Everything From Virginia Tech's Amani Hansberry After Victory Over Western Carolina

Virginia Tech forward Amani Hansberry spoke to the media following the Hokies' 96-74 victory over Western Carolina. Here's the entirety of what he had to say:

On Neoklis Avdalas, who tallied 30 points (9-for-13 in 2H):

"Just kind of feeding him the ball and watching him work. It's pretty easy. He doesn't need much, just some space, especially when he's hitting the shots. Getting out of transition, it helps a lot too, so we can play some D, get some stops more consecutively. Then, it'll be more consistent."

On Coach Mike Young mentioning post-game that he still wants the team to work on rebounding/defense:

"Just play harder. Don't play down in competition. Make it about us, not about them. Build good habits, especially when we play teams that aren't necessarily high major. So then when we do play teams that are high major, the habits just carry over."

On Hansberry tallying four steals:

"I'm able to play more off-ball on the perimeter since I play in the four now. So, it's easy, kind of knowing what the guards are thinking, how they scheme going into the game, scouting and stuff like that. Really, just trusting my judgment."

On how it's easy for him:

"7-foot-3 wingspan."

On if Hansberry takes pride in producing an all-around game like he did (18 points, six rebounds, six assists, four steals):

"Definitely, especially being a leader of this team. I can't not play defense or take possession off because then I can't hold other guys to that standard. So, going into the game, that's pretty important for me."

On how Hansberry would evaluate his year so far:

"I think it's decent. I thought I could have played better some games, like the two Quad 1 games and the Bahamas, I thought I could have played better. So, I'm still upset at those. But pretty decent so far. Kind of just got to keep it up. Probably take it a tier or two up when we go into conference play, but definitely not satisfied."

Q: Your second straight game leading the team in assists. Schematically, what do you like about this offense when you're one of the primary facilitators?

"t's easy. Everybody trusts everybody. Everybody knows what everybody's good at. So, just all those practice reps, all the time we spent off the court, modding with each other, that kind of comes into play there. And then, Coach Young putting me in the right situations to where, if I don't have a good shot, there's always another play."

On Hansberry's innate feel as a distributor:

"I'd say basketball, IQ, and kind of feel. In our offense, where the opposite, the opposing team can't help if I throw the flare or a back door, or if I see them pulling over trying to guard that flare, [which] is always a skip pass. Really, just seeing the next play before it happens."

On Avdalas' game knowledge:

"[He's] growing up, I think he's grown up a lot since he's been here. He doesn't flop as much. We've been on him about that, just playing through contact. The speed of the game and the physicality [here] is way different than overseas. So, just getting adjusted to that. It can take a toll on you mentally. I think he's just grown up all around. He plays harder. I think it was a possession where he damn near blocked the shot twice, got up, dove for the ball. So, all those type of things, I think he's really just embracing this role in the team."

Q: Have you always been a good passer?

"Yes. I would say growing up, I think so."

On the team hitting 13 threes against Western Carolina:

"We knew they wanted to go under a lot of ball screen and handoffs. We knew they wanted to take the short roll away. It was kind of hard doing that going into the second half, because they wanted to get the ball out of Neo's hands. So really, just making the right play, like I always stress, pass it to the open guy. Have some feel, and then just stepping up and shooting those shots that we practice with confidence.

On how Hansberry's mindset helped him produce a double-digit scoring output:

"Keep it simple. If I got an opportunity to score, go score. If I got an opportunity to make the right play or the next play, make the right play. The next play, play the game one possession at a time, and have a short-term memory. If I airball, I take a bad shot, play don't go my way, Just forget about it and move on. New opportunity."

On Western Carolina's defense keying in on the second half:

"I think they were kind of slow to settle in. I think the speed how we played, getting stops, getting out of transition, making steals, setting some drags in transition, I think that kind of enabled it. But, shoot, overall, I thought I just played harder in the first half, and I kind of played down to my competition the second half."

On the team's mindset as they wrap up non-conference play:

"Going into these non-conference games, we got two left. Really, just like I said earlier, make it about us. Build our good habits. See our habits carry over from practice to the game court. And really, just find ways to play hard when the arena is quiet, we're up 20. Just pull together and just grind those games out."

On what Hansberry has liked about his team's play during the winning streak:

"I think we're playing with a lot of swagger, a lot of confidence. I think we got to keep that up. And I think we're buying into our rules and being a complete unit."

On if it was hard to establish the flow with the foul level (42 total fouls were called):

"Very difficult. It felt like every other possession, there was a whistle being blown. But like I said, it's more mental than anything. You got to always be ready to play, be ready to guard, be ready to step up and hit a shot."

Q: Is that just something you talk to the rest of the guys, being like "Hey, you just got to keep doing our thing and just play through the whistle?"

"Yeah, literally, we tried as much as we could not to foul. We knew we was fouling a lot, excessively, especially me and TJ [Tyler Johnson], under that 10-minute mark, where I think we both found out, right? So, just staying mentally engaged, that's a big challenge, especially when you were already up 20. We just want to get out of here. But it's more than that. It's about net rankings making a tournament, and our overall goal."

On when the swagger started:

"I thought we had it early in the year, first of that swagger. But I see it now more consistently, even like in practice, the way we talk, how we move, how we carry ourselves."

Q: Where does that come from?

"They come from Coach, Young, the coaching staff. [Young's] been a lot more giddy, happy, excited to play, excited to see what we can do. So, just following after that energy that he permeates throughout the team has been huge."

Q: He's giddy?

"Lowkey, I don't get that side of him very much."

On Chester Frazier and the steadiness of his influence:

"Very steady, especially when my parents aren't here. I always could go to his house, see his family. Like his kids are my little siblings. So, it goes a very long way. And then, he knows when I'm in a groove, when I'm not in a groove, excuse me. So, he'll get on me. I'll get on him. It's just [that] we know what each other is good at. We hold each other to that standard."

On what it's been like playing and getting to know Tyler Johnson:

"It's been very fun. Some days where I don't feel like being a leader, he'll step in, say something to me, say something to the team. Kind of get me going. He's a dog, like he'll go to that offensive glass, defensive glass. He's very fun to play with, because I know he got my back."

Q: [He's a] leader as a sophomore. How difficult is that?

Very difficult. But when you're about the right things, you always on time, you build a good relationship with others. It's kind of natural."

On Johnson's bounce back from South Carolina, where he fouled out and didn't score:

"Like I said, short term memory. He kind of forgot about it, scrapped it, learned from it, moved on. And I think he's been playing good ball ever since. And I think if he stays in that right headspace, stays out a foul trouble, he's gonna be a great piece of our team."

On how long Hansberry has known Frazier:

"I've probably known Chester Frazier for like six, seven years now. Started recruiting me like sophomore, junior year in high school. So we've been building a relationship ever since then. I think we've only grown tighter."

On what sold Hansberry on coming to Virginia Tech:

"His offense. He's had great success with forwards, forwards of my style, mobile forwards, forwards that could pass, dribble, shoot. So, really was a no-brainer, especially with Coach Frazier coming here, and the guys they already had here, and what they were planning to do, all in line with my goals. So, it was a no-brainer."