"Get The Job Done." | Cheryl Reeve, Napheesa Collier, Bridget Carleton Postgame Sound | 08.17.2024

uh I guess I guess I'll start and Coach you can take the question then um the two of you as well um what what did you what did you all like about how you achieved the victory today obviously uh third quarter was was pretty special the office of execution and and obviously get getting some stops there but in your words what did you yeah for me personally um can't speak for these guys but I know uh it was top of mind to get nefisa ker going again I think that's the difference um you know maybe over the last 10 games obviously she missed five but then even the ones before that know getting fee at this level again uh that was a big Focus today we U got you going there 15 to the third or 30 for the game um what worked for you today what did you see out there um I think just being aggressive and knowing that you know the coaches have confidence in me and my teammates have confidence me in me in that way um so just really trying to read the defense and get to my shot and then defensively in the third quarter what what turn what what turned that turned that around for you all uh it was a point of emphasis at halftime we knew we had to be better on the defensive end and that leads to our offense and getting easier looks and running and transition um that's when we're the best that's when any team's the best when they're running in transition and so was an emphasis and we locked in uh pretty well in the third quarter and then one more um uh you just obviously it's been a been a long two weeks so with the Olympics then coming back Thursday and then um today two weeks longer than that that's true um how did you feel like you kind of had your leads your wind and everything else that you normally have today plan you know just continuing playing and that breaking off I feel good um I think you know normally we would be playing anyway we I just happen to be doing overseas so I mean we're used to playing all all summer and honestly like you have to get the job done and no one cares if you're tired or not I'm not I feel good but definitely coming in with the mindset that I'm not going to use that as an excuse um because we still have work to do so coming in with a fresh mindset and I felt rejuvenated being with my team again it was so great to be back that I haven't felt any of the tiredness or anything can start off with Terry on the zoom uh thank you all this is for uh all three of you or just whoever wants to jump in but the the third quarter was obviously a big boom for you guys but uh cour had a pretty effective uh offensive second quarter getting uh 10 points in the second quarter there uh just how sort of effective was that in um sort of keeping pace and keeping you guys uh with the with the cushion heading into halftime and setting up that really you know big uh third quarter where there's a lot of offensive Firepower from everybody I thought Court was terrific uh managing pick and roll in the second quarter and you know obviously she was making some shots and anytime you're doing that it puts the big in a much more difficult position uh in a pick and roll defensive situation so it was big um you know she was making the right reads and kind of gave us momentum going into the half to understand what needed to happen in the third quarter and uh for BC um seven free throw attempts today uh you've had two at two has been your high all season was that just kind of a random thing or were you seeking out contact a little bit and just seeing some uh uh Lanes opening to the basket where you're able to be really effective um I think just wanting to make the right play um making the right reads and um I have credibility as a shooter so they're closing out hard and you know I got F on a jump shot I got bed on a three-point shot um because they're closing out hard on me but I mean just being aggressive and making the right play and um not being scared to get in there and create contact and get the free throw line but yeah thank you all congrats on the win thank you Kent yeah uh first for Coach uh you know you talked about you know getting kind of back into a rhythm on the offensive end now obviously when Fe is playing like is playing today that that kind of facilitates everything but the the assists were back up the offensive the movement of the ball was back up you had to be really happy with kind of the just offensively the bounceback of this game yeah I mean I I think it's all everything that you you mentioned uh was centered around fee and her play and her aggressiveness and seeking opportunities created some help situations uh we never worry about fee um taking bad shots and she's always going to make the right basketball play so but playing to her and and causing rotations and helped our team overall and I thought we were pretty intentional in our transition uh we were getting to our drag drag screens pretty quickly thought we overall moved the ball decently and uh and found people in in good spots and see you did a quick TV uh out of a timeout thing and you just talking about how you guys weren't aggressive enough in the opening minutes of the game and then I think you went out and scored I think seven straight points was that just your way of saying we're going to get aggressive yeah and that's what we talked about in our huddle as well they were being so aggressive and all the calls were going to them and that's something we always talk about is