Martin press conference recap
Feb. 9, 2015
South Carolina head coach Frank Martin held his weekly press conference on Monday. Here's a recap of what he had to say.
Martin said he is still extremely excited about his players.
Martin said that his staff has done a better job lately of trying to create leadership in the locker room and that players have responded well. He said the Gamecocks need a player or a few players willing to step up and lead the team in tough situations.
Martin said that USC hasn't had that at the end of close games this season.
Martin said that freshman TeMarcus Blanton is doing some defensive slides and light jogging now and that he is progressing "exactly the way he needs to."
Shamiek Sheppard is set to practice today, Martin said. Justin McKie, out with a concussion, regressed last week and is still not cleared to practice, Martin said.
Brian Steele tweaked his knee, the one that he had surgery on in the summer, during the Vanderbilt game, Martin said. Martin said that Steele didn't practice yesterday.
Martin said that the Vanderbilt game was a microcosm of the entire season. The Gamecocks had early success but couldn't hold the 12-point lead and lost by 15.
"We're good enough to fight you. We're good enough to build the lead," Martin said. "But we're searching for that personality, that leadership that you've got to have to finish the thing. That's kind of what we're struggling with right now. We're struggling to find that."
Martin said the Gamecocks are better now than they were a season ago at this time. He said that he doesn't get upset with his players about winning and losing and that he doesn't feel a 2-8 start to SEC play is embarrassing.
"My whole job always has been and always will be to try and make men and to try and make them the best players that they can be," Martin said. "You win enough games when you do those things, at least in my experience."
"We're in a place now where we know we can line up and win these games," Martin said later. "We know we can play anyone in the country and have a chance to win. Now, doing all those things and winning are two different things."
Martin said that Missouri doesn't look like a 1-9 SEC team on film.
Martin said again that Sindarius Thornwell is doing fine, though he didn't think he played well against Vanderbilt.
"He's a better player today than he was at this time last year," Martin said. "He's got a ways to go, but he works at it every single day. Like every other 19-year-old that walks in his shoes that has gotten all this notoriety and been told how easy things are, he's got to learn his way."
Sophomore guard Sindarius Thornwell also spoke to the media on Monday.
Thornwell said he doesn't know where the Gamecocks are from a confidence standpoint right now. He said that they are trying to build off of how well they played in the first 30 minutes against Vanderbilt.
Thornwell said the Gamecocks didn't do their job on the glass against Vanderbilt. He said rebounding would be a focal point in today's practice.
Thornwell said the Vanderbilt game seems like a microcosm of the season.
"It's a good way of showing our season," Thornwell said. "All season, we were winning. When adversity hits, we weren't strong enough. We didn't have the mentality to fight back and keep our lead."
Thornwell, who has scored in double digits in seven straight games, said his confidence is back to normal now.
Thornwell said he thinks the Gamecocks are farther along now than they were at this point last year.
Feb. 9, 2015
South Carolina head coach Frank Martin held his weekly press conference on Monday. Here's a recap of what he had to say.
Martin said he is still extremely excited about his players.
Martin said that his staff has done a better job lately of trying to create leadership in the locker room and that players have responded well. He said the Gamecocks need a player or a few players willing to step up and lead the team in tough situations.
Martin said that USC hasn't had that at the end of close games this season.
Martin said that freshman TeMarcus Blanton is doing some defensive slides and light jogging now and that he is progressing "exactly the way he needs to."
Shamiek Sheppard is set to practice today, Martin said. Justin McKie, out with a concussion, regressed last week and is still not cleared to practice, Martin said.
Brian Steele tweaked his knee, the one that he had surgery on in the summer, during the Vanderbilt game, Martin said. Martin said that Steele didn't practice yesterday.
Martin said that the Vanderbilt game was a microcosm of the entire season. The Gamecocks had early success but couldn't hold the 12-point lead and lost by 15.
"We're good enough to fight you. We're good enough to build the lead," Martin said. "But we're searching for that personality, that leadership that you've got to have to finish the thing. That's kind of what we're struggling with right now. We're struggling to find that."
Martin said the Gamecocks are better now than they were a season ago at this time. He said that he doesn't get upset with his players about winning and losing and that he doesn't feel a 2-8 start to SEC play is embarrassing.
"My whole job always has been and always will be to try and make men and to try and make them the best players that they can be," Martin said. "You win enough games when you do those things, at least in my experience."
"We're in a place now where we know we can line up and win these games," Martin said later. "We know we can play anyone in the country and have a chance to win. Now, doing all those things and winning are two different things."
Martin said that Missouri doesn't look like a 1-9 SEC team on film.
Martin said again that Sindarius Thornwell is doing fine, though he didn't think he played well against Vanderbilt.
"He's a better player today than he was at this time last year," Martin said. "He's got a ways to go, but he works at it every single day. Like every other 19-year-old that walks in his shoes that has gotten all this notoriety and been told how easy things are, he's got to learn his way."
Sophomore guard Sindarius Thornwell also spoke to the media on Monday.
Thornwell said he doesn't know where the Gamecocks are from a confidence standpoint right now. He said that they are trying to build off of how well they played in the first 30 minutes against Vanderbilt.
Thornwell said the Gamecocks didn't do their job on the glass against Vanderbilt. He said rebounding would be a focal point in today's practice.
Thornwell said the Vanderbilt game seems like a microcosm of the season.
"It's a good way of showing our season," Thornwell said. "All season, we were winning. When adversity hits, we weren't strong enough. We didn't have the mentality to fight back and keep our lead."
Thornwell, who has scored in double digits in seven straight games, said his confidence is back to normal now.
Thornwell said he thinks the Gamecocks are farther along now than they were at this point last year.
Last edited by a moderator: