CIAC Glory Days Podcast host Jada Mirabelle sits down with Notre Dame West Haven’s Division I Basketball State Champions Abdou Toure, Landon Krygier, and Head Coach Jason Shea! Tune in to hear what fuels the incredible success of these two players and what finally clicked to earn Notre Dame its first-ever Boys Basketball State Championship title. 🏀🏆
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to CIC's Glory Days podcast.
I'm your host, jada Maribel,and today I'm joined by the 2024
Division I Boys BasketballState Champions, notre Dame West
Haven.
I'm joined by Green Knightshead coach Jason Shea and two
incredibly talented players,landon Krieger and Abdu Torre.
Thank you all for joining metoday.
I'm so excited to have you hereon to the podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Thank you, thanks for having us.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Notre Dame Basketball had an amazing 2024 season, a
perfect 20-0 record to securethe first ever boys basketball
state championship for theschool.
Dude, I probably don't have togive you much of an introduction
because you are a nationallyknown, currently ranked number
13 in the country, jumping 137spots from last year.
Last season you've earned allstate and all conference honors
the Connecticut Max Preps Playerof the Year, the Game Time CT
(00:40):
Player of the Year and the SCCPlayer of the Year.
And of course we can't forgetthe countless amount of Division
I offers that you've receivedSame a few.
You've gotten them fromProvidence, yale, bryant,
rutgers, stanford, you're atArkansas, arizona.
The list goes on and on.
But besides your incredibletalent, what else has helped
fuel you to create the successas only a junior in high school?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I'll say my family and my work ethic in the gym.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Yeah, I'll say my family and my work ethic in the
gym.
Yeah, you have an awesomefamily foundation.
Your dad's your biggest fan outthere at the club, but that's
so important.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
That really helps create you as a strong athlete.
It does.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
And how do you deal with all those eyes on you and
all of that attention?
How do you maintain composureand focus?
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Really just play basketball.
That's really how you justmaintain it.
Just keep playing basketball,do what you've been doing the
whole time.
Yeah, it's that simple justjust that simple.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Everything else out and just play basketball.
The ball in the hoop, that'sall it is.
And, landon, you're also one ofthe top players in New England
and Connecticut, ranked number11 in the Connecticut class of
2026, earning all conferencehonors last season.
And when you're out there onthe court, it's so clear to see
the love and the passion thatyou have for the game.
In those moments, when it comesdown to the wire, you always
pull through and there's nobetter example of your playing
style than in that statesemi-final game at the
(01:49):
University of Hartford againstNotre Dame Fairfield, when you
hit that three-point buzzerbeater to tie it up and send it
into overtime.
And I'm gonna have to put theclip in because it was just
incredible.
People have got to watch it.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
The energy was just off the charts.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Trey Krieger gets a shot off.
It's good overtime, landonKrieger at the buzzer.
So tell us a little bit aboutthat moment.
What was racing through yourmind and how did you stay
focused to hit that shot and letthe pressure get to you?
Speaker 2 (02:21):
I mean, I just we just wanted to win as a group,
so much like like you could justtell all of us were so invested
in winning and it was just likegreat moment, honestly, to like
to feel the reward that we'regoing to the state championship
after that.
In the moment I wasn't thinkinglike too hard really it was
mostly after the game and stuff.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
You just, like he said, you just went out there
and put the ball in the hoopthat's the trick.
So did you guys plan that play?
You passed it to him to hit thethree.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
No, the play was for me to come off the screen and
shoot the ball, but I saw thatthere was two people on me, so I
just pivoted, passed it toLandon and he hit the shot.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
It just happened, naturally, and you ended up
saying the game to his doubleovertime and then final score
73-71.
But remember I had to leave thegame early to head over to our
hockey semifinal game and I hadleft probably like 30 seconds
early, like right as the gamewas ending.
As I'm walking out the doors, Iremember the crowd was just
going crazy and I was like, oh,like Notre Dame-Fairfield must
have won, that must have beenthe game.
And then I had DeFeo text me, Ihad Warwick text me like, oh,
(03:14):
landon just hit thethree-pointer to tie it up, and
the whole way to the hockey game.
I was amazed at how you guyspulled through.
It showed your determinationand the level of teamwork that
you guys had last year.
You guys you always fought andyou always got through it.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
I remember I do hit a free throw with about two
tenths of a second in the firstovertime.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Yeah, I missed the first one.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Yeah, I missed the first one.
We'll give you a pass on thatAgain.
To have to hit a shot, a freethrow, to tie the game, to set
the second overtime, secondovertime, you know that's that's
a big, that's a big time momentit is.
And, uh, you know you felt likeafter landing shot, there's no
way we're gonna lose.
But then all of a sudden we'redown one again with less than a
second for the shot.
You're like oh man, this wouldreally be a letdown.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Yeah, so that sure no , it was amazing.
Speaker 4 (03:57):
And then the last overtime, you know, I thought,
uh, we imposed our will a littlebit and uh, I know the three
that Abdu hit, the pull-up three.
That was the moment I'm like,yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Yeah, we got him.
I remember you turned aroundtoo.
Speaker 4 (04:11):
Because he'd been going to the basket so many
times, we had some match-upsthat we thought were good for us
and then, yeah, finally, Iforget who it was.
It was Parrish, probably.
No, it was.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Cam.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
Oh, cam, yeah, he backed off, tried to take away
the drive and he just pulled upand hit it and it was like yep,
we got you guys, and it stillreally didn't end right there.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
They kept fighting.
They're a tough opponent.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
Yeah, they're excellent Like well-coached
tough, and you know that'sDivision I.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Yeah, you play opponents like that.
You got to step it up when youplay them, yep.
But, you guys pulled through AtMohegan Sun this year for your
state championship game.
You played St Bernard where youwon 52 to 46.
And it was a packed house.
It was an intense game.
You were down in the firstquarter and then you eventually
picked it back up and it wasstressful watching it.
I can imagine playing in it orcoaching it, but what?
Speaker 3 (05:09):
helped you all get prepared for that moment and how
did you come back to eventuallygain the lead or the
conversations like courtside andduring halftime to keep the
pace?
Well, does it get repaired likethe the season.
Really, it was like we workedfor that for that game.
So we just came in a gamethinking we already won and just
we just play what we just did,what we had to do it's the
mindset you go wanting it.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Who wants it more at the end of the day.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
Yeah, we needed a team effort in that game.
You know again, the dude maybestrained something early on like
really early in the game and sothat hurt us and they played
him really well.
They were very physical the waythey guarded him in that game
and I thought Landon whichpeople don't realize, but the
day before in practice weprobably only had 20 minutes of
actual live basketball the daybefore, which is typical of that
(05:47):
part of the season, and he justhappened to sprain his ankle
pretty badly the day before hewas able to wrap it up and play.
And the plays he made in thatgame off of the sprained ankle,
yeah, there's one take in thesecond half that just comes to
mind where he just went rightdown the lane.
It might have been an and one,but he exploded off that foot.
I'm like there's a lot ofadrenaline going, so he's not
(06:10):
feeling it and he's a tough kidbecause a lot of kids, with the
way his ankle was swollen up,were not playing that game.
That showed a lot too.
So other guys had to step up inthat game and I thought, uh, as
a collective unit, right, we?
We didn't get 35 from our bestplayer, did that the game before
?
right, you had 9, 10, 11,something like that 12, 12 12
(06:33):
points yeah, so we need a fullteam effort and we got it in a
in a huge game, so that wasrewarding as well you couldn't
even tell that either of youwere injured during that game or
no, no, no, I just just had to.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
No, I just had to win it, you just had to win it, you
had to win it.
It was one last game.
We didn't go there for noreason.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Exactly.
So what are some of the keylessons that you all learned
from last season?
Speaker 4 (06:55):
You want me to take that?
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Yeah, you can take that.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
Key lessons you two are taking it after about that.
Yeah, I'll just put one foot infront of the other.
Don't get ahead of ourselves.
I thought we always said thatthe main goal and I think I do
said in a ton of interviews waswinning the state championship.
