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Postgame: Interviews with UVA players after loss to Duke

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UVA players London Perrantes, Isaiah Wilkins and Ty Jerome talk with reporters after the Cavs’ loss to Duke.

 

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Guard London Perrantes

On Virginia’s offensive struggles: “As weird as it sounds, I think this was one of our best defensive games. There were just tough plays at the end of the game by Jayson Tatum. I really think that it was like a Virginia team a couple years ago where we were just putting it all on the line on the defensive end. Our old Virginia teams didn’t have much offense. We need to find a happy medium. I’m happy with the offense we played today except for the last couple of minutes. We just have to find a way to keep battling. Big time players are going to make big time shots and that’s what he [Tatum] did.

On Duke’s strong start to the second half after Virginia’s positive end to the first: “What they started to run is what we do in practice, with the random ball screen action where the guard didn’t dribble, so he could either pass or make a move and the big guy was rolling. So, it was tough. We do that to ourselves in practice all the time and it’s really almost impossible to guard. That’s when they got into their rhythm at the beginning of the second half. We talk about it all the time in practice, how hard it is to guard. They just came out and started doing it and we have to find a way to get over it.”

On how he’s dealing with losing as one of Virginia’s winningest players: “I’m learning. I’m learning as much as everybody else is. It’s not something I’m used to. But as a leader of the team I just have to keep my head up, keep my spirits high, because we have games to play. We have another tough one Saturday. I’m trying to figure out how we can get the best out of everybody, regardless of if they’re not playing well. We’re just trying to keep everybody’s spirits high, because we need everybody confident as we’re going into postseason and the end of this season. I’m still learning but I’m just trying to be the best leader I can be right now.”

On opponent’s high shooting percentages in the second half: “When Jayson Tatum doesn’t miss, obviously, their shooting percentage is going to be high. It’s tough. I feel like we played pretty well defensively. There was one time we had the ball with five seconds left at half court and still ended up making the shot. We have to watch the film. I feel like Isaiah [Wilkins] did a good job contesting and doing things like that. He [Tatum] just made some big shots. Otherwise, everybody played pretty good defense. I don’t know how much Grayson [Allen] and [Luke] Kennard had, but I feel like we kind of kept them under wraps for a good amount of the game. I don’t know what else to tell you besides Jayson Tatum didn’t miss.”

 

Forward Isaiah Wilkins

On keeping Jayson Tatum well-guarded: “I tried to make them tough, he had some good shots. I played them alright for most of the game. He hit tough shots and I was trying to contest them.”

On shooting issues the last few games playing into the offensive struggle: “I don’t really know about offensive struggles in my shooting because I was taking open shots and posting up. I’m going to continue to take open shots when they’re there. If I don’t, it makes us struggle a little bit more because nobody is playing me. Up and down I find my rhythm, I’ve got life.”

 

Guard Ty Jerome

On settling down as the game progressed: “I don’t think anything changed. I had one turnover early and I told myself, ‘you have more basketball to play, stay confident.’”

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