Kevin Keen Quotations

To play the way we did for two days in a row . . . things just went our way again today.

She's a talented young lady and will be impossible to replace.

I am so pleased for the kids. I told the kids that this was maybe one of the more satisfying wins I think we've ever had. With Ellie out sick, everyone stepped up and did what they had to do. I couldn't be prouder of any group than I am of this one.

Having done this 18 years, I'm realistic enough to know that you need a few breaks along the way.

That was big. Instead of being down by 10 or 12 points, we were only down two. I thought that was the difference in the game.

You always hope you can get up here. The last two years we really had high hopes. Not that we didn't this year, but to go undefeated in the regular season two years in a row and not get to the state tournament was disappointing. That makes this extra satisfying.

We couldn't ask for much more. We hung right with them. We took a took a good team to overtime and just didn't get it done.

This was like a mini-tournament for us. We knew that each game was going to be bigger than the previous one if we kept winning.

When you make shots, it's a pretty easy game.

Everybody stepped up tonight. You hope to get those performances from your key players in big games.

Ellie went to the basket hard (all weekend). She was hungry. I think she wanted this state title more than anything. She did a great job.

Ellie's an amazing athlete and an outstanding individual. The kids look to her because she's got that state experience in other sports. She's been an amazing kid at Monroe and it's tough to see her leave.

After coming close the last two years, this is special.

As long as we take care of business, we can't do anything worse than tie.

About 3 minutes left I took a timeout and I just told them that we have to get back to playing as a team. I think they took it to heart...they know what got us here and from that point on we took control.

It's a chance to get a little accustomed to the surroundings, but it will be different with several thousand people in here on Friday afternoon. Part of it, though, is getting a little bit of the excitement of being here out of the way, from when we walk in here for the first time.

It means that I had some great players. They play the games.

It's going to be tough to see her leave.

It's going to be tough to see her go. She has been a consistent player for us for four years. She made a great impact not only on our basketball program but on our community, too.

It's pretty impressive, isn't it?. To hold them to 33 is outstanding.

It speaks volumes of the kids. They're the ones who play the games, and I'm forever indebted to this group.

That just tells you how difficult it is to get here.

It was like Monroe North here. I thank our fans, the kids responded to (the cheering).

It was a good ball game. You want to head into the tournament playing good basketball. I thought we played well tonight.

I'm really proud of their effort. To take the Division 1 fifth-ranked team to overtime without your starting point guard, I'm pleased with that.

I'm tired. I feel like I played out there tonight.

I know that was in the back of these kids' minds. We talked about it when we went out tonight and reinforced it at halftime. We remembered the feeling of losing last year and we didn't want to have that same feeling when we left this place tonight. They were very determined and set their mind to it.

Hey it's state tournament, I am not fussy where we play.

I don't see a reason for doing it. If it doesn't add something to the game, why do it?

I don't think we came out ready to play. I'm not convinced having a bye is a great thing. We were close to letting things get away.