We won our third straightleague championship.
That was great.
It's a goal of ours every year.
But just putting one foot infront of the other.
(07:19):
You know practice at a time.
You know all the cliches thatare real if you actually live
them out.
You know all the cliches thatare real If you actually live
them out.
You know we just got to keepworking hard, but these guys
have already done it.
They've had a great offseason.
You know.
Obviously he's blown up on theyou know from the World Cup and
everything else.
That's been amazing.
And this guy's gotten a lotbetter too.
And that number 11 ranking'swrong.
So if he's not top three in thestate, then we're not top three
(07:43):
as a team.
He's a top three player in thestate period.
He's gotten a lot better.
So people are going to findthat out as well.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
And so are the rest of our team.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
What are your two Alpha?
I learned like, don't ever giveup, yeah.
And I remember in the NotreDame Fairfield game, once Landon
hit that shot, I was in thehuddle.
I was like, nah, we're notlosing this game, we're not
losing man.
We didn't come here for noreason.
Yeah, so never give up?
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Nope, never give up, always keep fighting.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
No, I think I definitely learned, like, if you
really like set a goal and dowhat's needed to reach it, like
you can actually accomplish that.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Like we go so hard to practice every day.
Yeah, those are great takeaways.
So how do each of you preparementally and physically?
Speaker 1 (08:33):
for a game.
How do you get into thatwinning mindset I?
Speaker 3 (08:34):
was?
I don't really know, you don'tknow.
No, I don't, I don't likementally, I just like.
So I'm always nervous, likeevery time during a national
anthem I just get in a game.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
It just, it's just regular just into the game every
single game game, remindingmyself like prior games and all
that stuff just keep my nervesdown.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
So you're not anyone who has like the strict routines
before a game.
No superstitions.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
No.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
No superstitions, no, I just play basketball and
stuff.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Yeah, you just go out there and play.
Speaker 4 (08:57):
I think Coach Griff does a great job too yeah.
Part of our job as coaches, andthe job that I delegate to
Coach Griff is probably I mean,obviously for me he's going to
be the best assistant in thestate, but he handles pregame
from the bus to what these guysare eating, to what these guys
what time they're gettingdressed, and he takes a lot of
the thinking out of it for them.
(09:17):
I think that's important.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
He's awesome.
Speaker 4 (09:20):
He does a tremendous job.
So when you have that going,these guys don't have to think
as much, and these two and therest of our team as well.
They just love basketball somuch.
I think that's part of thereason they don't feel as, even
though they might think theyfeel a little pressure, they
really don't.
And the last thing ispreparation takes care of
pressure a lot of times.
Very true, you're in the gymenough.
You're working hard enough,like Landon said, hard in
(09:40):
practice.
We play a hard schedule.
You know we're as prepared asyou can be for the moment and
then you know, like we said, andthen then just let, let's just
see what happens and don't worryabout it.
That's how you got to approachit very true.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
You know what you're capable of as individual
athletes.
What does training look likefor you in the off season?
Speaker 2 (09:57):
a lot of the time in the gym with drew roberts.
Shout out drew roberts, besttrainer in the state.
Not even close.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
He does a lot of training with both of you right.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Yeah, that helps to put in those extra hours on the
offseason.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
And the after school with Coach Jason too.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Also the plyometrics and the weight room.
That's like strength training.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Yeah, strength training and all of that.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Of course we got to work with these guys a little
bit.
We did the overseas trip aswell as well.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
So that was cool, you know opportunity to work with
them there.
You had a really eventfulsummer.
You got to go over to poland toplay in the vertical hoops euro
cup.
Yeah, of course you guys cameout triumphant.
You won that title as wellbarely.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
Yeah, that was the closest one, it was live
streaming that one too.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
So tell us a little bit about that experience and
what it was like to playbasketball overseas, because a
lot of high school teams aren'tfortunate enough to be able to
say that yeah, poland.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
poland was a good experience playing against
different competition from adifferent country.
It was really a good experienceand winning the championship
with the seniors for the lasttime.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
It was tough with Colin and Tim and Jack and
Justin.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Playing with the seniors for the last time.
Yeah, what a way to finish theseason.
You get to play in Poland withthe seniors.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
It's awesome, I'm happy we did it the way we did
it.
We kept our roster from the endof the season instead of making
it, you know, like the seniorswere done and moving on.
I thought that was more specialto go with those guys and kind
of make it the final part, thechapter for that group.
Didn't know when we plannedthat we would have won a state
championship and gone undefeatedand then it actually had more
pressure in Poland.
(11:17):
Because we're like we can'tlose now, because if we lose one
of these games does it evencount, but they pull it out by a
point against Zalgiris, whichis one of the top club teams
from Lithuania.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
Yeah, it was an awesome way to finish the story
of the first state championshipyear.
So what were all your favoriteparts about the trip?
It could be something about thegames or about the region.
What was your favorite part?
Speaker 3 (11:38):
I'm a little into it.
I know it's not the food.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
My favorite part was probably just like Becoming
closer with all my teammates,especially like Abdu and Kyle
and stuff.
We spent a lot of time togetherLike share the journey and
stuff.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Yeah, I'll say the same thing and I'll say probably
winning the championship.
And all the fans there.
The fans were nice there.
They were all friendly.
All the pulling kids, it wascool there.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
The crowds looked awesome when you were dunking
over Tim.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
In the dunk contest.
Yeah, he had the Jada BirdMedia shirt on.
It was cool.
The crowds looked awesome whenyou were dunking over.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
Tim, we were really lucky that we had a tour guide
assigned to us, and so part ofthe idea of the educational trip
is no-transcript, and so forevery place that we went we had
a tour guide with us same one.
But he popped out of nowhere.
Sometimes we didn't even knowhe was coming.
(12:33):
We did it the second day wewent to the castle.
Remember that we were on thebus.
And all of a sudden we're justdriving and he just popped up
out of nowhere.
He had gotten on the bus midwaythrough.
We didn't even know he was onthe bus, it was like at a.
So we don't know how thatworked, but it was kind of funny
and these guys were like, oh no, Because it was a lot of
information.
And on the way back, the AC onthe bus broke and we were in
(12:55):
traffic.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
And then, all of a sudden, he stood up and he's
still trying to give us littletidbits.
And we're like we don't needthat right now.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
It's all good, but he was a nice guy.
Those kind of moments are goodmemories because they're funny.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Yeah, you know, and these guys did learn a lot and
it was a cultural experience.
Yeah, those are the runningjokes you have from trips.
Yeah, it looked like you guysdid so much all the places that
you visited.
Yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
I went to a pro game too.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
Oh, you did, yeah.
Yeah, we're not going to Polandto go to a zoo, we go to a rock
zoo.
It's a better zoo.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Zoos are fun though.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Yeah, they are fun, but there are a lot of zoos
around here.
The boat ride was fun.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Oh yeah, the boat ride was fun too.
Did you see any like cool fish?
Speaker 3 (13:38):
No, there was no fish .
No, no, that's it.
There's five rivers thatsurround.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Wroclaw Rolcloth, it's definitely.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Rosloff, something like that, rosloff Anyway, we'll
put close captioning on that.
Yeah, still not underwater, sothat's good.
Okay, well, that's good yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
In this season you have some other big tournaments
coming up.
You're playing in the Kingdomof the Sun in Ocala, Florida, in
December, which is a prettytop-notch tournament it's hard
to get a spot in and baldinghoop hall classic.
So are those?
Is your strategy heading intothose games different than
regular season games?
Because how do you prepare toplay against teams you don't
really know too much about butyou know they're a good team?
Speaker 4 (14:15):
well, hopefully I'll get eyes on them before we play
them.
The hard part is it's four daysin a row in florida and that is
a very hard tournament to getinto and it's kind of like a
stepping stone as well.
So next year we've also beeninvited the next season to beach
ball, which is is in MyrtleBeach.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
Oh good.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
That's one of the top three tournaments in the
country for high school teams,so that's really a great
opportunity.
So you're taking these steps toplay national schedule.
But the first team, winterHaven, was 27-2 last year and
they lost in the semifinals inthe Class 7A Florida State
Championships to the BoozerTwins at Columbus.
Is it Columbus?
I think it's Columbus.
(14:50):
Yeah, I think that's theirschool.
So you know.
And then the next game will bewin or lose.
We'll either play against Gibbs,who I think won the six-day
state championship in Florida,or a team out of Tennessee, and
I forget their name right now,but they've won four of the last
nine state titles in Tennessee.
So those first two games, theopponents are ridiculously good,
but it's hard to prepare forall of them because it's a
(15:12):
four-day tournament, so youdon't know who you're after game
one, true?
So we'll have three scoutsgoing there.
We'll definitely have threescouts.
We'll probably do a fourthscout on St Thomas Aquinas, on
the other side of the bracket Ithink that's the top team on the
other side.
Because we're not going therejust to show up.
We, because we're not goingthere just to show up, we're
going to go there at 9.30 am onDecember 27th to win game one,
(15:33):
and Winter Haven won thistournament last year.
So, we play the defending thistournament champions in round
one.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
Starting off at the top.
Yeah, get you ready, though,for the rest of the season.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
Knock off the best game, one, and the rest will be
history, that's going to be ourgoal, that'll be really fun to
do on Christmas break, mostdefinitely.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
So I know the team lost a few key starting players
from last season.
What's the strategy headinginto this season to mesh new
players?
Speaker 4 (15:59):
into the roles of veteran players.
I think it's not going to betoo difficult with this group.
We lose a few starters, anall-stater to transfer, and we
love Trav he did such a greatjob for him.
Wish him the best of luck thisyear but we have a lot of guys
who were off the bench last yearwho have experience right, and
they've worked so hard.
You know, the biggest issue Ihave is I've got too many guys
(16:23):
who are ready to play, probablyso just sharing some of those
minutes to get around, but Idon't see a problem with us
being ready to play or toreplace the guys we have and
have lost.
Those guys were great, and Ithink, though, that we could be
even better this year and, yeah,I think the maturity of our
team and these guys having allthe minutes that they have will
be just fine with that.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
So you have a fairly young team this year.
There's no seniors on theroster, besides, of course, the
number one manager in the state,dom White he's the best so how
will you all work together tofill the absence of senior
leadership that was so stronglast year with Tim and Colin?
Speaker 2 (16:59):
I mean, I feel like me and Abdu and uh Quincy, we
have a lot more experience thanlike most like upcoming juniors
because, we've been playingsince we were freshmen so we got
to see it with like Makai andTaj and kind of learn from a
bunch of good guys.
True.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
You've seen a lot throughout the years to learn
from.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
So what games are you most looking forward to this
season?
Speaker 3 (17:17):
and which ones do you ?
Speaker 1 (17:18):
think are going to be the biggest challenges.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
I'm looking forward to the Florida games the most.
That's really when I play,because that's what Coach is
saying the most competitions.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
That's what you're most excited for To get to play
your best.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
I'm excited for the playoffs, really Mostly just for
the playoff time.
You guys are really skippingahead.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
Let's focus on Richfield, game one His sights
are set.
He already knows you're goingto be there.
No, but that's what they shouldbe excited about.
I want these guys to be excitedabout playoffs.
We're doing the trip to Florida.
This is a basketball trip.
We're going to really challengeourselves.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Business trip yeah it's Springfield.
Speaker 4 (17:54):
Hoopaw is always a great one, but for me the focus
is the Ridgefield and these guysalready know it is.
They've been in the semifinalstwo straight years and that
first game, I'm positive, willbe sold out.
I think a lot of our games willbe sold out, but that
Ridgefield is a tough place toplay in the FCAC.
They've won like five out ofsix FCAC championships.
(18:15):
They'll have whatever they fitin the gym.
I'm guessing it's probably2,500, maybe 3,000.
They will have every bit ofthat in the gym.
So I think that already is agreat experience for all of our
guys.
Some guys will be playingvarsity for the first time.
You come out with 2,000 peoplereally going against you and
those are the toughest placesand moments to play in.
(18:36):
So we're going to get a crashcourse in pressure basketball
day one.
So I'm looking forward to thatand seeing how everybody
responds, because I'm prettyconfident we're going to respond
well and then we'll see whatthe result is, because they're
capable of beating us for sure.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
They're a really good team, very good team.
You guys have a lot ofexperience playing in those
high-pressure moments in the bigcrowds, so that should help at
least.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
Yeah, we'll be right, these guys are not afraid of
the lights.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
Yeah, so if you ought to choose one motto or one
mantra for this next season,what would it be?
I know last season was lockedin.
As it says on the rings, I'mthe only one wrapping them today
.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
That was our bad.
You were supposed to give us areminder I feel terrible.
I look for any excuse to wearit.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
I know it's okay, I've got it on.
What's the motto going to befor this season?
Speaker 3 (19:18):
I'll probably never give up.
Never give up, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
That's good, I'll say run it back.
I guess.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
Do it again.
Run it back, run it back.
Let's do it Okay.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
I'm not going to stick to this.
I think for me it's just stayhungry.
But they seem like the guyshave already done that, still
hungry.
We've been working so hard.
These guys have not dropped offat all in that regard.
So I'm not even.
I think if these guys were inand out or halfway in in the
offseason after a statechampionship, you know or if
(19:52):
these two guys who get a lot ofattention you know we're a
different way.
They're both very humble andthey're good people I'd be
concerned about all of that anda big letdown in the season.
There's no guarantee we win itagain, but these guys are still
hungry for more and I thinkthat's going to be our focus,
just to make sure we stay thatway throughout the year.
So when we get to the end inthe playoffs, you know we're
(20:14):
ready to make our mark, becausethis group you said we don't
have any seniors this group hasan opportunity To be one of the
best groups over the next twoyears, which would be three
years ever in CIAC basketball.
You know, some chance to dosomething special.
There's so much along the waythat has to go right for that to
happen, but that opportunity isthere and then we'll see what
(20:35):
happens with that opportunity.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
With a younger team you have that opportunity to
really build it up and have itfor a few years.
How did you come up with LockedIn last year?
Did you have a team vote or didyou just?
Speaker 4 (20:46):
These guys said it all the time.
I just said let's put it on ashirt.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
You guys had locked it on the shirts during the
postseason too.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
Yeah, the warm-up shirts.
I remember that.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
Yeah, so, as the current reigning Division, I
champions, if you had to share apiece of advice to fellow
athletes and fellow coaches,what would it be?
Speaker 3 (21:03):
Like I said, never give up, never give up, never
give up.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
You should get that on a shirt, not sure you keep
saying that, yeah, never give up.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
it's very true, though, if you know there's many
times we were down in games andwe didn't give up, like we just
kept fighting no, you guysalways fought yeah it was clear
to see that's good.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
No, I think something I would let them know would be
like the work will show, like ifyou really consistently put in
the work, like you'll see theresults yeah awesome.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
But be patient, you know.
Deal with tough, toughsituations, the right.
You know we've had toughsituations in the past, whether
it's in a game or outside of thegame.
I know last year we went toBoston and we had that really
tough first game against a teamfrom New Jersey.
Speaker 3 (21:39):
You guys remember that.
Speaker 4 (21:41):
And he sprained his ankle late and you were having
probably your best third quarterof the season.
I don't think you played thatwell, like that consistently,
until the state playoffs again.
Yeah when you had the gameagainst WCA and then the next
game where you really got goinglike that.
I mean you had a lot of greatgames, but those just stand out.
And you were doing that inBoston and then he sprained his
(22:02):
ankle and Went down and then theother guys stepped up again.
And that's where you learn yourlessons in a season, when you
that's why you challengeyourselves in season, because
when you get to the state finalsand you tweak your groin early.
We have experience.
We played a really good teamthat was very similar to St
Bernard Big physical team, butwe'd experienced that.
(22:22):
Whether you guys knew it or not, we'd experienced it and we
felt comfortable.
So just stay patient and learnfrom those tough situations and
then, if you can do that theright way, it's going to benefit
you in the long run.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
Yeah, those are all really great pieces of advice,
so now we're going to head intosome rapid questions.
These are a surprise, so firstthing that comes to your mind,
that's the answer.
All right, landon.
Speaker 4 (22:43):
Oh, Landon's first Okay.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
Landon game winning shot or game saving block.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Definitely game-winning shot.
Definitely game-winning shot.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
Abdu game-winning shot or poster dunk.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Poster dunk.
No, no, no, game-winning,game-winning shot.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
There you go.
That's a good answer, Coach Jfavorite player and team growing
up.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
Michael Jordan Bulls.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
Landon biggest basketball influence.
Speaker 2 (23:04):
My grandfather.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Abdu basketball GOAT.
Speaker 4 (23:17):
LeBron James coach a any game day superstitions?
No, no, I don't have any gameday situation.
Uh, superstition, I need to.
I need to leave work a littlebit early maybe, just to get my
mind right.
You know, maybe a half an houror 10 minutes you used to share,
you know, office space you wereclose by, yeah.
I always knew when it was gameday but that's not a
superstition, it's just aprocess.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
You'd watch film in the morning or the day before,
and then yep, landon, pregamehype song.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Anything by Lil Baby.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
Abdu, if you could only eat one food for an entire
year, what would it?
Speaker 3 (23:43):
be Fried chicken.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
Can't go wrong with that, Coach J.
Best piece of advice you'veever received.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
That can't go wrong with that coach a best piece of
advice you've ever received.
That's a tough one.
My grandfather, uh, always saidyou know, do your best to help
other people out.
He was.
He was a guy who likevolunteered his time, you know,
for the last 15, 20 years of hislife.
And then, you know, he alwayssaid, like when you get to a
point where you could just dothat and help other people out,
this that was good advicebecause it's more rewarding yeah
(24:11):
, that's very true, lando.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
You're gonna like this one favorite sneaker
favorite sneaker to a pointwhere you could just do that and
help other people out.
That was good advice, becauseit's more rewarding.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Yeah, that's very true, lando, you're going to
like this one Favorite sneaker.
Favorite sneaker I'll probablyhave to say, like the classic
Air Force is just wear it witheverything.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
Can't go wrong.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
There's a lot of sneakers.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
I like Abdu favorite movie.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
Home Alone.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Home Alone.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
That's funny.
Speaker 4 (24:32):
I didn't expect that Coach J, who do you think is the
best coach in the NBA right?
Speaker 1 (24:36):
now man, why do I get all the tough ones you?
Speaker 4 (24:37):
get the thinkers.
Probably.
Greg Popovich didn't retire yet, did he?
No, he's still a coach.
No, he's probably still thebest coach.
His personnel has gone down alittle bit, but I think he's
still the best coach.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Okay, landon, funniest player on the team.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Funniest player on the team.
I would have to give it toColin, because he was the
funniest player on the team.
But this year, I mean, it'sstill up for grabs outside.
Speaker 4 (24:55):
Might be you.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
Maybe I'm going to give myself the title.
Now You're taking over forColin.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
Got to.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
Abdu favorite basketball memory.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
I'll say Notre Dame Fairfield.
No, not Fairfield.
When I dunked on the kidfreshman year.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
Fairfield Prep, yeah, fairfield Prep, the home game.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that was agood one, that was a good one.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
So you can all chime in on this Top five basketball
players of all time LeBron.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
First, really disagree.
It might be a debate there.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Wait, LeBron and Jordan are number one, number
two, it depends on years Three.
All time.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Kobe, it doesn't have to be current.
Kobe.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
Kobe's definitely top five yeah.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
Kobe has to be up there, kobe's top five.
Speaker 4 (25:44):
Those three are all absolutely top five.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
What about Steph Curry, though?
What about Steph Curry?
No, no, no.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
No, no, steph, no.
What about Steph Curry, though?
What about?
Speaker 4 (25:52):
Steph Curry no, no, no, no.
I don't think, I don't thinkyou could say that, hmm, there's
gonna be some guys before IMean you are how far back doing
ago.
You guys are gonna think thatI'm like dating myself, but
because these are not mygeneration, but you, you know,
bill Russell, no, what aboutWill Chamberlain?
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Oh, 100 points in a game.
Yeah, wood chamberlain is upthere, well.
Speaker 4 (26:20):
Kareem.
All the time we score, untilthe brawl about Katie.
Yeah, katie's like the best tome, the best offensive player.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
Yeah, ever, except for when B's gonna be up there
like not better than Jordan, butyeah when Benyama going to be
up there in the next few years.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
Not better than Jordan but yeah, yeah, not yet.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
Wimby is going to be up there in the next few years.
Speaker 4 (26:35):
We'll see.
He's got a ways to go.
Shaq's got to be one of themost impactful players.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Well, I just met Shaq .
Speaker 4 (26:39):
I know that.
That's why I'm surprised youdidn't even mention it.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
Yeah, Shaq's good, so that's just it's all over,
we're all over the place.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
We mentioned a few.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
Landon deep threes or highlight reel assists.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Deep threes or highlight reel assists.
Highlight reel assists.
Speaker 3 (27:01):
Abdu athlete that you love to watch from a different
sport.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
I'll probably say Travis Hunter, coach Shea, one
song that you know all the wordsto, Chicken Fried.
Speaker 4 (27:10):
Zac Brown Band.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
I'm not singing it favorite workout, least favorite
workout to do favorite workoutdefinitely getting shots up.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
Least favorite workout like squats, anything
like that coach griff sprints oh, that's a good one all right no
, that's, I just helped you onthat.
Speaker 3 (27:28):
Abdu best celebration on the court uh, I'll probably
say looking at the ball orlooking like mad when I dunk it
after coach a favorite gym orcourt to play at notre dame easy
true player, player and coachnotre dame true, yeah, because
you have both sides of that,landon.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
Besides winning the championship, what was your
favorite moment from last season?
Speaker 2 (27:50):
my favorite moment from, I would say, the pol
Poland trip.
But would that count as aseason?
Speaker 1 (27:54):
I think so yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
Maybe, yeah, I'll probably say the Poland trip
with all the guys.
That was a good experience.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
That was fun, Abdu.
How old were you when you firststarted playing basketball?
Speaker 3 (28:02):
As young as I can remember.
I don't even remember.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
Little Okay Kouch.
What do you like most aboutyour team?
Speaker 4 (28:10):
Just hanging out with them.
They're fun to hang out with,as they really are, just a fun
group.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
Awesome group of guys yeah.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
I miss hanging.
I miss when the season ends.
I get upset, not because welose or we win, just I miss
hanging out with them, yes.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
And now last one.
This is a tough question,probably the toughest one you've
ever been asked.
Favorite Notre Dame sportsphotographer.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Nah, definitely Jada Bird.
Jada Bird.
So you're saying, if you didn'tanswer that I was going to have
to cut it out?
Speaker 1 (28:34):
Okay, so, lastly, on the Glory Days podcast, we
always like to wrap up by askingour guests what do you think?
Speaker 3 (28:41):
the purpose of high school sports is To develop, to
get into college.
Mm-hmm yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
Mentally and physically yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
I mean, I just think like compete against like the
other local kids and see how youstack up.
Speaker 4 (28:53):
I mean this could be a long answer, but it's about
experience.
Sports teach values that youcan't teach as effectively in
the classroom or anywhere else,because you have the ability to
hold guys accountable.
So when you're trying to teachthings, ultimately it comes down
to everybody wants to play,everybody wants playing time,
get on the court, and so you'retrying to teach guys something.
You're trying to teach things.
Ultimately it comes down toeverybody wants to play,
everybody wants playing time,get on the court, and so you're
(29:13):
trying to teach guys something.
You're trying to teach them todo better in the classroom.
You're trying to teach them howto behave properly.
You know just how to be goodpeople.
Having sport as a motivatingfactor to encourage them to do
that.
I don't know if there's manyplaces that high school-age
student-athletes have that'll doit better than athletics.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
It really helps make you a well-rounded person.
Speaker 4 (29:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
Well, thank you guys for joining me today.