the calls go to the aggressor so we really try to flip that mindset where we're not getting to our offense so we have to attack we have to create those help situations and get open shots for people so that's what I try to do it seemed uh you know I don't have the shot charts in front of me that you were able to get to that kind of sweet sport that sweet spot of yours kind of in the middle of the lane there and get good shots where has that shot been and that is that just a matter of looking for that or did they give it to you what you say Courtney yeah yeah Courtney was great in that playing the pick and roll was really good um I've just trying to be more intentional in that too I felt like I get a little sped up sometimes so slowing myself down and really reading the defense um if people are on me passing it out to open Shooters if seeing if I have a lane um and then playing with you know T and Courtney in that pick and roll is been really good too so knowing where people like to get shots and trying to get them in that position uh and Bridget I mean you've played with Pho for a number of years when is it when you're watching her play when do you know that there's a game like this on the you know kind of on the on the on the offense I mean I think be's the type of player that it can happen whenever and I feel like every game she plays she makes it so easy for everybody else that's on the court um and she just makes the right basketball play like we mentioned before and so like I didn't even realize I knew you were going crazy in the third quarter but I did not realize you had 30 until um after the game because she just makes the right play the simple play um and does it with such E I mean it looks easy for her um but it's just the talent she has and playing at a high level and um I mean she's capable of doing this every night against anybody so it's fun to play with some I had it feel good to get the three ball going again both individually and as a team that too yeah it's always good when the shots are falling a little bit Travis yeah coach I just had a quick question how do you game plan for a back-to-back knowing you just played them on Thursday and then try to make those adjustments to make sure that the team you know tries to figure out what exactly didn't work and how to fix those kind of small adjustments during the game yeah we didn't have any floor time either so they could just use film uh and actually just conversations through the last game I think they understood but we weren't getting done activity wise on offense we started the game the same way uh we weren't being aggressive enough we were just playing soft on the perimeter and once we really started getting back to spaces like cutting and being aggressive on Closeouts that led to the easier stuff and you know when they're taking the ball of the net then your defense gets a little bit better and so I thought we we worked our way through that so we carried over some conversations from the last game into this game and uh most of our conversations were about our offense uh now defensively they you know they we didn't hold them to you know below 40 they shot 48% so they made shots as well and uh also just wanted to talk about um Diamond's game it seems like she's trying to get back in the rhythm of things she was three for six um just talk about what you saw for her and what do you expect from her moving forward I like Diamond's game today uh extended minutes um you know her her ability to she's different than any other player that we have and that she's going to run the floor matter of fact it was one time she ran the floor that fee got a wide open layup because somebody went to Diamond and and then uh they found they found fee and transition for a layup and uh so she gives us something different she gives us an ability to lengthen the court on outlets and um you know defensively she's learning you know if she stays locked in and plays her assignments well keeps her on the floor um obviously made made a perimeter shot she's been very capable of doing that it's just a matter of it going in in the game just to help her confidence but we find diamond to be really important to what we're doing down the stretch here thanks coach you're welcome welcome Mike Mike Mike cook you there any final questions well there we am I good now yeah yeah we got sorry I had some technical problems there and I'm sorry if you already answered this but how well did this defense turn over in the second half where you really able to limit Washington to not much I would say it was the third quar I wouldn't say the second half um third quarter third quarter is where we locked in and we had really nice stretches um you know we just had six three in a row stops on the game you know it's decent but it's not our best and but the third quarter is where we got the separation and then then uh you know again they shot 48% and made a bunch of threes and Steph you know Steph was perfect on the night and scored 23 so um we certainly weren't perfect defensively we were probably better offensively uh tonight or today than what we were defensively but um third quarter defense was good Mike and then looking ahead you've got Vegas back toback coming up any early thoughts on that matchup I honestly haven't even had a chance to think about Vegas other than the players we just coached in Paris and he I would have guessed that would be your answer but thank you thanks yep any final questions thank you all thank you