Princeton held its annual preseason Media Day after practice at Jadwin Gym this afternoon. Coach Mitch Henderson and a cross section of Tigers spoke to princetonbasketball.com and other press outlets about the upcoming season.
Coach Mitch Henderson interview:
Douglas Davis & Patrick Saunders interview:
Ian Hummer interview:
Brendan Connolly interview:
Denton Koon interview:
These interviews are exclusive to our site. If you're interested in inside access like this all season long, please consider becoming a member.
25 photos shot by Robert Solomon from today's event, including your first glimpses at the freshman class, can be found after the jump. I've added a couple of observations there as well.
Back in April, when the Fairfield basketball coach left Princeton after four seasons, he privately promised me that a time would eventually come where he would be willing to field my queries about his departure.
Yesterday at a coffee shop in Mercer County, Johnson and I met up to talk.
Thinking of the many email exhanges, site comments and off-Internet conversations I had with subscribers since Johnson joined the Stags, I tried to get answers to the questions you have asked me.
The audio from our 20:00+ conversation can be found after the jump.
Mitch Henderson '98 was officially introduced by Princeton Athletic Director Gary Walters as the new head coach of the Tigers at a press conference in the Class of 1956 Lounge this afternoon.
Full audio of both the formal press conference as well as an exclusive one-on-one conversation with princetonbasketball.com are available above.
Additional photos from Robert Solomon after the jump.
Curious what coaches in the 2011 NCAA Tournament earn? The USA Today has updated their database.
I was asked back on WNYC's national morning program The Takeaway earlier today, talking about "One Shining Moment" as part of a piece titled "When Bad Music Happens to Good Sports." You can listen to my appearance here or stream the audio above.
Postgame audio - Coach Sydney Johnson, Dan Mavraides, Kareem Maddox & Douglas Davis:
Locker room audio - Kareem Maddox:
Locker room audio - Dan Mavraides:
Locker room audio - Coach Sydney Johnson:
When it ended, one basket shy of all they had worked for, the man who profoundly despised losing as both a player and a coach did something unexpected and beautiful.
He allowed his team to say goodbye.
Before heading back into the depths of the St. Pete Times Forum after a two point defeat in the final two seconds against the SEC champion Kentucky Wildcats, Princeton coach Sydney Johnson motioned his players not to the locker room but towards the Tiger faithful sitting across from his team's bench.
First came senior Dan Mavraides, having just concluded his final collegiate contest wherein he led his team with 14 points and tied the game on a step back jumper in the lane that hung, hoped and stuck with 34 seconds remaining for a 57-57 score.
Mavraides blew kisses with both hands, his teammates joining him pointing to family and friends applauding in the stands.
"It was hard to do that. But I felt like we owed it to our fans. We didn't want to celebrate a loss in any way, shape or form," Johnson said of the gesture. "That's not what it was about."
"As much as I love our guys, they have to realize that we're all people and we've all got to do things the right way. When someone is giving you the support that our fans have given us, you've got to say thank you," Johnson added.
The afternoon before Princeton's NCAA Tournament game against Kentucky, Tigers Ian Hummer, Dan Mavraides, Kareem Maddox and Douglas Davis answered the media's questions.
Princeton's four double digit scorers were soon followed to the podium by their head coach Sydney Johnson.
Photos and videos from the Tigers' just-concluded open practice on the floor of the St. Pete Times Forum are coming soon.
The Ivy League held its Men's Basketball Postseason Media Teleconference this morning, with Princeton head coach Sydney Johnson, senior forward Kareem Maddox and senior guard Dan Mavraides answering questions from media.
The Tigers drew a 13 seed in the East and will play fourth-seeded Kentucky on Thursday in Tampa, Florida. Princeton last played the Wildcats in the 1977 NCAA Tournament.
Tipoff time will be at roughly 2:45 pm ET and the game will air on CBS.
Interviews from Princeton's Selection Sunday event with Douglas Davis, Coach Sydney Johnson, Dan Mavraides and Kareem Maddox can all be found after the jump - along with video of the team's reaction when their name came up on the giant television at the Frist Campus Center.
Postgame audio - Coach Sydney Johnson, Douglas Davis, Kareem Maddox & Dan Mavraides:
As I stood on the floor in disbelief, unable to properly take in what had transpired, I found myself drifting next to Roger Gordon '73 - the unofficial Princeton assistant coach who has sat on the bench - or perhaps more properly stood next to it - at different times over the years alongside Pete Carril, Bill Carmody, John Thompson III, Joe Scott and now Sydney Johnson.
Gordon has been a constant through decades of change, always on the periphery of the frame.
"This is for all of Pete's shots that didn't go in," he said quietly watching the 2010-11 Ivy League champions start to cut down the nets at Payne Whitney Gym.
His team trailing by one with :02.8 on the clock and senior tri-captain Dan Mavraides inbounding under the Tiger basket, Douglas Davis was able to take the ball in the left corner, dribble twice to his right, use a pump fake to create a sliver of space underneath Harvard's Oliver McNally and lean in for a true jumper as time expired to send Princeton to their first NCAA Tournament since 2004.
This one did go in.
"I got a good screen from Will Barrett," a still-stunned Davis said. "Originally I thought they were going to deny me the ball but I was able to get open. I took a couple dribbles and was able to fade. It felt good, went in and I fell on the ground."
"That was the worst decision I ever made because everybody just jumped on me."
Princeton/Harvard III: The Greatest Challenge opens this Saturday afternoon exclusively in New Haven. For the ease of new site members and to put all the information you require on the teams' first two meetings in a central location, here are links to our exclusive game articles, interviews, HD box scores and photo essays for each contest.