It was awesome, we had a greatconversation and I wish you the
best of luck in this upcomingseason.
I hope you're able to come outwith another championship.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
Thanks for having us.
Thank you.
Welcome to CIC's Glory Days podcast.
I'm your host, jada Maribel,and today I'm joined by the 2024
Division I Boys BasketballState Champions, notre Dame West
Haven.
I'm joined by Green Knightshead coach Jason Shea and two
incredibly talented players,landon Krieger and Abdu Torre.
Thank you all for joining metoday.
I'm so excited to have you hereon to the podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Thank you, thanks for having us.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Notre Dame Basketball had an amazing 2024 season, a
perfect 20-0 record to securethe first ever boys basketball
state championship for theschool.
Dude, I probably don't have togive you much of an introduction
because you are a nationallyknown, currently ranked number
13 in the country, jumping 137spots from last year.
Last season you've earned allstate and all conference honors
the Connecticut Max Preps Playerof the Year, the Game Time CT
(00:40):
Player of the Year and the SCCPlayer of the Year.
And of course we can't forgetthe countless amount of Division
I offers that you've receivedSame a few.
You've gotten them fromProvidence, yale, bryant,
rutgers, stanford, you're atArkansas, arizona.
The list goes on and on.
But besides your incredibletalent, what else has helped
fuel you to create the successas only a junior in high school?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I'll say my family and my work ethic in the gym.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Yeah, I'll say my family and my work ethic in the
gym.
Yeah, you have an awesomefamily foundation.
Your dad's your biggest fan outthere at the club, but that's
so important.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
That really helps create you as a strong athlete.
It does.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
And how do you deal with all those eyes on you and
all of that attention?
How do you maintain composureand focus?
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Really just play basketball.
That's really how you justmaintain it.
Just keep playing basketball,do what you've been doing the
whole time.
Yeah, it's that simple justjust that simple.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Everything else out and just play basketball.
The ball in the hoop, that'sall it is.
And, landon, you're also one ofthe top players in New England
and Connecticut, ranked number11 in the Connecticut class of
2026, earning all conferencehonors last season.
And when you're out there onthe court, it's so clear to see
the love and the passion thatyou have for the game.
In those moments, when it comesdown to the wire, you always
pull through and there's nobetter example of your playing
style than in that statesemi-final game at the
(01:49):
University of Hartford againstNotre Dame Fairfield, when you
hit that three-point buzzerbeater to tie it up and send it
into overtime.
And I'm gonna have to put theclip in because it was just
incredible.
People have got to watch it.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
The energy was just off the charts.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Trey Krieger gets a shot off.
It's good overtime, landonKrieger at the buzzer.
So tell us a little bit aboutthat moment.
What was racing through yourmind and how did you stay
focused to hit that shot and letthe pressure get to you?
Speaker 2 (02:21):
I mean, I just we just wanted to win as a group,
so much like like you could justtell all of us were so invested
in winning and it was just likegreat moment, honestly, to like
to feel the reward that we'regoing to the state championship
after that.
In the moment I wasn't thinkinglike too hard really it was
mostly after the game and stuff.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
You just, like he said, you just went out there
and put the ball in the hoopthat's the trick.
So did you guys plan that play?
You passed it to him to hit thethree.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
No, the play was for me to come off the screen and
shoot the ball, but I saw thatthere was two people on me, so I
just pivoted, passed it toLandon and he hit the shot.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
It just happened, naturally, and you ended up
saying the game to his doubleovertime and then final score
73-71.
But remember I had to leave thegame early to head over to our
hockey semifinal game and I hadleft probably like 30 seconds
early, like right as the gamewas ending.
As I'm walking out the doors, Iremember the crowd was just
going crazy and I was like, oh,like Notre Dame-Fairfield must
have won, that must have beenthe game.
And then I had DeFeo text me, Ihad Warwick text me like, oh,
(03:14):
landon just hit thethree-pointer to tie it up, and
the whole way to the hockey game.
I was amazed at how you guyspulled through.
It showed your determinationand the level of teamwork that
you guys had last year.
You guys you always fought andyou always got through it.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
I remember I do hit a free throw with about two
tenths of a second in the firstovertime.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Yeah, I missed the first one.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Yeah, I missed the first one.
We'll give you a pass on thatAgain.
To have to hit a shot, a freethrow, to tie the game, to set
the second overtime, secondovertime, you know that's that's
a big, that's a big time momentit is.
And, uh, you know you felt likeafter landing shot, there's no
way we're gonna lose.
But then all of a sudden we'redown one again with less than a
second for the shot.
You're like oh man, this wouldreally be a letdown.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Yeah, so that sure no , it was amazing.
Speaker 4 (03:57):
And then the last overtime, you know, I thought,
uh, we imposed our will a littlebit and uh, I know the three
that Abdu hit, the pull-up three.
That was the moment I'm like,yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Yeah, we got him.
I remember you turned aroundtoo.
Speaker 4 (04:11):
Because he'd been going to the basket so many
times, we had some match-upsthat we thought were good for us
and then, yeah, finally, Iforget who it was.
It was Parrish, probably.
No, it was.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Cam.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
Oh, cam, yeah, he backed off, tried to take away
the drive and he just pulled upand hit it and it was like yep,
we got you guys, and it stillreally didn't end right there.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
They kept fighting.
They're a tough opponent.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
Yeah, they're excellent Like well-coached
tough, and you know that'sDivision I.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Yeah, you play opponents like that.
You got to step it up when youplay them, yep.
But, you guys pulled through AtMohegan Sun this year for your
state championship game.
You played St Bernard where youwon 52 to 46.
And it was a packed house.
It was an intense game.
You were down in the firstquarter and then you eventually
picked it back up and it wasstressful watching it.
I can imagine playing in it orcoaching it, but what?
Speaker 3 (05:09):
helped you all get prepared for that moment and how
did you come back to eventuallygain the lead or the
conversations like courtside andduring halftime to keep the
pace?
Well, does it get repaired likethe the season.
Really, it was like we workedfor that for that game.
So we just came in a gamethinking we already won and just
we just play what we just did,what we had to do it's the
mindset you go wanting it.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Who wants it more at the end of the day.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
Yeah, we needed a team effort in that game.
You know again, the dude maybestrained something early on like
really early in the game and sothat hurt us and they played
him really well.
They were very physical the waythey guarded him in that game
and I thought Landon whichpeople don't realize, but the
day before in practice weprobably only had 20 minutes of
actual live basketball the daybefore, which is typical of that
(05:47):
part of the season, and he justhappened to sprain his ankle
pretty badly the day before hewas able to wrap it up and play.
And the plays he made in thatgame off of the sprained ankle,
yeah, there's one take in thesecond half that just comes to
mind where he just went rightdown the lane.
It might have been an and one,but he exploded off that foot.
I'm like there's a lot ofadrenaline going, so he's not
(06:10):
feeling it and he's a tough kidbecause a lot of kids, with the
way his ankle was swollen up,were not playing that game.
That showed a lot too.
So other guys had to step up inthat game and I thought, uh, as
a collective unit, right, we?
We didn't get 35 from our bestplayer, did that the game before
?
right, you had 9, 10, 11,something like that 12, 12 12
(06:33):
points yeah, so we need a fullteam effort and we got it in a
in a huge game, so that wasrewarding as well you couldn't
even tell that either of youwere injured during that game or
no, no, no, I just just had to.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
No, I just had to win it, you just had to win it, you
had to win it.
It was one last game.
We didn't go there for noreason.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Exactly.
So what are some of the keylessons that you all learned
from last season?
Speaker 4 (06:55):
You want me to take that?
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Yeah, you can take that.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
Key lessons you two are taking it after about that.
Yeah, I'll just put one foot infront of the other.
Don't get ahead of ourselves.
I thought we always said thatthe main goal and I think I do
said in a ton of interviews waswinning the state championship.
We won our third straightleague championship.
That was great.
It's a goal of ours every year.
But just putting one foot infront of the other.
(07:19):
You know practice at a time.
You know all the cliches thatare real if you actually live
them out.
