. That's how we attack practice every day. We compete. We go hard against each other and that's what you want from your team, to compete every possession. I think we're headed in the right direction before conference play."
 
On focusing on team communication.  
"Communication is a key of ours, especially on the defensive end. The talk about screens, to tell players where to go, to know their tendencies. Communication is key and every day in practice we try to talk, tell guys to say more. It's something we focus on and it's showing in the game."
 
On positive attitude, playing every game with purpose.
"I think with me being here and being one of the older guys, one who has played for the Mocs the longest, you just have to take every opportunity like it's your last. I see the young guys and it gives me some new-found faith because I remember when I first got here. It's going out there and playing every game like it's my last. I'm enjoying every day, every practice, every game, because you never know when you're done."