Gonzaga redshirt freshman Braden Huff shared how he's preparing for the WCC Tournament and much more during the Bulldogs' media availability.
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00:03 >> All right, you've never played this tournament before.
00:06 How do you get ready for something you've never experienced?
00:11 >> I'm excited going into it with a lot of excitement.
00:15 I think not winning the conference regular season,
00:19 obviously we were happy with how that ended.
00:23 But not winning that leaves a bitter taste in our mouths.
00:27 I think we're excited to compete for a championship this upcoming week.
00:33 And last year I was obviously didn't play, but
00:36 I got to see the guys prepare for it and how they approached it.
00:41 And obviously they took it home.
00:44 So getting that experience even though I didn't play,
00:47 I think was gonna help going into this week.
00:49 >> Yeah, I was gonna say, just being there to know what it's like and
00:54 the atmosphere, did that help you prepare at least mentally?
00:58 >> Yeah, I think for sure.
00:59 Obviously, it's a little different than the WCC being a top two seed.
01:05 You get a couple buys and then if you win the first one, you play the next day.
01:10 So yeah, just getting to experience that and
01:15 see the guys who played last year just approach that and
01:20 attack it is gonna be good for me and just I think it'll help me prepare for sure.
01:25 >> Brady, all freshman team recognition, what's that like to get that award?
01:31 >> It was really cool.
01:32 I joke, I say I kind of cheated the award system with the red shirt here.
01:39 But yeah, no, it's really cool getting that recognition.
01:44 Obviously, some other awards, some guys aren't too happy.
01:51 And there's, I think, some motivation for some guys on our team.
01:56 And I think we're gonna use that and
01:59 just come out strong in these next couple games.
02:03 >> Ask Ben about that.
02:04 You go back, you have the doubters early in the season.
02:08 You have the awards now within the conference.
02:11 Just how much fire do you guys have going into this conference tournament?
02:15 >> Yeah, I mean, we're a competitive group.
02:19 And so I don't know if we necessarily needed extra motivation.
02:24 But if we did, I think that certainly provided it for some guys.
02:28 And I think it'll only help us, we'll turn it into a positive and
02:34 only make guys work harder.
02:35 So yeah, we know what we're capable of as a group.
02:39 And I think we're excited to continue to show it in these next games.
02:44 >> Is there any difficulty in playing a team that you don't know who you're gonna
02:48 play until the day before, even though you've played them twice?
02:52 >> Yeah, I think that definitely can be difficult.
02:55 Like you said, it is nice that we played whoever we're gonna play twice.
03:00 But it's certainly not easy, but the coaching staff is doing a great job
03:05 of preparing us for whoever we're gonna play.
03:07 And I think we'll be ready for whatever the outcome is of the game before.
03:13 >> What are you leaning on during this time, maybe some of the older guys and
03:17 what are they kind of saying about what to expect now that you're playing these
03:20 one and done situations here?
03:22 >> Yeah, for sure, just leaning on the guys who've been in these experiences.
03:26 I mean, Anton, Ben,
03:30 Ben in the past has definitely had similar role that I had this year.
03:35 So that's a big guy, even some of the transfers, Ryan Graham.
03:40 Ryan's made a deep run in the tournament last year.
03:43 So just kind of gaining knowledge from those guys and
03:47 seeing how they prepare for these big games has been great for me.
03:53 And just kind of soaking in all the knowledge I can.
03:55 I think that's kind of been the thing I've been trying to do since day one and
04:00 just continue to do that as much as I can.
04:02 >> What did Kentucky do for this team?
04:04 It seems like y'all are different since then.
04:06 >> Yeah, I think it was huge.
04:08 Yeah, I think it gave us confidence.
04:13 We've been in close games with some big time teams before that, but
04:19 haven't really been able to close it out.
04:20 And doing that on the road at an arena like Rupp was big for us.
04:24 And I think just our ability, seeing that we were able to do that,
04:29 has allowed us to win, I guess, at Chase Center.
04:34 And then at St. Mary's.
04:36 So yeah, I think it gave us confidence that even though our backs were against
04:40 the wall, we could do it.
04:43 >> For you, cuz you've gone through all the freshmen up and downs.
04:47 What's been the low point?
04:48 What's been the high point?
04:51 >> I think the low point is just kind of, or
04:54 I wouldn't necessarily call it a low point, but just kind of figuring out your role.
05:00 I think that could be hard cuz minutes change.
05:04 Obviously, the way you play is gonna change.
05:06 So just, I think, trying to figure out how to stay level-headed and
05:11 not get too high, not get too down is a big thing for me.
05:15 You're gonna have good games, you're gonna have bad games, it's part of it.
05:18 That's what I've learned from some of the older guys.
05:20 And yeah, I think the highs have just been this past month or two,
05:25 ever since Kentucky, just I think as a unit, we've really come together,
05:29 like you said, and started to click.
05:31 And I feel like we're playing, playing well at the right time.
05:33 >> Did something change or was it just time spent?
05:37 You guys became more comfortable and it just got steamrolled.
05:41 I mean, cuz the last ten games were different than the first 20.
05:45 >> Yeah, I mean, I think we knew we were right there.
05:50 And just seeing, like I talked about with the Kentucky game,
05:55 seeing that we could do it was big for us.
05:58 So we knew we could compete with these teams, but
06:00 knowing that we could beat them was huge.
