Speaker 1 00:00:11 Hello, welcome to the roundhouse podcast. This is Paul Soro of Wichita state university, strategic communications. Thank you for listening. We are in the second, our series, introducing fans to Wichita state basketball newcomers. We will hear from Quincy Ballard, Colby Rogers, and Henry thal. Let's get things started with Quincy Ballard. Quincy Ballard is here with us. Quincy is a seven foot sophomore center. He is from Syracuse, New York, transferred to Wichita state from Florida state Quincy. So you've been here about three weeks, played some pickup games, practice worked out with your new teammates. Give us a name that, uh, the cha fans should be paying attention to. Who's made a, who's made a good impression on you so far.
Speaker 2 00:01:07 I mean, honestly, as far as dad, honestly, I might just say the team as a whole cuz um, we don't want play pickup, been developing chemistry all in, off the court, um, building relationships returning. Um, but yeah, I mean, I feel like this team can really be something special going on. Like toward the season,
Speaker 1 00:01:30 Several of your teammates have mentioned Craig Porter Jr. Who is of course the most experienced shocker coming back point guard. So he is kind of got all that natural leadership position going for him. Give us some impressions of Craig. How are you working with him?
Speaker 2 00:01:44 Uh, he does a great job, um, being a leader type person for the team and, um, mean off the car. He giving me rides to the gym and once we, um, required workout, whatever lifting. Um, but yeah, he is a really cool person to, um, talk to
Speaker 1 00:02:05 Excellent rise to the gym or important to get you where you need to go. So Quincy, if you weren't playing basketball, is there another sport that you might be playing?
Speaker 2 00:02:12 If I wasn't playing basketball? I would, I would probably honestly be a jar, like an artist.
Speaker 1 00:02:20 An artist. Okay. Yeah. Tell me more about that. What kind of things do you, what kind of art do you do?
Speaker 2 00:02:25 I mean, back then used to life doing like color, pencil drawings, John cartoons or anything within that. And um, nowadays I'd be doing like graphic design, possibly trying to get into like making merchandise or logos, whatever.
Speaker 1 00:02:43 Okay, excellent. Uh, you've been here about three weeks. We have a new strength and conditioning coach here. Ryan Horn. Give us your impressions of working with Ryan
Speaker 2 00:02:53 From I seeing him, he gives it all like every single day. Like he pushes us almost to limit. He pushes us to like, um, just basically just to be great. Like every time we, um, get into the, um, weight room or even in the courtroom practicing all that. And um, I will keep looking on forward to, um, being with him, talk to him, ask questions, whatever, but he has, he has a great type of energy.
Speaker 1 00:03:24 I'm gonna make you an NBA coach who is the NBA player you are going to pick to start your team.
Speaker 2 00:03:30 I might have to choose GS on the ball.
Speaker 1 00:03:33 So you're going with Giannis also. Why, what do you like about his game?
Speaker 2 00:03:37 And then he honestly almost can do it all. Like he's not like that was a Playmaker, but he's, he improves more than everyone else in the league can do. Like he improves in his jump, shot, all movement or yeah, Playmaker and all that. And um, being that he's in his prime, like he, he like, he literally just get to the rim with ease and um, people back up to him too much. He gonna shoot it. I was like I said, he's getting better with that. And um, I feel like he's a good person to start my team going on in the future.
Speaker 1 00:04:15 It's hard to argue that he, that is an excellent point. He's made a lot of improvements in his, in his skills in his time in the NBA. You've got an incoming freshman who says, Quincy, help me get through all this. This is all new to me. There's a lot going on. What advice do you give a, a newcomer to college athletics
Speaker 2 00:04:33 Thing? I'll say to them, you just gotta really take your time is really cause going to college. Like it is really what I learned. Like it's really all about time management, like getting to your classes, doing your work and then having time to like doing workouts practices and all that. I mean, I've learned that being that I was a freshman during the COVID times as well. I had to be online most of the time, so it was kind of easier, but um, I kind of slowed down so I was moving back and forth, but yeah, I've um, really gotten better at just managing my time,
Speaker 1 00:05:11 Time management, basketball and important skill. No doubt. Last question. Who's the best basketball player you've been on the court with
Speaker 2 00:05:19 Best basketball player I ever been in the court with. I have to, I had to say my, I had to say Scotty Barnes. I was, he was my Florida state teammate. We had a great relationship. He was, we was pretty close. Uh, he was a fun guy on and off the court. Um, I was supposed to play in AAU, but um, I changed to some different AAU team. So I never got to, um, see him play in person until like we both came to Florida state the same year. So I mean at great times, playing against him, um, playing with him and all that. He just, he was the type of guy that did all back when we was in Florida,
Speaker 1 00:05:59 State, Florida state, Scotty Barnes now with the Raptors. So he's with former shocker, Fred Vanel excellent choice. All right. Thank you, Quincy. Appreciate your time. No
Speaker 2 00:06:07 Problem.
