IMG_2378I hope you’ve enjoyed our coverage of SEC Basketball Media Days so far. On Thursday, I was able to listen in on Alabama’s standout point guard, Trevor Releford, and Alabama head coach Anthony Grant’s press conference. They gave great insight into what the team has been working on over the offseason and what their game plan is for the upcoming season.

The biggest thing that stood out was Releford’s physique, when asked about how much weight he has shaved, the team leader gave a hesitant chuckle and confirmed “about ten plus.” This is all attributed to Alabama’s newest addition to their coaching staff, Lou DeNeen, the new basketball strength and conditioning coach.

DeNeen took Releford aside, and said that if he wants to play more minutes, he must get his body into better shape to last longer on the court. DeNeen has been getting everyone to do different workouts, different lifts to utilize certain muscles, “he pushed me everyday, made me do extra running exercises, he did a great job.” Releford also confirmed that Junior Power Forward Nick Jacobs has lost a significant amount of weight, and expects him to be more of an offensive threat this year.

Releford knows that he, as the lone senior on the roster, must lead by example. Head coach Anthony Grant also acknowledges this, “He’s obviously been an all-conference performer since the day he walked on campus here, and just how he’s grown as a player and a person is something I’m really proud of. That’s what you look for in a senior, providing that leadership you want, and I believe our team can grow because of it.”

The head coach also showed confidence in his starting point guard by saying that he thinks his productivity stacks up against any other point guard in the country. The Florida native expressed his excitement in the overall senior leadership his team has with four juniors and one senior.

Releford seemed very happy with his teammates as well, “Practice has been good. Everybody is buying in, working hard, being very competitive. I think everyday we’re taking steps forward to where he (coach grant) wants us as a team and by doing that, we can see the success that we have. And all the new guys are buying in to what coach asks of them defensively, they’re all fitting perfectly.”

When asked about his thoughts on his new teammates, he seemed equally as positive. He had a lot of good things to say about Shannon Hale, a freshman ranked as the #21 power forward coming out of the 2013 recruiting class by Yahoo!’s rivals. Releford said he reminds him of Rodney Cooper, he is very versatile, he can put in on the the floor, he can shoot, he can put a lot of energy in on the court, and is a great teammate.

Releford also commented on Algie Key, a new player from Junior college: “he fits the system perfectly, the press and up tempo style is in his favor and it helps his game a lot”. Coach grant also seemed very high on Key, “he fits the way we want to play.” But of course when asked about what type of player Algie is, Grant answered firmly, “he’s a basketball player”, no sneak peeks. But when asked about one player specifically, both coach Grant and Releford were diplomatic and said they’re excited to see all of the new players this year, not just one.

Another big concern, when talking about new players, was replacing combo guard Trevor Lacy, who transferred to North Carolina State to play for former Alabama head coach Mark Gottfried last May. Grant reassured that there are a lot of good, veteran guards that can step up. Pinpointing Levi Randolph, Retin Obasohan, and the newcomer Algie Key.

Speaking of Levi Randolph, the Junior guard who recently suffered a knee injury in practice, both player and coach spoke relatively positive on his status. Releford reported that Levi is “doing well, he’s in rehab, but he’ll be ready”. Grant confirmed that he is out for an undetermined amount of time, it’s not a matter of structural damage, it’s just some bone bruising that’s going to take a matter of time to heal.

Both Releford and Grant agreed that the Tide wants to play at a faster tempo offensively, the same tempo they play on defense: fast and attack heavy. They’re not looking too far ahead at their non-conference schedule, but they acknowledge the difficulty in order to build that prime resume for the end goal: the NCAA tournament. Releford expressed that he’s tired of the NIT and he is ready to get to the big dance again like in 2012.

Grant says “it’s a matter of keeping our players healthy, and putting ourselves in a position to win games and get to the tournament.” When asked about what specific facet he’d like the team to improve on, coach humbly answered that he “wants to improve on everything, not specifically defense, offense, or player relationships. It needs to be everything. It’s like trying to be a better person. It is just part of being alive, you always want to improve.”

The Crimson Tide open up their season with an exhibition match against West Georgia in Coleman Coliseum on November 4th, then tip off their official non-conference schedule in Dallas, Texas when they take on the Oklahoma Sooners on November 8th.