06:02 And ever since that, it gave us confidence that going into these next last ten games
06:08 and hopefully further.
06:10 >> What have you learned on the defensive end,
06:12 that was something that Mark highlighted a couple weeks ago.
06:14 And you talked earlier in the year about playing zone in high school and
06:17 switching to a different style.
06:19 How do you think you've evolved on that side and
06:20 then what are kind of the things you've learned the last month especially?
06:24 >> Yeah, big thing is just, I mean,
06:27 they really want you to communicate for sure, that's a big thing.
06:31 I think Graham does a great job of that.
06:33 He's always talking, communicating.
06:35 So that's something I've been trying to pick up.
06:37 Just the coverages, ball screen coverages, help side,
06:42 guarding your yard, all that stuff has been big.
06:45 And like I said, like I talked about, we ran zone in high school.
06:48 So just been picking that up along the way a little bit, especially at this level.
06:52 So still progressing, still getting there, but yeah, it's definitely improving.
06:59 And I'm just kind of bought into it and
07:01 just trying to learn whatever I can from the coaches and the team players.
07:05 >> Do you like the week off in between, cuz you guys are all playing?
07:09 >> Yeah, I mean, it's nice to have a week off, obviously, just rest wise.
07:14 But I think we're all ready to get back out there.
07:18 I think we've been having a lot of fun playing these past couple weeks.
07:23 And I think we're excited and
07:26 willing just to get back and play them.
07:29 But it's certainly nice to have that break, but
07:33 at the same time, we're ready to go.
07:36 >> What do you think clicked in offensively since Kentucky?
07:41 Is it the ball screen, the pick and roll, and EK on the isos?
07:46 Or what do you think has changed there?
07:48 >> I think it's just we've all been trying to get a feel for each other.
07:52 It's a relatively new group and everyone's got different roles this year.
07:58 So we knew it would take time to kinda adjust and figure out where everyone stood.
08:03 But I think, yeah, in that Kentucky game, you saw everything kinda clicked and
08:08 everyone kinda figured out their roles and is starting to embrace them.
08:12 And yeah, Ryan's been great.
08:16 I mean, his assist numbers are ridiculous without many turnovers.
08:21 Graham's been unbelievable.
08:22 He's averaging 20 just every game now.
08:26 And yeah, and everyone's contributing.
08:28 Ben has been great in the starting lineup.
08:32 Dusty's been awesome coming off the bench for us.
08:34 So it's been a true team effort over these past couple games.
08:39 >> How do you stay ready when, I mean, Graham's going off.
08:41 You're probably not getting a lot of time.
08:44 How do you handle that?
08:45 How do you stay ready?
08:46 >> Yeah, I mean, that's definitely been, as I talked about,
08:50 just one of the things trying to embrace this year.
08:52 I mean, it's great seeing Graham go off.
08:57 That's what I think really helped propel us to this next level.
09:01 But yeah, just doing whatever I can to help the team win has kinda
09:05 been the biggest thing for me.
09:07 Above all, that's what I value most.
09:09 And it's been that way even before I got here.
09:12 So that's the biggest thing for me and whatever I can do.
09:16 If he gets in foul trouble, being ready to step in and kinda play more minutes.
09:21 Or just do what I can on the bench to help the team bring energy.
09:25 And yeah, that's just kinda whatever I can do to help the team win is the biggest
09:30 thing for me.
09:31 >> Talked about some of the other guys leaning on them.
09:33 Heard Nolan's been sort of helping younger guys or
09:36 just everyone in general just based on his own mistakes in the past.
09:38 Just what does he look as a leader and as a teammate,
09:40 being an upperclassman at all?
09:42 >> Yeah, no, Nolan's been great this year.
09:44 He's just kinda, I think what's really been great about him is he's
09:52 been really relatable to the younger guys.
09:53 He's talked about his mistakes, been open about his mistakes in the past.
09:56 And just kinda used that as an example and
10:02 showed us that things do get better no matter if you're up or
10:05 down in a slump or not.
10:07 Things are, if you put in the work, put in the time, which he does every day,
10:11 he does a great job of, things are gonna work out for you.
10:14 And he's showed on the court he's been having a great season.
10:18 Off the court, he's been helping all the younger guys for sure.
10:22 >> Braden, coming off a steamroll of St.
10:25 Mary's on the road, how much confidence does that give you guys in the fact that
10:29 that's who many expect to be in the championship is you two?
10:32 How much does that help you guys heading out there?
10:34 >> Yeah, I mean, we're really excited.
10:36 That's always a fun game if that happens.
10:40 They obviously have a really good team defensively.
10:43 They're definitely excellent.
10:46 But yeah, it definitely gives us a ton of confidence.
10:50 It didn't go the way we wanted it to go here.
10:52 And to respond like that out there and play the way we did was big.
10:57 So yeah, I think we're playing well at the right time, clicking at the right time.
11:03 If that is a matchup, we'll be ready for it and definitely excited.
11:06 >> I hear you're a bit of an academic weapon.
11:10 >> [LAUGH] >> That's what I thought.
11:12 >> I don't know about all that.
11:14 I mean, I try and do good in school.
11:17 My mom, she'll get on me if I'm not living up to her standards and that.
11:23 So yeah, I try and do my best.
11:26 I don't know about an academic weapon, but yeah, no, for sure.
11:30 [LAUGH]
11:32 >> We'll leave it at that.
11:33 >> [LAUGH]