ZS: It’s clear that shooting the basketball is the signature component of your game. You’ve been able to become a 20+ PPG scorer with a majority of your points on three-pointers and deep jumpers. What do you attribute this to?
NJ: I Definitely attribute it to shooting the basketball every single day. At practice, outside of practice. Consistently. I was told by one source that I was the best shooter in Florida. That’s a prestigious title given to me and I don’t want to lose that title.
I devote half of my practice time and training time to shooting. All types of different shots, situations, on and off the ball. Shooting is my strength so people often tell me to work on my weaknesses which I do and continue to do until they become strengths. Still, I always make sure I work on my shot above all to master it and make sure I never lose it.
ZS: How would you describe this team’s identity? Molding 12 different personalities and guys from various countries on one functional unit, how do you guys all buy in?
NJ: I would say the theme of this team is character. Everyone has character, everyone brings their own unique style to the team and is accepted for what they can do on the court. There are no ego clashes or concerns over who gets more minutes or shots. Because we have this attitude, we bring a fully rounded team on both sides of the floor.
ZS: What are some of the key principles coach (Derrick) De La Grana has ingrained in you guys and how do you apply them on a day-in, day-out basis?
NJ: The principles Coach D has ingrained in us is: help side defense, communicating loud on both sides of the floor generally because we are too quiet at times. On offense, swing the ball and get a couple passes in the offense before attempting to score. We find the right shot. Box out a body, grab the rebound and then push hard and get up the court fast to result in fast break opportunities.
ZS: What are the expectations for this year’s squad? Where is the bar set? What do you ultimately hope to accomplish when all is said and done this season?
NJ: Well what we hope to accomplish, and really the reason why we all play, is to win. No one plays especially competitive basketball at a high level wanting to lose or being okay with a loss here and there. That’s not acceptable at this level. We hope to accomplish victory and eventually go deep into the playoffs and conclude it by winning the SIAA tournament.
ZS: You be not be aware of this, but coach De La Grana was a tough-as-nails little guard at Florida Christian and then later at Reinhardt University and on the professional level. Does he ever lace the kicks up and jump in during practices?
NJ: He normally will get into the games and drills if there isn’t enough players or a group is short on a guy he will step up and play that role for the time being. But yes, he definitely still has it. He will participate in shooting and ball handling drills with us sometimes and it’s clear to see that his handles are still crispy and his shot is still there. He thinks he can beat me one on one though, so I’m going to have to show him out soon (laughs). But yes, he still has it no doubt.
ZS: Canada is making a major splash on the hoop scene in the U.S., especially here in Florida. You’ve got RJ Barrett (top-ranked Class of 2019 prospect) at Montverde Academy, Pitt-bound Marcus Carr at Montverde, Luguentz Dort (being recruited by Louisville, Florida, and Baylor) at Conrad Academy. When did this trend of Canadians coming to the U.S. start, assuming a young guy like you remembers Steve Nash or Jamal Magloire in their early days. How big is basketball in Canada?
NJ: I don’t know who started the trend of coming to the States to play basketball but when I was younger and playing back in Canada I thought to myself, ‘I could be good at this.’ This is what I want to do with my life, I decided, and the best way to get to what I wanted to be was to come to the USA and play. There is more exposure for players and in some cases better education. And yes, there are a lot of basketball players in Canada not only coming to Florida but to multiple other states across the nation in pursuit of their dream. Basketball in Canada is definitely on the uprise.
ZS: How would you describe the team’s relationship with (St. John’s commit) Zach Brown and how did you all react to the news of his arrest?
NJ: Everyone on our team loves Zach and Zach loves all of us. He was very open with us and told us that he finally felt like he found a home at Calusa with us. From basketball and how we treated him, he felt like he was at home. He was obviously a huge addition to the team, which is why everyone was upset at the latest news heard about him.
