June 15, 2004

NEW ORLEANS, La. - With the Tulane boys basketball camp going on this week, head coach Shawn Finney is busy with much younger basketball players than he is used to. However, thoughts of his own Green Wave players are never far from his head. TulaneGreenWave.com took advantage of a break in camp action to get Finney's early summer outlook on the Tulane men's basketball team.

How do you feel about next season?
I am excited about next season. When you look at Ivan Pjevcevic [Sr., 7-0, 242, Belgrade, Serbia) coming back, it brings great experience for such a young team. I am excited to put the pieces together. You have Quincy Davis [Jr., 6-9, 232, Los Angeles, Calif.) coming off a great year, blocking shots, scoring down low; and it showed what a great player he was that teams double-teamed him constantly throughout the season. They didn't want him to have a big night. With Ivan back, it will make that [double-teaming] more difficult for our opponents. His long-range shooting is going to really propel our team.

Who is the key player for your team this year?
I have always thought that the point guard is the key to any team. As Marcus Kinzer [Sr., 5-10, 187, Nashville, Tenn.] and Vincent Camper [So., 6-3, 205, Oxford, Miss.] go, so goes our team. Quincy had a break-out year last year, he led us in scoring, he needs to continue to improve in order for us to be successful. Ivan's return will also be key, as will how the team comes together with him back on the court. The bottom line is that we need to play as a team. We do not have one player who is going to lift us to the NCAA Tournament. If we play together as a team, that is how we will reach success.

You mentioned Ivan and Quincy; who else is inside who will make an impact this year?
You have to look at Kory Castine [So., 6-8, 245, Marrero, La.]; he is such a banger. He brings energy, enthusiasm and just plays so hard, that really is a big key for us inside. Then we are very excited about David Gomez [Fr., 6-8, 235, Baton Rouge, La.], on paper, he is the best high school player we have ever signed. He can play inside and out, he runs the floor, he has good range, and I think he is going to have an impact as a freshman inside.

Do you see Marcus Kinzer's role changing as a senior?
Marcus started every game last year; he gained great experience and he is working extremely hard this summer. He has added some weight and muscle and he needed to add that strength. He is understanding that he needs to be more of a leader on a day-to-day basis and he is really starting to grasp that role and buy into it.

Your other senior is Ben Benfield; what do you see him providing this year after showing excellent improvement last year?
Ben Benfield [Sr., 6-3, 181, River Ridge, La.] is always going to bring offense to the game. He is working hard this summer and he is getting better as a basketball player. Last season, when he went into a little bit of a slump, he found a way to fight through it and that is a sign of him maturing as a basketball player and as an individual.

You haven't mentioned Vytas Tatarunas as an inside or an outside player. What is his role?
Vy Tatarunas [Jr., 6-6, 237, Kaunas, Lithuania) is going to be our versatile player. He is going to play some three and four. He is so good around the basket. He's got that big strong body, he can really post-up deep; he can hit the three. He causes a lot oof match-up problems, especially being in the game with Ivan, they can both stretch the defense and at the same time, they both can play around the basket. That is going to give us good size advantages at time.

Vincent Camper showed great flashes last year. Do you see him becoming more consistent this season?
Vince had an ankle injury last year [summer] and he put on some weight. But he has that weight off and that's a big key for him. When he can play around 200 or 205, he is a very effective player. He brings toughness; he penetrates; he's a great passer. It's toughness that we are always looking for in a basketball player, and he has that.

How will the loss of Wayne Tinsley affect your team?
Wayne is going to be a big loss for us. He was a four-year starter; he grew into a scoring role last year. He is a guy who has meant a lot to this program over the last four years and you're always going to miss that kind of player. But we have some guys who can fill that gap. We have Chris Moore on the wing who can really shoot it; Donnie Stith [Fr., 6-8, 215, Virginia Beach, Va.] and Matt Wheaton [Fr., 6-5, 190, Houston, Texas] are two athletic wing players coming in. They will bring a lot of athleticism that we missed last season.

Chris Moore showed great shooting range last year. How has he progressed?
Chris Moore [So., 6-5, 177, McKinley, Texas] is working harder than anybody in the program this summer. He is trying to drive himself to be a better player. I think he will surprise a lot of people this year.

Will Ivan Pjevcevic be the biggest difference in this team?
It is still early, because he is coming back from a knee injury. He is running now, but until we can get him out there playing basketball in September, we won't know the affects of the knee surgery on him. Hopefully, there will be no effect, and if that's the case, he is going to have a big impact on this team.

Whose game stands to be most affected by Ivan's return?
I think he is going to really help Quincy a lot, because they really doubled big-on-big a lot. By being able to stretch the defense and have another shooter on the court, especially in that spot, it makes it a little bit more difficult for other teams. Ivan is a smart basketball player; he is a smart person, he has two degrees from Tulane already. He understands how to play, he is a good communicator, and with that, he can transfer some of his confidence to the rest of the team.

Who do you think the most under-rated player on the team is?
According to perception, Quincy Davis is the most under-rated on our team, but coaches in the league made him a focal point defensively. By the end of the season, he grasped how to deal with the double-teams a lot better and that is something he needs to carry over to next season to go to the next level.

What will Robinson Louisme bring to the lineup as a rookie?
Robinson Louisme (Fr., 6-8, 262, Fort Myers, Fla.) is just a big banger insider. He knows how to use his body and has great hands. He is an under-sized post player with a great feel for the game. When he develops, he is going to be a force down there.

You signed Taylor Rochestie late, what were you thoughts on him?
Being thin at point guard, getting a guy like Taylor Rochestie [Fr., 6-1, 175, Santa Barbara, Calif.] brings another dimension to the team. He is a pure point guard; he has a lot of toughness; he can score from the perimeter; he really understands how to play and he has that leadership mentality.

Which freshmen are the most likely to contribute immediately?
I would have to say David Gomez, because of his versatility. You always have to look at Matt Wheaton and Donnie Stith for their athleticism. Wheaton is probably one of the best jumpers I have recruited here. We needed that, that's why we signed both of them. That's not saying they can't shoot or handle the basketball, but we needed to add athleticism to this team and that was the big key in signing those two guys.