Bertrand
June 2, 2011 11:42 AM
Great kid. Won't find a better one. Excels when he can use his athleticism, does good work in the weightroom. Strength coach Jimmy Price tells me Joe Bertrand had 12 reps of 185 pounds and squatted around 450 pounds in testing. Now he needs to find a position and make an impact. I thought associate head coach Wayne McClain, who has worked extensively with Joe Bertrand, put it best when I asked him recently about the guard.
"We're telling him, 'It's now or never.' He's got to step up to the plate," McClain said. "I think he did a good job (in spring workouts) of showing the other guys he's someone they will have to reckon with. These guys are going to have some guys coming in to push them. And when you are a guy that is returning, you have to establish yourself. I think that is our message to them."
He's a wild card. He has the athletic ability to play minutes. But does he have that edge? The opportunity is there.
Klee chat
"We're telling him, 'It's now or never.' He's got to step up to the plate," McClain said. "I think he did a good job (in spring workouts) of showing the other guys he's someone they will have to reckon with. These guys are going to have some guys coming in to push them. And when you are a guy that is returning, you have to establish yourself. I think that is our message to them."
He's a wild card. He has the athletic ability to play minutes. But does he have that edge? The opportunity is there.
Klee chat
Filed under: Illini Basketball