Speaker 1 00:06:19 Colby Rogers is a six foot four junior guard. He is from Covington, Georgia. He transferred to Wichita state from Sienna Colby been here about three weeks. Played some pickup games, got some time in the, uh, in the weight room with your new teammates, hit us with a name that shocker fans should be paying attention to.
Speaker 3 00:06:38 Uh, JP
Speaker 1 00:06:41 John Pierre,
Speaker 3 00:06:42 John Pierre.
Speaker 1 00:06:42 And why?
Speaker 3 00:06:44 Uh, he's aggressive makes shots, uh, makes tough shots. Uh, he's hungry. Uh, I feel like he can definitely make an impact, uh, space to floor. Something that we all need.
Speaker 1 00:06:58 If you weren't playing basketball, Colby, what sport would you play?
Speaker 3 00:07:02 Football wide receiver.
Speaker 1 00:07:03 Okay. Did you play in high school?
Speaker 3 00:07:05 Uh, I played all the way up to like sixth grade and I started sixth
Speaker 1 00:07:09 Grade. Okay. And then just been a basketball player since then. Yeah. We have a new strength coach at Wichita state Ryan Horn. You've been working with him for a few weeks. Give us your impressions of Ryan Horn.
Speaker 3 00:07:20 Um, I like Ryan, he, uh, focuses on like smaller details that, um, you know, kind of make a difference with weight lifting. Um, a lot of band work, helping our tendons and helping us be more explosive, hit work, stuff like that. So he is been good.
Speaker 1 00:07:35 Okay. Everybody else has remarked on his energy, his enthusiasm. You went with more the technical, the, the details of weightlifting. Tell us about that. Why is that important to you? Or why did that stand out?
Speaker 3 00:07:46 Uh, well, you know, I've been in two different schools, so I had two different weight coaches. So the energy kind of is expected. Um, I'm more focused on like what can he do to get me over to hunt? What can he do to help me gain weight, help me be more flexible, stuff like that.
Speaker 1 00:08:01 Excellent. Wanna make an NBA coach? You get to pick anybody from the league to start your NBA team. Who's your first choice?
Speaker 3 00:08:07 LeBron,
Speaker 1 00:08:09 LeBron. And tell me why
Speaker 3 00:08:10 Been my favorite player since I was young, since he was the chosen one. Wasn't even the king yet. So LeBron
Speaker 1 00:08:17 And you've stuck with him through, from Cleveland to Miami, to Los Angeles through the whole thing.
Speaker 3 00:08:22 Yeah. Through everything, through all the hate,
Speaker 1 00:08:24 Through all the hate. Yes. Uh, what advice would you give an incoming freshman about college athletics?
Speaker 3 00:08:31 Um, manage your time? Uh, you can get kind of, I guess, overwhelmed with the schedule all the free times. Not like high school. So if you manage your time and just playing everything out, feel like you'd be good.
Speaker 1 00:08:43 You are an integrated marketing and communications major. Tell us about that. What, what is that setting you up for in maybe 10 years? 15 years, 20 years?
Speaker 3 00:08:52 Um, I'm still kind of trying to figure out what I really do with it. Uh, people say I talk good and have a nice voice stuff like that. So I'm just trying to see where that takes me.
Speaker 1 00:09:02 Okay. Who is the best basketball player you've been on the court with?
Speaker 3 00:09:07 Been on the court with? Um, I would say I played against cam reddish. It' probably the best one.
Speaker 1 00:09:15 And then was that in college?
Speaker 3 00:09:17 High school. High
Speaker 1 00:09:18 School? Yeah. All right. Colby Rogers. Thanks for your time. Appreciate
Speaker 3 00:09:21 It.
Speaker 1 00:09:32 Henry thal is a six foot six freshman guard. He is from Wichita, Kansas went to Cape and Mount Carmel Catholic high school. Henry. You've been here about three weeks working with the shockers, playing some pickup games, basketball camps, working out with your new teammates, hit us with a name or two. Who's made a good impression on you.
Speaker 4 00:09:50 Uh, I think the biggest guy for me was Gusto before just his size in athleticism. Uh, and he can hit the outside shot too. So GU really impressed me
Speaker 1 00:09:58 Gusto before. All right, we'll be talking to him, talking to him later. So Henry growing up here, tell us a little bit about your history with the shockers. Did you have a favorite shocker growing up? Did you come to games? Mm-hmm <affirmative> have a good autograph session with anybody, anybody like that?
