WBB F Blanca Quinonez - October 10th

The freshman from Equador meets the media for the first time ahead of Monday's exhibition v Boston College

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Nice to meet you. English is really really really really
it's not bad. You're English bad, I think, so no, no, no,
I say, these guys are writers. They're English is not good.

(00:22):
She'll be fun, have fun. Sure she loves me. I
didn't say that. Oh no, that's what you think. Nope,
what's what's college like?

Speaker 2 (00:40):
I'm sorry being in college.

Speaker 1 (00:43):
It's really I'm really excited to be here. Is everything
is good, everything is going to do so far, so
I'm really happy to be here to share. Awmate. You know,
I'm coming from Italy, play in Italy, so try to
know more about this game. But I'm really happy. So
it's going really good so far, and oh everything everything.

(01:05):
But you know, I'm from Ecuador, so I think we're
really close for food, but from Italy it's a really different.
I think pasta pasta every day is the worst thing,
So I think I missed that. But I think the
kitchen is doing the past word to make me feel
close to Italy too.

Speaker 3 (01:23):
So it's not that had you spent time in the
US before, like you came to visit, So I just
spent like a couple of weeks because I did the
basketball without borders or the NBA.

Speaker 1 (01:34):
Academy, but not like all the things, so we can
say that not yep.

Speaker 3 (01:41):
What's been challenging about the transition for you English?

Speaker 1 (01:46):
Yeah, language, because you know it's hard to learn a
new language if you speak to language. So but it's good.
I think coach said that it's going well, so I
don't know, but I think that. And also I think
try to get in of Thisney system because I used
to play a different way. So but it's good. It's
good because if you want to be better and get

(02:07):
better every day, you need to be in the best
player in the best place. And I think this is
one of fel so I'm really happy. What's it been
like again to play on a new coach? I'm sorry,
what's like? What's it been like playing with coach? I think,
you know, I think the intensity of the game, you know,
to be aggressive in defense and also in offense is
one of the is the way that we want to

(02:28):
play and is that what I used to But you know,
they're older, so they don't used to run for four minutes.
So but I think this is a most challenging thing.
And yeah, but I think that we're working on and
I think that we were gonna have fun this system.
So yeah, when did you first become aware of Yukon

(02:48):
basketball and when did you start to think that maybe
I would like to play there. So I'll say twenty
twenty four, twenty four because at the beginning of my
systems in Italy, when I went there for the first time,
I didn't want to come to the US to play
in college. I don't know. Ask me the reason, because
I don't know. I just don't want it. And then

(03:09):
I just start followed the NCAA the tournaments and I
really like to be here. I really need to, Like
you know, if you want to arrive at the goal
that you have, I think that you need to get
steps and I think that this is one of the
biggest steps that can help me to get what I
want to get.

Speaker 2 (03:30):
So what did you think you can was?

Speaker 1 (03:32):
What did it mean? What did you what was your perception?
So you can't I can describe you can in want
work because I think it's everything that here's everything that
you need to to take or have to get better,
to improve yourself and to learn. Because you have a
lot of people who have different experience. You have one

(03:54):
of the best coaches in the in the country, so
I need I think that I have this possibility to
learn from each others. Is the best thing we can
have from from you can is the urgency to win
every single game years. Is that something you're used to,
something you're comfortable with, something that so I don't used

(04:14):
to because I was playing with older guys, so older women.
So it's a kind of different from the europe Basket
to the American Basket. But I think I'm doing so
well so far. So I'm really trying to get that
in my in my playing in my game. So let's
see how it's going. But I think it's going really well.

(04:37):
What are the strengths of your game? I think just
I'm like to play fast, you know, try to reach
it different situations, and I'm great. I think I'm really
good in difference. I'm working on to because you know,
it's different. So I'm really try to get better in

(05:00):
American game. So I think that's one of my best
strench from the game. What's your teammates? I'm sorry, do
you have that English? Yeah? What if you enjoyed your
new teammates? So I'm really happy because they're amazing. I
know that I don't speak a lot, because you know,

(05:22):
I need to get more confidence with English. But I
really enjoyed to be heard because they really helped me
to get in from the first moment I get here.
So the the competition that we have to each other
their practice is the best. So I think that all
of us want to be better and better every day,
and that's the good thing that helped us to improve
our game and to be ready for our season. But

(05:44):
I think that after that of the court, we are
all two together, so I think that was a good thing,
you know, to have the connection on the court and
outside the court.

Speaker 3 (05:56):
Who are you like watching the most in practice? Who's
kind of helping you through this transition.

Speaker 1 (06:02):
I think I'll say Sarah Sara Strong, because not she
don't speak with Spanish with me. I don't know why,
but I think that she's one of the players that
I used to watch because I think that we have
like the same games, so it's fine to have someone
that know the game, so it's fine to watch her,
you know, you know, Sarah Strong.