Postgame audio - Coach Sydney Johnson, Dan Mavraides, Kareem Maddox & Ian Hummer:
"Since I've been here, all I've ever wanted for these guys is to have the type of experience that I had [as a player] and we're getting close." - Princeton head coach Sydney Johnson
Playing in front of a high volume (both definitions) undergraduate throng decked out in orange and black, Princeton took a significant step closer to how things were when Johnson roamed the hardwood instead of the sidelines, defeating Harvard 65-61 in a meeting between two of the Ivy League’s three unbeatens.
Ian Hummer’s two free throws with :04.8 left in the second half gave the Tigers a two possession lead and snuffed the final embers of a Crimson rally.
A frustrated Hummer was forced to sit the last 14:03 of the opening stanza, picking up his second personal foul after connecting with Christian Webster attempting a three pointer on the perimeter. Three free throws sent the Tigers in their first double digit hole since behind 24-13 in November against Bucknell.
Princeton battled from down 11. When Laurent Rivard foolishly fouled Douglas Davis on a running three point try in transition with less than a second before halftime, Davis canned all three tries and the Tigers were within one.
It was the first leg of a 19-2 Princeton push that saw the home team score the initial nine of the second half to take their first lead and open up as large as an 11 point advantage.
Hummer scored 15 of his 17 in the second half, one of three Tigers in double digits. Kareem Maddox was also strong inside, scoring 14 and blocking a career best five shots. Dan Mavraides struggled with his shot, 1-9 inside the arc but 7-8 at the free throw line for 15. Mavraides’ six assists set a career high.
Keith Wright’s 16 points and 11 rebounds paced the Crimson.
Postgame audio - Coach Sydney Johnson, Kareem Maddox & Dan Mavraides:
Security moved the fancy black chairs with red school crests on the back away from in front of the Harvard student section in the final minute on Saturday night, then at the horn the Crimson fans raced to center court leaping up and down.
400 strong, hopping and jumping and cheering following the home team's 79-67 victory over Princeton.
The Tigers shook hands with their counterparts from Harvard, frustrated they were unable to clinch the 2010-11 Ivy League title outright and fully aware that to advance to the NCAA Tournament they would now have to win on Tuesday at the Palestra versus Penn and again on a neutral site in a third match with the Crimson.
Instead of walking away with their backs to the jubilation up the narrow staircase leading to the visiting locker room, Tiger head coach Sydney Johnson had his team remain on the bench as spectators filed out of Lavietes Pavilion past them.
There they sat in silence.
Watching Harvard. Watching their fans.
Nearly five minutes passed.
"I think it is important to understand what's at stake," Johnson said. "I think it is important to see other people celebrate. You want to be that team."
Eventually the Princeton players and staff stood as one and traipsed away from the festivities they had hoped to be a part of.
princetonbasketball.com was founded on April 28th, 1998 in an attempt to provide fans of the Princeton Tigers and Ivy League basketball with the best on-line source for up-to-date news and information. We have since expanded to launch a companion site, Georgetown Basketball News.
As these sites have continued to grow we have increased our coverage to include additional teams with Princeton connections - the Richmond Spiders, Denver Pioneers, Oregon State Beavers, Fairfield Stags and Mercer County Community College Vikings - plus former Tigers playing professional baseball and basketball all over the world. This site is not directly affiliated with the Friends of Princeton Basketball, Princeton University or the Princeton athletic department.
Sun. 11/10 vs. Florida A&M
Sat. 11/16 at Butler
Wed. 11/20 vs. Lafayette
Sat. 11/23 at Rice
Tue. 11/26 vs. George Mason
Sat. 11/30 at Bucknell
Sat. 12/7 vs. FDU
Wed. 12/11 at Rutgers
Sat. 12/14 at Penn State
Fri. 12/20 vs. Portland*
Sat. 12/21 vs. Pacific*
Tue. 12/31 vs. Kent State
Sat. 1/4 at Liberty
Sat. 1/11 at Penn
Sun. 1/26 vs. Kean
Fri. 1/31 at Harvard
Sat. 2/1 at Dartmouth
Fri. 2/7 vs. Columbia
Sat. 2/8 vs. Cornell
Fri. 2/14 at Brown
Sat. 2/15 at Yale
Fri. 2/21 vs. Dartmouth
Sat. 2/22 vs. Harvard
Fri. 2/28 vs. Yale
Sat. 3/1 vs. Brown
Fri. 3/7 at Cornell
Sat. 3/8 at Columbia
Tue. 3/11 vs. Penn
2,503 - B. Bradley, 1962-65
1,625 - I. Hummer, 2009-13
1,550 - D. Davis, 2008-12
1,546 - K. Mueller, 1987-91
1,451 - P. Campbell, 1959-62
1,441 - C. Robinson, 1979-83
1,428 - B. Earl, 1995-99
1,365 - B. Scrabis, 1985-89
1,321 - G. Petrie, 1967-70
1,292 - H. Haabestad, 1952-55
1,277 - G. Lewullis, 1995-99
1,239 - B. Taylor, 1970-72
1,207 - S. Goodrich 1994-98
1,133 - F. Sowinski, 1975-78
1,130 - R. Hielscher, 1991-95
1,122 - C. Thomforde, 1966-69
1,099 - T. Manakas, 1970-73
1,090 - J. Wallace, 2001-05
1,088 - C. Belz, 1956-59
1,079 - B. Hauptfuhrer, 1973-76
1,076 - B. Roma, 1976-79
1,071 - C. Mooney, 1990-94
1,064 - A. Hyland, Jr., 1960-63
1,062 - L. Brangan, 1957-60
1,057 - A. Hill, 1973-76
1,054 - D. Mavraides, 2007-11
1,044 - S. Johnson, 1993-1997
1,031 - J. Hummer, 1967-70
1,010 - W. Venable, 2001-05