You know all the cliches thatare real If you actually live
them out.
You know we just got to keepworking hard, but these guys
have already done it.
They've had a great offseason.
You know.
Obviously he's blown up on theyou know from the World Cup and
everything else.
That's been amazing.
And this guy's gotten a lotbetter too.
And that number 11 ranking'swrong.
So if he's not top three in thestate, then we're not top three
(07:43):
as a team.
He's a top three player in thestate period.
He's gotten a lot better.
So people are going to findthat out as well.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
And so are the rest of our team.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
What are your two Alpha?
I learned like, don't ever giveup, yeah.
And I remember in the NotreDame Fairfield game, once Landon
hit that shot, I was in thehuddle.
I was like, nah, we're notlosing this game, we're not
losing man.
We didn't come here for noreason.
Yeah, so never give up?
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Nope, never give up, always keep fighting.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
No, I think I definitely learned, like, if you
really like set a goal and dowhat's needed to reach it, like
you can actually accomplish that.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Like we go so hard to practice every day.
Yeah, those are great takeaways.
So how do each of you preparementally and physically?
Speaker 1 (08:33):
for a game.
How do you get into thatwinning mindset I?
Speaker 3 (08:34):
was?
I don't really know, you don'tknow.
No, I don't, I don't likementally, I just like.
So I'm always nervous, likeevery time during a national
anthem I just get in a game.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
It just, it's just regular just into the game every
single game game, remindingmyself like prior games and all
that stuff just keep my nervesdown.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
So you're not anyone who has like the strict routines
before a game.
No superstitions.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
No.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
No superstitions, no, I just play basketball and
stuff.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Yeah, you just go out there and play.
Speaker 4 (08:57):
I think Coach Griff does a great job too yeah.
Part of our job as coaches, andthe job that I delegate to
Coach Griff is probably I mean,obviously for me he's going to
be the best assistant in thestate, but he handles pregame
from the bus to what these guysare eating, to what these guys
what time they're gettingdressed, and he takes a lot of
the thinking out of it for them.
(09:17):
I think that's important.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
He's awesome.
Speaker 4 (09:20):
He does a tremendous job.
So when you have that going,these guys don't have to think
as much, and these two and therest of our team as well.
They just love basketball somuch.
I think that's part of thereason they don't feel as, even
though they might think theyfeel a little pressure, they
really don't.
And the last thing ispreparation takes care of
pressure a lot of times.
Very true, you're in the gymenough.
You're working hard enough,like Landon said, hard in
(09:40):
practice.
We play a hard schedule.
You know we're as prepared asyou can be for the moment and
then you know, like we said, andthen then just let, let's just
see what happens and don't worryabout it.
That's how you got to approachit very true.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
You know what you're capable of as individual
athletes.
What does training look likefor you in the off season?
Speaker 2 (09:57):
a lot of the time in the gym with drew roberts.
Shout out drew roberts, besttrainer in the state.
Not even close.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
He does a lot of training with both of you right.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Yeah, that helps to put in those extra hours on the
offseason.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
And the after school with Coach Jason too.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Also the plyometrics and the weight room.
That's like strength training.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Yeah, strength training and all of that.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Of course we got to work with these guys a little
bit.
We did the overseas trip aswell as well.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
So that was cool, you know opportunity to work with
them there.
You had a really eventfulsummer.
You got to go over to poland toplay in the vertical hoops euro
cup.
Yeah, of course you guys cameout triumphant.
You won that title as wellbarely.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
Yeah, that was the closest one, it was live
streaming that one too.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
So tell us a little bit about that experience and
what it was like to playbasketball overseas, because a
lot of high school teams aren'tfortunate enough to be able to
say that yeah, poland.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
poland was a good experience playing against
different competition from adifferent country.
It was really a good experienceand winning the championship
with the seniors for the lasttime.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
It was tough with Colin and Tim and Jack and
Justin.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Playing with the seniors for the last time.
Yeah, what a way to finish theseason.
You get to play in Poland withthe seniors.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
It's awesome, I'm happy we did it the way we did
it.
We kept our roster from the endof the season instead of making
it, you know, like the seniorswere done and moving on.
I thought that was more specialto go with those guys and kind
of make it the final part, thechapter for that group.
Didn't know when we plannedthat we would have won a state
championship and gone undefeatedand then it actually had more
pressure in Poland.
(11:17):
Because we're like we can'tlose now, because if we lose one
of these games does it evencount, but they pull it out by a
point against Zalgiris, whichis one of the top club teams
from Lithuania.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
Yeah, it was an awesome way to finish the story
of the first state championshipyear.
So what were all your favoriteparts about the trip?
It could be something about thegames or about the region.
What was your favorite part?
Speaker 3 (11:38):
I'm a little into it.
I know it's not the food.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
My favorite part was probably just like Becoming
closer with all my teammates,especially like Abdu and Kyle
and stuff.
We spent a lot of time togetherLike share the journey and
stuff.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Yeah, I'll say the same thing and I'll say probably
winning the championship.
And all the fans there.
The fans were nice there.
They were all friendly.
All the pulling kids, it wascool there.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
The crowds looked awesome when you were dunking
over Tim.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
In the dunk contest.
Yeah, he had the Jada BirdMedia shirt on.
It was cool.
The crowds looked awesome whenyou were dunking over.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
Tim, we were really lucky that we had a tour guide
assigned to us, and so part ofthe idea of the educational trip
is no-transcript, and so forevery place that we went we had
a tour guide with us same one.
But he popped out of nowhere.
Sometimes we didn't even knowhe was coming.
(12:33):
We did it the second day wewent to the castle.
Remember that we were on thebus.
And all of a sudden we're justdriving and he just popped up
out of nowhere.
He had gotten on the bus midwaythrough.
We didn't even know he was onthe bus, it was like at a.
So we don't know how thatworked, but it was kind of funny
and these guys were like, oh no, Because it was a lot of
information.
And on the way back, the AC onthe bus broke and we were in
(12:55):
traffic.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
And then, all of a sudden, he stood up and he's
still trying to give us littletidbits.
And we're like we don't needthat right now.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
It's all good, but he was a nice guy.
Those kind of moments are goodmemories because they're funny.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Yeah, you know, and these guys did learn a lot and
it was a cultural experience.
Yeah, those are the runningjokes you have from trips.
Yeah, it looked like you guysdid so much all the places that
you visited.
Yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
I went to a pro game too.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
Oh, you did, yeah.
Yeah, we're not going to Polandto go to a zoo, we go to a rock
zoo.
It's a better zoo.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Zoos are fun though.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Yeah, they are fun, but there are a lot of zoos
around here.
The boat ride was fun.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Oh yeah, the boat ride was fun too.
Did you see any like cool fish?
Speaker 3 (13:38):
No, there was no fish .
No, no, that's it.
There's five rivers thatsurround.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Wroclaw Rolcloth, it's definitely.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Rosloff, something like that, rosloff Anyway, we'll
put close captioning on that.
Yeah, still not underwater, sothat's good.
Okay, well, that's good yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
In this season you have some other big tournaments
coming up.
You're playing in the Kingdomof the Sun in Ocala, Florida, in
December, which is a prettytop-notch tournament it's hard
to get a spot in and baldinghoop hall classic.
So are those?
Is your strategy heading intothose games different than
regular season games?
Because how do you prepare toplay against teams you don't
really know too much about butyou know they're a good team?
Speaker 4 (14:15):
well, hopefully I'll get eyes on them before we play
them.
The hard part is it's four daysin a row in florida and that is
a very hard tournament to getinto and it's kind of like a
stepping stone as well.
So next year we've also beeninvited the next season to beach
ball, which is is in MyrtleBeach.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
Oh good.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
That's one of the top three tournaments in the
country for high school teams,so that's really a great
opportunity.
So you're taking these steps toplay national schedule.
But the first team, winterHaven, was 27-2 last year and
they lost in the semifinals inthe Class 7A Florida State
Championships to the BoozerTwins at Columbus.
Is it Columbus?
I think it's Columbus.
