Tennessee basketball assistant coach Gregg Polinsky met with the local media on Tuesday morning following the Vols’ SEC opening victory at Ole Miss and ahead of their road trip to Mississippi State.
The second-year full time Tennessee assistant discussed Mississippi State’s physicality, Jonas Aidoo getting back on track against the Ole Miss and much more. Here’s everything Polinsky said Tuesday.
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On Jonas Aidoo’s production against Ole Miss
“It was great. It’s been out there in the media with you guys, that Coach (Barnes) had a sit down with Jonas. And Jonas is really receptive. He wants to be good. You know, every player is a different personality. His is a little more laid back, but I think he got the message and obviously put it into action.”
On what the keys are for Jonas Aidoo to establish some consistency
“I just think it’s, with young guys, it’s generally not just going out to practice and playing to play. Having a sense of purpose to what you’re trying to do each and every day. Execute that, get better and not just go out there. Lace them up and play it. When you have a sense of purpose, you go out there and you’re committed to what you want to get done on a particular day, that’s a sign of maturity and what I saw with the guys at the highest level.”
On what is allowing Jahmai Mashack to excel recently
“I think Jahmai has just got a really mature mindset about whatever the game calls for. And I heard him say the same in his press conference that he’s ready to do. I think like any player, he wants to play as many minutes and be a factor of both ends of the court. But Jahmai Mashack analytically, and with my eyes and I think everybody’s eyes, is an elite defender, which is hard to find. And so he’s got a special impact on this basketball team. But now, and Coach (Barnes) says this all the time, when you get lost in doing the other things — rebounding, effort areas, executing, passing the ball, facilitating other teammates — offense seems to follow.”
On how good it felt for Tennessee to start SEC play firing on all cylinders
“Relief. You always worry about that first one and obviously Ole Miss, like a lot of teams, we’ve been there, it, that was not their best night for sure. They’re a better team than they showed, but we obviously had a little something to do with it. Guys came out and aggressively executed a game plan. It felt really good to get that first one under our belt.”
On the differences between Tennessee’s defense this season compared to last season
“I don’t think we are as physical as we were last year. I know we have this reputation for being this monstrous, physical basketball team on the defensive end. And I think we are physical. I don’t think, though, that’s anything (compared to last season). I think we’re getting ready to go play a team that is probably more physical defensively, with what they do and positionally. So I don’t think we’re quite as physical or quite as big as last year’s team, but I think this team has the same tenacity and want-to commitment as last year’s team.”
On what’s different about the offense this season compared to last
“We have older players. Coach’s (Barnes) level of trust. I think coach’s adaptation into playing to our personnel versus playing to— a lot of coaches can’t get out of what they’ve always done. And to coach’s credit, there’s the flexibility. Yeah, there’s non-negotiables, there’s the things we’re going to do and we’re going to do well that are important for each and every player. But I think that we have tried to, obviously, play with more pace. We are encouraging guys to take shots earlier. We want to have balance. We want to be able to score inside, but we also want to be able to make the perimeter shot.”
On the importance of Tobe Awaka against a big Mississippi State front court
“It’s huge. I mean, no pun intended. We’re getting ready to play the transfer they have in Jimmy Bell who is 280 (pounds), Tolu Smith welcome back, right? So he’s back, this will be his third game. They’re a big, strong, physical group. Cam Matthews is an elite athlete, incredible body type. Same with DJ Jeffries. He’s big. So having like Tobe in this game makes you feel a little better, but I think it’s not just going to be Tobe, it is going to be a gang rebounding type of effort. And if we don’t do that with a lot of degree of physicality, we’re going to have a hard time.”
On potentially using the two-big lineup against Mississippi State
“I think that’s something that coach considers every game. I think he looks at how we’re playing, the flow of the game, the personnel of the other team. Not just defensively or offensively, but how it all comes together. Can we do it? Bottom line, whenever you, with lineups, you always are looking at advantage-disadvantage, if that makes sense, with how you’re going to play two bigs.”
On Mississippi State uncharacteristically struggling on the glass against South Carolina
“I think that they’re going to be— the way Coach (Chris) Jans coaches and I have a lot of respect for what they do, what he got done in his first year and what he’s doing now in his second year. You got to remember this record was largely— this resume was largely built without Tolu (Smith). Now having him back, starting three fifth-year players, two seniors, having the depth. I think we are going to be in for our most physical battle of the year and I’m not sure it’s going to be close, like in terms of what we’ve seen so far. Tarleton State was actually very physical. The SEC, Ole Miss gave us some of that, but I think in terms of position by position, Mississippi State will be the biggest challenge of the year.”
On how big of a benefit it is to have a veteran team that understands what SEC play is going to be like
“I think it’s a critical piece. Playing through the ebbs and flow of a game. You know it’s gonna be emotional over there. We went through it last year. If you remember how that game started. I think it was we were down 10 early and just kind of grinded it away. We did it without Santi (Vescovi) and I think Tyreek (Key) was out as well. So I think having Josiah (James) and Santi and Jahmai (Mashack) and Z (Zeigler) and Jonas (Aidoo), they know there’s ebbs and flows to the game. Without that maturity, I think it’s harder for young guys to understand that. We talked about having commitment. Emotion is really important, but commitment is probably more sustainable.”
On what they’ve learned from this group of guys when they’ve played on the road this season
“Well, we stood up pretty well. I think if we could get rid of the first half of North Carolina, of course they had a lot to do with it. They played awesome. But I think this team has been on the road enough and is road tested. And obviously when you get in conference play, I think the intensity level, you all have been there, that it’ll be a little bit tougher than anywhere we’ve probably gone just because it is in league. Mississippi State realizes the importance of this game just as we do. There’s a lot at stake.”
On Jordan Gainey’s current role on the team
“We’ve seen the best of Jordan. I’m really proud of Jordan for continuing to sustain like his defensive effort and being a team guy and wanting to do the right things. But Jordan Gainey is gonna at some point pop out of what we would say for him would be a shooting slump because he’s a very good shooter. I am really proud of him for sustaining things and thinking about the team first. The rest will come for Jordan.”
On how to get out of a shooting slump
“Keep shooting. Real smart isn’t it? Now when you’re a good shooter, you have to have confidence and Coach Barnes is a guy that you know, as hard as he is in terms of expecting accountability and doing what you’re supposed to do, he also is very good about providing confidence to guys. And if they don’t shoot it, that is when he gets upset. Now they gotta feel the game, right? You miss three or four threes in a row and they get run outs, you gotta be smart enough to try and get something to the paint, get to the free throw. But a guy like Jordan Gainey, you want him taking open shots.”
On if he’s surprised Zakai Zeigler has gotten back to looking like himself this quickly:
“Yes and no. Knowing Zakai, you guys know him, his DNA, how he’s wired, he’s just wired to compete. He went through this period to get back and I’m not sure what — you’d have to ask (trainer) Chad (Newman) and (strength coach) Garrett (Medenwald) where he really is on the scale, but just watching him play, he’s starting to get that comfort level. It starts to look like the old Zakai. And he’s been even, I think as good if not better than at times last year.”
