All Tournament Team
MVP - Anthony Johnson, Montana
Derek Selvig, Montana
Damian Lillard, Weber State
Franklin Session, Weber State
Julius Thomas, Portland State
Will Figures, Northern Colorado
Weber State postgame Press Conference
Randy Rahe
"Obviously it was a tail of two halves. He came out and
played well in the first half. I thought we did did to
them what they did to us in the second half. They were the
aggressors and we got back on our heals. It was tough,
tough.
On Anthony Johnson
"He made a whole bunch of shots. You have to give him a
lot of of respect. He really started feeling it. The shots
were contested and he made them. You have to tip your hat
to a guy like that"
On going to the NIT:
We will think about that down the road. It's going to take
awhile to get over this, obviously. It hurts, obviously.
When guys invest so much into something, it's supposed to
hurt. If they didn't there is something wrong. I tell you
what, it's unbelievable group of kids that compete their
tails off with every possession. They do everything I ask
him to do. They are high-character. It's too bad something
like this had to happen. We've got to deal with it, and we
well. We'll find out where we're at when major adversity
hits, and this is major adversity. I love this team, I
wouldn't trade them for any team in America.
Nick Hansen
"It's been a tough conference all year. Hats off to
Montana. They came out and played hard in the second half.
We were excited to start the second half. You can't be
lackadaisical about anything.
Steve Panos
Coming out second half.
"We were really excited. had a pretty good half. playing
well. high energy high intensity. we were really excited
to get after them in the second half.
Damian Lillard
As soon as I got the ball they, both Johnons and Cherry
just tried to check me as soon got half court . I dribbled it off of Cherry’s foot and we got tied up.
it's tough. especially after last year lost in the
semifinal came and bounced back and got where where want
to be winning last night and lost. anytime get to last
game, last big sky game.. can't captialize. just being
here. come out with win, feel bad.
What makes JOhnson a hard guard
way changes He can stop and pull up and hit a shot. with a
hand in his face.
Montana Grizzlies
Wayne Tinkle
We sent the bus back to hotel at halftime and went and got
our real team. We got some imposters there in first
half.We were down 20 and it was pretty emotional at
halftime. There wasn't much fight on either end. We found
ourselves down 20 and pretty emotional at halftime. We had
somethign to draw on, we were down 10 here earlier in the
year and ended up going eight. If my math is right, that's
an 18-point swring. We did it before, and we can do it
. reprsenting national
Tinks
Best single-game performance ever seen?
Have to say yes, with the exeption of a couple of my wife’s games in college. AJ knew he didn’t play the way we needed him to in the first half. Itook my time getting back to the court at the half, and he went past me and said, “Coach, you’re going to seen a new man in the second half. He took over. We told him to lead, not just statistically, but as an emotional leder. He did a great job of keeping Cherry up.
Johnson
“I came out with a different attidue and a different mindframe. I wanted to attach and get to the basketball.
Right now, I’m kind of confused. Kind of surreal. I feeling like I’m dreaming to be honest. I’ll end up watching it on TV when I get home.
We knew we couldn’t scrap a 20-point lead in one possession. We just needed one stop..
"right now kind of confused. kind of surreal. kind od
draming to be hoenst. end up watching on TV when we get
back home to Montana.
Selvig.
When did you think you could come back?
Toward the end ofthe second half, the middle of the second half. We got the lead. We started beleiving. When you're down 20 all you can do is scrap the second half. middle second half. cut hte lead.
started bleiving down 20 all you can do is scrap. so used
ot jumping on AJ back and carry us one more time. glad he
did. it was abismal fro awhile there. had to scrap and get
it done.
went to hudle and Tinks told to miss it on purase..
On JOhnson in the zone.
get in troublen ot going rebound.. expect it go in. saw in
eye toward end of second half. his game to win. got him
the ball like would any other game. any winning situation
and he brought it home
