[2020] Week 9 POTW

[SageBow]

Week 9 POTW

St. Bonaventure C Lawrence Baker 6-10 Jr [California*****]

 

 

Junior center Lawrence Baker had a dominate Week 9 and won his first career POTW award. He was able to sit down with one of our reporters here at SageBow News Network.

 

Congratulations Lawrence. Huge week 9 got you your first National Player of the Week award. You are the first junior to ever win, tell me how do you feel beating out every senior in America?

 

Thanks a bunch for the award, but at the end of the day I'm just happy we got the win against a top five team in the country. If I have to dominate in every game in order to get big wins like that, I'll do it. I also just think I'm marginally better than a lot of seniors around the country, take that as you will. We're coming for the conference chip and then the natty. Go Bonnies!

 

Huge double double in a tough loss to Jacksonville. How did you manage to own the post with such authority?

 

Going into that game, coach and I looked at their roster and saw they didn't really have a good big that matched up with me well. I used that extra foot or more that I had on everyone to get the hook shot going inside. I didn't have a great day shooting from the outside, which could have pushed us to win that one, but the presence I was able to have inside gave me a lot of confidence going into that game later in the week.

 

Speaking of the game later in the week, the Bonnies beat a highly touted Georgetown team by a ton. How did this victory come together?

 

It was just a combination of everything coming together at the right time. Of course Frank, Devin, and I had to put up our numbers, but getting big contributions from guys like Emil Bueno hitting double figures was a huge boost to the whole squad. At the same time its hard to ignore the defensive part, we were really able to shut the Hoyas offense down. At the end of the day if the other team can't score we always have a great chance.

 

The Bonnies have been hot down the stretch. As you get close to the conference tournament what have you personally been working on to improve your own game?

 

I've been working more on setting up my teammates. Like I said before, when I have an extra foot on other people it can be easy to get in the mindset of: I have to score I have the advantage here. In reality after I start scoring a bunch the double and triple teams will come, I've been working a ton on dishing to teammates out of the paint, and off of rebounds. When our bench sparks and other role players are scoring we win ball games.

 

Lawrence you've definitely been effective in dragging defenders into tough situations. For a successful season in your mind, what's the goal the Bonnies need to meet?

 

Of course we want to reach the pinnacle. A national championship is always the goal, but realistically I just wanna get through the regular season first. We have to go win the regular season conference championship and punch our ticket. I don't wanna set my sights too low or too high, we just have to take every game one at a time.

 

Thanks for the interview Lawrence. Before I leave do you have any shoutouts?

 

No Problem, shout out Mom, Dad, and everyone back home in San Diego!

 

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Previous Winners:

Week 1 - Colorado State C Steven Howard 7-0 Jr [Pennsylvania****]

Week 2 - Tulane F Roger Stewart 6-8 Sr [Kansas****]

Week 3 - Tennessee F Raymond Rivera 6-5 Sr [New Hampshire****]

Week 4 - SMU F Jose Foster 6-5 Sr [Florida****]

Week 5 - SMU F Jose Foster 6-5 Sr [Florida****]

Week 6 - Tulane F Roger Stewart 6-8 Sr [Kansas****]

Week 7 - Saint Mary's G Francis Doyle 6-2 Sr [Wisconsin***]

Week 8 - Tennessee F Raymond Rivera 6-5 Sr [New Hampshire****]

Week 9 - St. Bonaventure C Lawrence Baker 6-10 Jr [California*****]