(14:50):
Yeah, I think that's theirschool.
So you know.
And then the next game will bewin or lose.
We'll either play against Gibbs,who I think won the six-day
state championship in Florida,or a team out of Tennessee, and
I forget their name right now,but they've won four of the last
nine state titles in Tennessee.
So those first two games, theopponents are ridiculously good,
but it's hard to prepare forall of them because it's a
(15:12):
four-day tournament, so youdon't know who you're after game
one, true?
So we'll have three scoutsgoing there.
We'll definitely have threescouts.
We'll probably do a fourthscout on St Thomas Aquinas, on
the other side of the bracket Ithink that's the top team on the
other side.
Because we're not going therejust to show up.
We, because we're not goingthere just to show up, we're
going to go there at 9.30 am onDecember 27th to win game one,
(15:33):
and Winter Haven won thistournament last year.
So, we play the defending thistournament champions in round
one.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
Starting off at the top.
Yeah, get you ready, though,for the rest of the season.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
Knock off the best game, one, and the rest will be
history, that's going to be ourgoal, that'll be really fun to
do on Christmas break, mostdefinitely.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
So I know the team lost a few key starting players
from last season.
What's the strategy headinginto this season to mesh new
players?
Speaker 4 (15:59):
into the roles of veteran players.
I think it's not going to betoo difficult with this group.
We lose a few starters, anall-stater to transfer, and we
love Trav he did such a greatjob for him.
Wish him the best of luck thisyear but we have a lot of guys
who were off the bench last yearwho have experience right, and
they've worked so hard.
You know, the biggest issue Ihave is I've got too many guys
(16:23):
who are ready to play, probablyso just sharing some of those
minutes to get around, but Idon't see a problem with us
being ready to play or toreplace the guys we have and
have lost.
Those guys were great, and Ithink, though, that we could be
even better this year and, yeah,I think the maturity of our
team and these guys having allthe minutes that they have will
be just fine with that.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
So you have a fairly young team this year.
There's no seniors on theroster, besides, of course, the
number one manager in the state,dom White he's the best so how
will you all work together tofill the absence of senior
leadership that was so stronglast year with Tim and Colin?
Speaker 2 (16:59):
I mean, I feel like me and Abdu and uh Quincy, we
have a lot more experience thanlike most like upcoming juniors
because, we've been playingsince we were freshmen so we got
to see it with like Makai andTaj and kind of learn from a
bunch of good guys.
True.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
You've seen a lot throughout the years to learn
from.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
So what games are you most looking forward to this
season?
Speaker 3 (17:17):
and which ones do you ?
Speaker 1 (17:18):
think are going to be the biggest challenges.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
I'm looking forward to the Florida games the most.
That's really when I play,because that's what Coach is
saying the most competitions.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
That's what you're most excited for To get to play
your best.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
I'm excited for the playoffs, really Mostly just for
the playoff time.
You guys are really skippingahead.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
Let's focus on Richfield, game one His sights
are set.
He already knows you're goingto be there.
No, but that's what they shouldbe excited about.
I want these guys to be excitedabout playoffs.
We're doing the trip to Florida.
This is a basketball trip.
We're going to really challengeourselves.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Business trip yeah it's Springfield.
Speaker 4 (17:54):
Hoopaw is always a great one, but for me the focus
is the Ridgefield and these guysalready know it is.
They've been in the semifinalstwo straight years and that
first game, I'm positive, willbe sold out.
I think a lot of our games willbe sold out, but that
Ridgefield is a tough place toplay in the FCAC.
They've won like five out ofsix FCAC championships.
(18:15):
They'll have whatever they fitin the gym.
I'm guessing it's probably2,500, maybe 3,000.
They will have every bit ofthat in the gym.
So I think that already is agreat experience for all of our
guys.
Some guys will be playingvarsity for the first time.
You come out with 2,000 peoplereally going against you and
those are the toughest placesand moments to play in.
(18:36):
So we're going to get a crashcourse in pressure basketball
day one.
So I'm looking forward to thatand seeing how everybody
responds, because I'm prettyconfident we're going to respond
well and then we'll see whatthe result is, because they're
capable of beating us for sure.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
They're a really good team, very good team.
You guys have a lot ofexperience playing in those
high-pressure moments in the bigcrowds, so that should help at
least.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
Yeah, we'll be right, these guys are not afraid of
the lights.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
Yeah, so if you ought to choose one motto or one
mantra for this next season,what would it be?
I know last season was lockedin.
As it says on the rings, I'mthe only one wrapping them today
.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
That was our bad.
You were supposed to give us areminder I feel terrible.
I look for any excuse to wearit.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
I know it's okay, I've got it on.
What's the motto going to befor this season?
Speaker 3 (19:18):
I'll probably never give up.
Never give up, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
That's good, I'll say run it back.
I guess.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
Do it again.
Run it back, run it back.
Let's do it Okay.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
I'm not going to stick to this.
I think for me it's just stayhungry.
But they seem like the guyshave already done that, still
hungry.
We've been working so hard.
These guys have not dropped offat all in that regard.
So I'm not even.
I think if these guys were inand out or halfway in in the
offseason after a statechampionship, you know or if
(19:52):
these two guys who get a lot ofattention you know we're a
different way.
They're both very humble andthey're good people I'd be
concerned about all of that anda big letdown in the season.
There's no guarantee we win itagain, but these guys are still
hungry for more and I thinkthat's going to be our focus,
just to make sure we stay thatway throughout the year.
So when we get to the end inthe playoffs, you know we're
(20:14):
ready to make our mark, becausethis group you said we don't
have any seniors this group hasan opportunity To be one of the
best groups over the next twoyears, which would be three
years ever in CIAC basketball.
You know, some chance to dosomething special.
There's so much along the waythat has to go right for that to
happen, but that opportunity isthere and then we'll see what
(20:35):
happens with that opportunity.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
With a younger team you have that opportunity to
really build it up and have itfor a few years.
How did you come up with LockedIn last year?
Did you have a team vote or didyou just?
Speaker 4 (20:46):
These guys said it all the time.
I just said let's put it on ashirt.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
You guys had locked it on the shirts during the
postseason too.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
Yeah, the warm-up shirts.
I remember that.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
Yeah, so, as the current reigning Division, I
champions, if you had to share apiece of advice to fellow
athletes and fellow coaches,what would it be?
Speaker 3 (21:03):
Like I said, never give up, never give up, never
give up.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
You should get that on a shirt, not sure you keep
saying that, yeah, never give up.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
it's very true, though, if you know there's many
times we were down in games andwe didn't give up, like we just
kept fighting no, you guysalways fought yeah it was clear
to see that's good.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
No, I think something I would let them know would be
like the work will show, like ifyou really consistently put in
the work, like you'll see theresults yeah awesome.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
But be patient, you know.
Deal with tough, toughsituations, the right.
You know we've had toughsituations in the past, whether
it's in a game or outside of thegame.
I know last year we went toBoston and we had that really
tough first game against a teamfrom New Jersey.
Speaker 3 (21:39):
You guys remember that.
Speaker 4 (21:41):
And he sprained his ankle late and you were having
probably your best third quarterof the season.
I don't think you played thatwell, like that consistently,
until the state playoffs again.
Yeah when you had the gameagainst WCA and then the next
game where you really got goinglike that.
I mean you had a lot of greatgames, but those just stand out.
And you were doing that inBoston and then he sprained his
(22:02):
ankle and Went down and then theother guys stepped up again.
And that's where you learn yourlessons in a season, when you
that's why you challengeyourselves in season, because
when you get to the state finalsand you tweak your groin early.
We have experience.
We played a really good teamthat was very similar to St
Bernard Big physical team, butwe'd experienced that.
(22:22):
Whether you guys knew it or not, we'd experienced it and we
felt comfortable.
So just stay patient and learnfrom those tough situations and
then, if you can do that theright way, it's going to benefit
you in the long run.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
Yeah, those are all really great pieces of advice,
so now we're going to head intosome rapid questions.
These are a surprise, so firstthing that comes to your mind,
that's the answer.
All right, landon.
