... this evening at the Donofrio in Conshy.
He scored 30 points and did a great job rebounding and blocking shots against a team that featured Marcus Little and Lamar Stevens in the paint. It was physical inside and Painter didn't back down.
Post Game Interview:
VUSports: Tough loss for your team but you were really getting after it out there ...
Painter: It was a tough game. We just didn't make the plays that we needed to down the stretch. We were up about seven with two minutes left but we just didn't make the plays down the stretch.
VUSports: Was this game typical for you in terms of your motor and the way you got after it on the glass?
Painter: Yeah, I try to play as hard as I can every game. Whatever my team needs me to do to try to win - that is what I do.
VUSports: Your shot-blocking was impressive was that also typical?
Painter: I like blocking shots, that is one of my things. Sometimes I get dunked on but that happens when you are a shot-blocker.
VUSports: When do expect to get to campus?
Painter: I still need to talk to them about that. There season has been hectic - well, good hectic. I graduate June 7th so I have to see when they want me to come down.
Q: What was it like watching the National Championship game?
Painter: It was amazing. I was in Germany for the Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight and Final Four so I had to follow that on twitter because we couldn't get the live stream but I came home, watched the National Championship and was the most excited I have ever been in my life.
Q: Watching the team that you are going to play for was that a little surreal or?
Painter: Well, they were calling it the best Championship game ever and that is pretty cool and Kris Jenkins is going to go down in history as making one of the biggest shots in basketball history ever and that will be cool to be on the same team as him next year if he doesn't go to the NBA.
Q: When they win though do you feel that it will change the way the team is perceived next year?
Painter: I think Coach Wright does a good job of keeping everyone's head level so I don't think it will change how they prepare for everything. Everything will be the same excpet maybe a little more buzz around campus and around the media. I think inside the actual team it will stay pretty much the same.
Q: Will it change the way teams approach Villanova.
Painter: We are going to have a target on our back so we are going to have to go out and play hard every game.
Q: What have you improved the most on over your Senior season?
Painter: Ever since the season ended I have been trying to work on my footwork. My footwork isn't where it needs to be yet and my overall strength. I have put on about 10 pounds since the end of my Senior season. I am up to 240 now. I want to be about 245 when I get to campus and they said they are going to try to get my body fat down and then I will be 240 but shredded.
VUSports: And how tall are you now.
Painter: 6-10, I haven't been measured in a while and people say I may be 6-11 but last time I was measured I was 6-10.
VUSports: How are you looking forward to matching up against Omari Spellman in practice every day?
Painter: We have been talking a lot lately and having conversations. He say "I am going to dunk on you" and I say "well, I am going to dunk on you too". It is going to be pretty competitive. But on game day we are on the same team.
He scored 30 points and did a great job rebounding and blocking shots against a team that featured Marcus Little and Lamar Stevens in the paint. It was physical inside and Painter didn't back down.
Post Game Interview:
VUSports: Tough loss for your team but you were really getting after it out there ...
Painter: It was a tough game. We just didn't make the plays that we needed to down the stretch. We were up about seven with two minutes left but we just didn't make the plays down the stretch.
VUSports: Was this game typical for you in terms of your motor and the way you got after it on the glass?
Painter: Yeah, I try to play as hard as I can every game. Whatever my team needs me to do to try to win - that is what I do.
VUSports: Your shot-blocking was impressive was that also typical?
Painter: I like blocking shots, that is one of my things. Sometimes I get dunked on but that happens when you are a shot-blocker.
VUSports: When do expect to get to campus?
Painter: I still need to talk to them about that. There season has been hectic - well, good hectic. I graduate June 7th so I have to see when they want me to come down.
Q: What was it like watching the National Championship game?
Painter: It was amazing. I was in Germany for the Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight and Final Four so I had to follow that on twitter because we couldn't get the live stream but I came home, watched the National Championship and was the most excited I have ever been in my life.
Q: Watching the team that you are going to play for was that a little surreal or?
Painter: Well, they were calling it the best Championship game ever and that is pretty cool and Kris Jenkins is going to go down in history as making one of the biggest shots in basketball history ever and that will be cool to be on the same team as him next year if he doesn't go to the NBA.
Q: When they win though do you feel that it will change the way the team is perceived next year?
Painter: I think Coach Wright does a good job of keeping everyone's head level so I don't think it will change how they prepare for everything. Everything will be the same excpet maybe a little more buzz around campus and around the media. I think inside the actual team it will stay pretty much the same.
Q: Will it change the way teams approach Villanova.
Painter: We are going to have a target on our back so we are going to have to go out and play hard every game.
Q: What have you improved the most on over your Senior season?
Painter: Ever since the season ended I have been trying to work on my footwork. My footwork isn't where it needs to be yet and my overall strength. I have put on about 10 pounds since the end of my Senior season. I am up to 240 now. I want to be about 245 when I get to campus and they said they are going to try to get my body fat down and then I will be 240 but shredded.
VUSports: And how tall are you now.
Painter: 6-10, I haven't been measured in a while and people say I may be 6-11 but last time I was measured I was 6-10.
VUSports: How are you looking forward to matching up against Omari Spellman in practice every day?
Painter: We have been talking a lot lately and having conversations. He say "I am going to dunk on you" and I say "well, I am going to dunk on you too". It is going to be pretty competitive. But on game day we are on the same team.
