Video/Transcript: Ron Sanchez Weekly ACC Zoom Press Conference - 1/27

Watch the video below and follow along with the transcript underneath the video to see what Virginia men's basketball interim head coach Ron Sanchez had to say in the weekly ACC Men's Basketball Coaches Zoom call on Monday (January 27).

On the upcoming rivalry game against Virginia Tech on Saturday:

RON SANCHEZ: Yeah, I mean, some of these young guys that haven't been a part of this yet, they're going to get an education into the Commonwealth Clash here from some of our coaches - from Isaiah [Wilkins], from Kyle Guy, from Jason Williford and Chase Coleman. We're going to talk a lot about the meaning of that game, but before that, we really have to focus on the Miami game ahead of time.

On the pressure of maximizing the team's potential this season given the fact that the roster has a lot of young players with multiple years of eligibility remaining:

RON SANCHEZ: That was the plan to bring guys in that could not only be here for multiple years, but also be guys that can help us carry our culture forward. The one thing that has made the Virginia program so successful has not only just been the talent, but it has been the individuals and how they value what humility, unity, servanthood, thankfulness, and all those things are about. As far as the pressure to do it, because of the circumstances, I think it was a good plan. For now, what we're going to do is continue to help these guys improve and grow within both the offensive and defensive system. And we'll let the future kind of handle what it handles, trying to obviously win as many games as we can, but not losing focus of the original plan to begin with.

On how Sanchez evaluates the development of the roster and in particular the transfers:

RON SANCHEZ: I mean, 15 games, 16 games, it's not enough to get it because you are growing what it matters. It's not, it's not practice. You're learning your lessons and your mistakes are costly. So for some guys is, man, can we just really use every lesson that we learn? Really being thankful for what we learn in some of these situations? We've played some pretty good, competitive defensive basketball at times. You know, you see it. You see it there. The question is, how do we continue to build that so that it can go for 40 minutes, as opposed to 30 or 35 and at times it's been 20. So I think some of them are grasping what we're trying to do and adjusting. Then you add to that having to prepare and game plan for an opponent. So not only are you learning some of the things, you also have to systematically or strategically adjust to how to stop an opponent from doing what they want to do on the offensive end.

On the development of Anthony Robinson:

RON SANCHEZ: Anthony, he's a redshirt first year for us. And what I like about Anthony right now is that he's really trying to and starting to understand his ball screen coverages. He's impacting what he needs to impact, adjusting what he needs to adjust. He's really kind of picking things up a lot quicker. Again, he's another guy who only has about 15, 16, games under his belt, so hasn't played 20, 30, minutes. So he's really learning on the fly as well. What I like is his ability to rebound the ball. He's getting better at finishing around the rim and kind of catching passes that maybe 12 months ago he wasn't able to finish those plays. So for him, he's a future guy. He has the physical makeup, the explosiveness and the foot quickness to be a good collegiate player. So for us, it's just continuing to invest in him and trying to see how he can become the best version of himself this season.

On if Ishan Sharma will be available for Wednesday's game at Miami:

RON SANCHEZ: I haven't met with staff yet, but I'm hopeful that the weekend and last week gave him enough energy to feel better. I think it was the flu, hit him pretty hard, and I'm hopeful, I am hopeful, that he will be able to practice today.

On the conversation Sanchez had with Notre Dame head coach Micah Shrewsberry in the handshake line after Saturday's game:

RON SANCHEZ: Yes, something happened in the game. I don't know what it was. He shared some comments to the ref. Somebody said something, and he was trying to talk to me in the middle of the game, and I just told him. I said, I have no idea what you were talking about. I said, if there's something that I need to address, I'll address it so you and I can figure it out later. And he just said, this was, you know, we're all competitors. We're trying to be the best version of ourselves in here. So, you know, you're doing a really good job. Kind of keep going. And that was it. I was just making sure that there wasn't a mixed message sent about who we are as a team and how we compete and how we respect our opponent.