Speaker 2 (06:23):
So yeah, before you got here, did you talk with
either any of your current teammates or maybe some people
that came through here in the past that now play
in Europe.

Speaker 1 (06:34):
Yeah, I met Markradna Makarad and then you asked they
were playing it a little too. We play against two
a couple of times and I told them before we
get here, and they also say me a lot of
beautiful things and that would be a good experience and
obviously to get better and on my game. So I

(06:55):
have good feedbags from you. Conso I was excited to
be here, but after I was more excited. How excited
are you to play your first game on Monday? Oh,
my gosh, that's a good question. I'm really excited. I
can't wait because I think that after waiting that moment
to you know, try to see what we have to

(07:15):
work more and you know, to put to put on
what we have to do during practice. Now, So I
think I'm really excited. You know, I'm really nervous, but
at the same time excited to start. Yeah, doesn't experience
with you, But does you know speak Italian with you?
Nobody speaks. Coach sometimes do it, but you know, but no.

(07:36):
Sarah said that she don't speak if I in Spanish,
but I know that she does, so it's fine. She
just doesn't want to speak with me. I don't know why,
but it's fine.

Speaker 3 (07:48):
What have you learned playing with older players?

Speaker 2 (07:51):
What does that tell you about the game of basketball?

Speaker 1 (07:53):
You don't have them, you know, read the game. I
think it's the a good thing that I learned from them,
because you know, they all of them have different experience,
different journeys, and the feedbacks that you see from them
as a young player is like, you know, follow their steps.
So learn to read the game. Learn to communicate with

(08:15):
your teammates, even if they are younger older than you.
So I think that what is the best thing that
I learned from them?

Speaker 3 (08:22):
What are the big differences in the American style of
basketball compared to what you're playing?

Speaker 1 (08:26):
Yeah, I think that the more different is the freedom
that you have to play, because you know, in Europe
you should follow a system. You know, you have different sets,
you have to learn fifteen sets and then coach used
to call you from the bench. But here you just
need to play. So that's the thing, is the biggest difference,
you know, to just skate ball and read and play.

(08:48):
So yeah, do you like? I know, I love it.
I love it. That's what I'm here. I want to learn.
So yep, Caroline been like Carol, she's our mom. I
really I really love her she now because she was
the first that I made when I came here for

(09:10):
a first time. Her and Joanna, So I'm really excited
because they really did the best to make me feel
comfort to be here. So I'm really happy and grateful
with all of them.

Speaker 2 (09:24):
You're the You're the first player in program history from
South America. Does that all any significance or meaning to you?

Speaker 1 (09:33):
Yeah? For me, it's me and it means a lot,
because you know, Ecuador's a big, small place and nobody
here about ecal reverse. So I'm really excited because you know,
have the possibility to represent not just my person as adelete,
but also my country. It's a big thing, and I'm
really excited and really proud of me and all the

(09:53):
people that were working with me to get here. And
I think that I'm really happy, and you know, it's
a big thing. But at the same time, as your
you know that you sometimes you just have it and
you need to get better to obviously get their number
of your country in best position. You went to a
Yukon football game, probably first American so I didn't understand

(10:18):
nothing about football. Okay, Yeah, but what's good. What's good
was really fun, you know, be all with my teammates.
But I'm trying to learn more about American culture and
also football Americans. So let's see you next football game.
How's going? But see the touch me something? I forgot everything,
But it's fine.

Speaker 3 (10:39):
Have you had a favorite experience off the court so far?

Speaker 1 (10:45):
I would say not yet. I think because you know,
we are too busy with practice and school, so we
try to figure out but we have too much time
to see So basketball back home? And why did you
get inspired to take it to this level? So my
mom played basketball before, and I think that in Nekular

(11:09):
is really famous. But even if the people basket follow
a lot. When I went to Italy, my decision was
really hard because you know, I was thirteen, I was
really young. My mom and I don't want to leave me.
But I think I was one of the best decisions
I get from me and from a family. And you know,
like since I started to play basketball, I really get

(11:33):
that passion, that love for basketball, and now it's part
of me. I don't know how to do without basketball.
And you know, it's also a way to learn not
just on the cour I always outside because it gives
you a lot of I think that you can use
it outside the course. So I really I have this
passion for display and this love for ex playing. So

(11:54):
that's why I'm here. How do you I'm sorry you.
So after my participation with the national team, they get
in contact with me and my family and my coaches,
and then they this offer. They made this offer to
be there, and you know, at the beginning of this offer,

(12:17):
they don't want to send me there because you know,
I was really young. But then we think about and
we say that it's just not now when I can live.
So then we were there and then we start. You know,
it was hard because I didn't speak Italian before I
get there, so I had to learn Italian, learn their culture,
learn that people, learn the agam because you know, even

(12:39):
if it's close, you know, I was young, so it
was hard. By saying that, I was fun because they
really gave me all of the things that I need
to grow up to get better every day and just
to make a decision to be here.

Speaker 3 (12:52):
And you can