Speaker 4 (22:43):
Oh, Landon's first Okay.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
Landon game winning shot or game saving block.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Definitely game-winning shot.
Definitely game-winning shot.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
Abdu game-winning shot or poster dunk.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Poster dunk.
No, no, no, game-winning,game-winning shot.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
There you go.
That's a good answer, Coach Jfavorite player and team growing
up.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
Michael Jordan Bulls.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
Landon biggest basketball influence.
Speaker 2 (23:04):
My grandfather.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Abdu basketball GOAT.
Speaker 4 (23:17):
LeBron James coach a any game day superstitions?
No, no, I don't have any gameday situation.
Uh, superstition, I need to.
I need to leave work a littlebit early maybe, just to get my
mind right.
You know, maybe a half an houror 10 minutes you used to share,
you know, office space you wereclose by, yeah.
I always knew when it was gameday but that's not a
superstition, it's just aprocess.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
You'd watch film in the morning or the day before,
and then yep, landon, pregamehype song.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Anything by Lil Baby.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
Abdu, if you could only eat one food for an entire
year, what would it?
Speaker 3 (23:43):
be Fried chicken.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
Can't go wrong with that, Coach J.
Best piece of advice you'veever received.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
That can't go wrong with that coach a best piece of
advice you've ever received.
That's a tough one.
My grandfather, uh, always saidyou know, do your best to help
other people out.
He was.
He was a guy who likevolunteered his time, you know,
for the last 15, 20 years of hislife.
And then, you know, he alwayssaid, like when you get to a
point where you could just dothat and help other people out,
this that was good advicebecause it's more rewarding yeah
(24:11):
, that's very true, lando.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
You're gonna like this one favorite sneaker
favorite sneaker to a pointwhere you could just do that and
help other people out.
That was good advice, becauseit's more rewarding.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Yeah, that's very true, lando, you're going to
like this one Favorite sneaker.
Favorite sneaker I'll probablyhave to say, like the classic
Air Force is just wear it witheverything.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
Can't go wrong.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
There's a lot of sneakers.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
I like Abdu favorite movie.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
Home Alone.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Home Alone.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
That's funny.
Speaker 4 (24:32):
I didn't expect that Coach J, who do you think is the
best coach in the NBA right?
Speaker 1 (24:36):
now man, why do I get all the tough ones you?
Speaker 4 (24:37):
get the thinkers.
Probably.
Greg Popovich didn't retire yet, did he?
No, he's still a coach.
No, he's probably still thebest coach.
His personnel has gone down alittle bit, but I think he's
still the best coach.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Okay, landon, funniest player on the team.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Funniest player on the team.
I would have to give it toColin, because he was the
funniest player on the team.
But this year, I mean, it'sstill up for grabs outside.
Speaker 4 (24:55):
Might be you.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
Maybe I'm going to give myself the title.
Now You're taking over forColin.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
Got to.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
Abdu favorite basketball memory.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
I'll say Notre Dame Fairfield.
No, not Fairfield.
When I dunked on the kidfreshman year.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
Fairfield Prep, yeah, fairfield Prep, the home game.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that was agood one, that was a good one.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
So you can all chime in on this Top five basketball
players of all time LeBron.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
First, really disagree.
It might be a debate there.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Wait, LeBron and Jordan are number one, number
two, it depends on years Three.
All time.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Kobe, it doesn't have to be current.
Kobe.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
Kobe's definitely top five yeah.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
Kobe has to be up there, kobe's top five.
Speaker 4 (25:44):
Those three are all absolutely top five.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
What about Steph Curry, though?
What about Steph Curry?
No, no, no.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
No, no, steph, no.
What about Steph Curry, though?
What about?
Speaker 4 (25:52):
Steph Curry no, no, no, no.
I don't think, I don't thinkyou could say that, hmm, there's
gonna be some guys before IMean you are how far back doing
ago.
You guys are gonna think thatI'm like dating myself, but
because these are not mygeneration, but you, you know,
bill Russell, no, what aboutWill Chamberlain?
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Oh, 100 points in a game.
Yeah, wood chamberlain is upthere, well.
Speaker 4 (26:20):
Kareem.
All the time we score, untilthe brawl about Katie.
Yeah, katie's like the best tome, the best offensive player.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
Yeah, ever, except for when B's gonna be up there
like not better than Jordan, butyeah when Benyama going to be
up there in the next few years.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
Not better than Jordan but yeah, yeah, not yet.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
Wimby is going to be up there in the next few years.
Speaker 4 (26:35):
We'll see.
He's got a ways to go.
Shaq's got to be one of themost impactful players.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Well, I just met Shaq .
Speaker 4 (26:39):
I know that.
That's why I'm surprised youdidn't even mention it.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
Yeah, Shaq's good, so that's just it's all over,
we're all over the place.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
We mentioned a few.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
Landon deep threes or highlight reel assists.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Deep threes or highlight reel assists.
Highlight reel assists.
Speaker 3 (27:01):
Abdu athlete that you love to watch from a different
sport.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
I'll probably say Travis Hunter, coach Shea, one
song that you know all the wordsto, Chicken Fried.
Speaker 4 (27:10):
Zac Brown Band.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
I'm not singing it favorite workout, least favorite
workout to do favorite workoutdefinitely getting shots up.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
Least favorite workout like squats, anything
like that coach griff sprints oh, that's a good one all right no
, that's, I just helped you onthat.
Speaker 3 (27:28):
Abdu best celebration on the court uh, I'll probably
say looking at the ball orlooking like mad when I dunk it
after coach a favorite gym orcourt to play at notre dame easy
true player, player and coachnotre dame true, yeah, because
you have both sides of that,landon.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
Besides winning the championship, what was your
favorite moment from last season?
Speaker 2 (27:50):
my favorite moment from, I would say, the pol
Poland trip.
But would that count as aseason?
Speaker 1 (27:54):
I think so yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
Maybe, yeah, I'll probably say the Poland trip
with all the guys.
That was a good experience.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
That was fun, Abdu.
How old were you when you firststarted playing basketball?
Speaker 3 (28:02):
As young as I can remember.
I don't even remember.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
Little Okay Kouch.
What do you like most aboutyour team?
Speaker 4 (28:10):
Just hanging out with them.
They're fun to hang out with,as they really are, just a fun
group.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
Awesome group of guys yeah.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
I miss hanging.
I miss when the season ends.
I get upset, not because welose or we win, just I miss
hanging out with them, yes.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
And now last one.
This is a tough question,probably the toughest one you've
ever been asked.
Favorite Notre Dame sportsphotographer.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Nah, definitely Jada Bird.
Jada Bird.
So you're saying, if you didn'tanswer that I was going to have
to cut it out?
Speaker 1 (28:34):
Okay, so, lastly, on the Glory Days podcast, we
always like to wrap up by askingour guests what do you think?
Speaker 3 (28:41):
the purpose of high school sports is To develop, to
get into college.
Mm-hmm yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
Mentally and physically yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
I mean, I just think like compete against like the
other local kids and see how youstack up.
Speaker 4 (28:53):
I mean this could be a long answer, but it's about
experience.
Sports teach values that youcan't teach as effectively in
the classroom or anywhere else,because you have the ability to
hold guys accountable.
So when you're trying to teachthings, ultimately it comes down
to everybody wants to play,everybody wants playing time,
get on the court, and so you'retrying to teach guys something.
You're trying to teach things.
Ultimately it comes down toeverybody wants to play,
everybody wants playing time,get on the court, and so you're
(29:13):
trying to teach guys something.
You're trying to teach them todo better in the classroom.
You're trying to teach them howto behave properly.
You know just how to be goodpeople.
Having sport as a motivatingfactor to encourage them to do
that.
I don't know if there's manyplaces that high school-age
student-athletes have that'll doit better than athletics.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
It really helps make you a well-rounded person.
Speaker 4 (29:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
Well, thank you guys for joining me today.
It was awesome, we had a greatconversation and I wish you the
best of luck in this upcomingseason.
I hope you're able to come outwith another championship.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
Thanks for having us.
Thank you.
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