With seven new players joining the roster for the ASU men's basketball team this season, coach Herb Sendek will rely on the experience of his returning upperclassmen. Chief among them is senior point guard Jamelle McMillan, who spoke with the State Press last week about the team's focus on both sides of the ball, the possibility of a full-court press and the connection he has with his coach.
State Press: What has been the importance of creating the kind of defensive mindset this team has had during the success of the past few seasons?
Jamelle McMillan: I think it's proven that it's won a lot of games for us. I think Coach Sendek has done a great job in getting groups that are capable of playing defense at a high level. He gets athletic guys and he gets smart guys who are able to move around in the zone. From game to game, he's able to change up and make adjustments in order for us to be effective on that end of the floor. It's a very defensive-minded team, he's a very defensive-minded coach, and it's the mentality that we need to take on in order to win.
SP: Does it take a special kind of player to buy into that approach? Is it something you guys have fun with?
JM: It is. It's something that we have established as our identity and are even known for around the country. I think our group has been able to embrace that and make that our true form. So far it's been very good for us and has given us some success. I think the guys coming in [who] understand that are willing to put forth the effort on that end of the floor.
SP: There's been talk of that defense including a full-court press this season. Do you see that happening?
JM: Most definitely. It's something we're fully capable of doing with our personnel and something I feel we could have done this past season. … It's something that's definitely not far-fetched. These guys also want to push a little man-to-man defense from time to time, so we're going to try to talk to coach Sendek and see if we can change it up a little bit, try to throw some teams off and see what we can come up with.
SP: The offense has been known to change several times under coach Sendek. Can people expect more changes this season?
JM: I think fans can expect to see the same kind of things we did in the second half of the Pac-10 season and on this past season. The motion game has given us a lot of different options, and the guys love playing in it. The mindset and the positive environment it created on and off the floor had guys excited to play that offense. So I think it's something we're going to stick with. I think it's something we can be effective with in positions one through five, and I think it's going to give our guys the best opportunities possible for them to be successful.
SP: The connection between a coach and his point guard is an important one in basketball. What has the connection been like as a point guard with coach Sendek?
JM: It's constant communication. With both me and Derek [Glasser last season] and coach Sendek, it's almost a thing where we have to be one in the same. On the floor and on the sidelines, we're able to see things that the other isn't always able to catch. As far as learning stuff from both of them, with Derek he was always patient. He really picked his moments and never let teams or the game speed him up. He really dictated the control of the game. And coach Sendek stresses that a lot from that position. If you're able to do that, you're going to have a lot of success and the team is going to flow better, and it's probably the most important deal throughout the course of a game.
Reach Nick at nkosmide@asu.edu
