The Post sat down with new Ohio men's basketball coach Jim Christian on Tuesday. Here is some of what he had to say:
On his policy for taking a player that fits the system instead of taking the "best" player available:
"It’s kind of case by case. It’s not like, 'Hey, let’s go find the best guy available.' And who is the best guy available? They have to fit within the nucleus."
On the importance of recruiting for a team that has all of its starters returning:
"Basketball is a pretty personal sport. Football is kind of bulk. Basketball is kind of personalized. We’ve only got 13 guys, and we obviously lose four really good players at the end of this year, so there’s an eye on moving forward too."
On the team's desire to get better following a record-setting season:
"If coach Groce was here, not everybody was 100 percent happy with their role last year. Everybody should want bigger roles, more clearly defined goals, but as long as the team keeps their mentality of putting the team first and everybody likes to reach certain goals collectively, that’s what you need.
I didn’t invent the game, and I’m not totally changing the game. We’ve got a really good nucleus of guys, and we’ve got to challenge ourselves."
On how he is learning about his new team:
"I try to watch (film) to learn a little bit about the nuances of the team, some things that they did very well and some areas of improvement. It’s a totally different thing once you go out there and practice. The goal right now is to get each players’ skill set better."
On the NCAA's new policy of implementing postseason bans for programs that underperform academically:
"It really kind of puts an onus on togetherness and an understanding that each guy’s academic performance is tied together, which is great. Anything that puts them in a better position to get their degree, if they have to tie postseason to it I’m in favor of it because that’s what they’re supposed to be here for."
ms229908@ohiou.edu