Speaker 4 00:10:11 Um, my favorite shock was probably Ron baker. Uh, he was pretty inspirational to me. Like he was kind of, um, when I was growing up, like he was the big name around which Wichita and they went to the final four and had that UN defeated season. So that was pretty cool.
Speaker 1 00:10:23 Ron baker that's uh, that is indeed a big name. Mm-hmm <affirmative>. So Henry, if you weren't playing basketball, what sport would you be playing?
Speaker 4 00:10:31 Um, maybe track probably. Uh, that was probably my best sport other than basketball. Um, I ran the 800 in the mile, so I was pretty good at that, I guess. So, yeah.
Speaker 1 00:10:41 You also played football. We have a lot of football players on this, on this basketball team being a multi-sport athlete. How do you think that helps?
Speaker 4 00:10:48 Um, I think it just helps with time management the best, because like during football season, you gotta still be practicing basketball then during basketball, you still gotta keep keeping in shape for track. So kinda helps you, um, keep time. Well, so yeah,
Speaker 1 00:11:02 So we have two players on this team who played for basketball coach Steve E who's of course well known around Wichita, James Rojas played for him at Hutchinson community college. You'd played for, you played with, for Steve at Capen. Tell us about Steve E what, what makes him a fine basketball
Speaker 4 00:11:16 Coach? Uh, he's a great coach, but I think the little things is, uh, what he prides himself on the most. And then defensively, he's got a really unique, um, I guess, style of play and, uh, he helped us come together well, and he's a winner. So that helps too. Of course. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:11:31 So we have a new strength and conditioning coach at Wichita state, Ryan Horn. You've been working with him. Give us your impressions of, of Ryan.
Speaker 4 00:11:38 Uh, really enthusiastic, um, really focuses on the little things too and helps us like, like he helps us, um, get big, but he also like wants to work on us preventing injuries. So I think that's really key. And I like that.
Speaker 1 00:11:51 What's the adjustment been from a weight program at high school to now jumping into an NCAA division one weight
Speaker 4 00:11:57 Program. Uh, it's been good. We had really good strength coaches actually at Cape. And so that helped a lot. And uh, we did, uh, a lot of the stuff we did at Cape and where it's kind of, uh, transitioning to here. So I found that really helpful.
Speaker 1 00:12:08 So you felt prepared to come Cape actually. Yeah. I wanna make you an NBA coach, who is your first pick pick anybody you want start your own NBA team,
Speaker 4 00:12:16 Uh, Curry, because he's just <laugh> you see what he did? The warriors he's a, you can build any team around him. You want so, yeah.
Speaker 1 00:12:25 Good choice. We've had a lot of Steph Curry fans here. Uh, you are an incoming freshman, so you've got about, I guess three weeks of experience. Mm-hmm <affirmative> how would you describe it to this point? What advice would you give to somebody else who's maybe gonna be in this, this position?
Speaker 4 00:12:39 Uh, it's been great. I've enjoyed it. And, um, I guess my best advice would just be to enjoy the moment, uh, use time wisely and just embrace the opportunity that you have.
Speaker 1 00:12:48 So you would've had a lot of experience either being in the arena or watching on TV, the crowds at Coke arena and what it's like to be in this place. Yeah. When the shockers are rolling and fans are going crazy, how do you, how do you describe that to your teammates who maybe haven't been here for a game?
Speaker 4 00:13:03 I don't know if there is a way to too describe it, but, uh, it'll come fast. Um, and they get really loud. They get really rowdy and there's a lot of support here in Wichita. So I know if we start winning some games with it'll be packed. So it's gonna be a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 00:13:16 Who is the best basketball player you've been on the court with?
Speaker 4 00:13:20 Uh, probably Grady Dick from KU, but, uh, he's pretty cold. So we played against him a lot. He went to collegiate and um, we played a lot cuz we were in the same league. So yeah, it was fun.
Speaker 5 00:13:42 Hi, this is Rick MIMA, president of Wichita state university. Check out the latest episode of the forward together podcast. Each episode, I sit down with different guests from shock nation to celebrate the vision and mission of Wichita state university. Listen, wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 1 00:14:09 Thank you for listening to the roundhouse podcast, courtesy of Wichita state university's strategic communications. We appreciate your time. We encourage you to rate reviews, subscribe wherever you get your podcast, such as on iTunes or Google play. You can find more roundhouse
[email protected]. Thank you for listening
Speaker 6 00:14:31 And they let him pass it up. Court. Then he gets picked off along three by Pango. No good. One second. It's over. It is over and Wichita state has beaten the number one team in the nation to go to the sweet 16 go crazy Wichita. I know you are.