On if Ron Sanchez is familiar with Bill Courtney, the interim head coach at Miami:

RON SANCHEZ: I know Bill really well, actually, and I do understand what he's going through. We all, I'm sure that we're both so sympathetic. One of my assistants from Charlotte is actually one of his assistants at Miami, so there is a connection there. And we're all just trying to the best that we can. I have not spoken to bill since Coach Larrañaga stepped down. I think that we're both pretty busy right now to connect, but I'm sure that we'll have a chance to catch up at some point in Miami.

On how Sanchez first met Bill Courtney:

RON SANCHEZ: In the coaching circles, you know, of course, you know his time here also, you know. So, I mean, we're kind of just friendly throughout. Of course, Coach Larrañaga and I are friends as well. Coach Larrañaga's wife is a Charlotte grad. So, I mean, we all have, you know, this is such a small basketball world. We're all connected one way or the other.

On handling the challenge of players checking out mentally and thinking about where they could transfer after the season:

RON SANCHEZ: That's a great question, it really is. When you are in this position, it's more than basketball, especially when things happen abruptly this way. There's been a psychological component to it. My main priority in all of this has always been to make sure that the guys are in a great space mentally, you know, I try to be unbelievably encouraging to them. Not in the position of, wow, you know, why has this happened? This is more, you know, how is this good for you? Why has this happened for me, as opposed to why this happened to me? So for them, you guys are going to be the best version of yourselves when you're 25, 26, 27 years old. This is part of your journey. So let's just continue to embrace it. Let's continue to invest in one another. As a coach, I want to be the best coach that I can be. As a player, you want to be the best player that you can be, and we have to be where our feet are, and those are conversations that we do have. So it's not something that we don't communicate. And my goal is to make sure that these guys know that my door is always open. I'm coaching them on the couch just as much as I'm coaching them on the court. They are my main priority over anything else that they are in a great space and that they feel appreciated, have a sense of belonging, and they know that they're representing a great institution in the ACC.

On the increase in scoring numbers across the ACC, but decline in overall quality around the league this season and if the transfer portal has made it harder to be good at defense:

RON SANCHEZ: I do believe that the turnover in rosters impacts how well you do defend. Defense, as much as it is a talent, individual thing, there's obviously some understanding systematically of whatever any coach is trying to emphasize and teach. I mean, this season we have eight, basically eight new guys within our defensive system. Putting on the Virginia uniform does not make you a good defender. It is the practice, the drill, the emphasis, the teaching, the time that's invested into that. So I do believe that, because of the number of new players within the league, I think that and also losing certain players in the league, for us, losing Reece Beekman and Ryan Dunn in particular, has impacted our defense drastically. I know Reece had one more year and Ryan had two more years of eligibility. So losing guys early for whatever reason does impact your roster as well.

On what the challenges are of teaching and executing the Pack Line Defense in today's age of college basketball:

RON SANCHEZ: The thing about the Pack, there is an understanding of what the Pack actually is and what it is that you're trying to accomplish. And then there's - how do you do that? There are a lot of nuances to it with positioning and stance and close outs. Some of our guys have had a difficult time closing out and fouling three point shooters. And I think at times, some of those have been questionable, but there are a lot of little things I think you need to improve. You need to understand there's a level of anticipation that comes with it that you only get through rehearsal, unless you're just instinctively, like an Isaiah Wilkins, a Ryan Dunn, just an anticipatory player. Some guys are kind of reactive. And the only way you get there is through habits to teaching, to drilling, and it just doesn't happen overnight. But guys are getting better, they are improving. And I think that's the biggest challenge of the Pack is you got to teach it from day one. And it's nice when you already have a foundation in it. So maybe part of the recruitment, you know, teams that want to play the Pack should be, recruit guys that have played in the Pack system. So then maybe they have a foundation in it already. So you're not starting from, Pack 101, as I like to say, so, but there is, there was a lot of learning. The defense is connected, it's five guys, they gotta be completely connected. And one guy screws up his coverage and all of a sudden the possession breaks down.