Your Husky Run times:

1. (overall) Jon Gill, Walllingford, 17:45

(UConn)

1. Daniel Hamilton, 20:31
2. Kentan Facey, 21:41
3. Omar Calhoun, 22:43
4. Steve Enoch, 23:24
5. Christian Foxen, 23:48
6. Jalen Adams, 24:59
7. Sterling Gibbs, 25:12
8. Rodney Purvis, 25:34
9. Terry Larrier, 26:15
10. Shonn Miller, 26:15
11. Phillip Nolan, 26:30
12. Nnamdi Amilo, 29:44


Daniel Hamilton addresses the crowd prior to the run:



Kevin Ollie speaks with the media:



Daniel Hamilton crosses the finish line first among his UConn teammates -- backwards -- with a time of 20:31.




Some notes 'n quotes off the run:

KEVIN OLLIE

(on the Husky Run)

“It’s important -- spending time with the fans, seeing them run, seeing us run. It’s about starting something and finishing something. That’s kind of our motto: whatever we start, we want to finish. That hill on the back side always gets you. But you’ve got to persevere. Just like the season, there’s gonna be some ups and downs, but you’ve got to get to the finish line. It’s really not a race to win, it’s a race against yourself. You want to finish.”

(on the team's newcomers)

“They’re fitting in great. That’s one thing I really want to see early -- team chemistry. They’re doing a wonderful job coming in and bringing leadership. They’re not scared to challenge people. We don’t want them to come in and take a back seat, because they’re gonna play a pivotal role in our success.”

(on Daniel Hamilton)

“I think he always had confidence in how good he could be. It’s just putting the work in, seeing the results. I think he saw some great results last year, but he definitely wants to improve on shooting percentage, being a better decision-maker, taking better shots. But he did some wonderful things last year. Now, you’ve just got to take what you do well now and do it even better. I’ve been seeing some remarkable growth throughout this preseason.”

“He’s gonna be on everybody’s list to stop. We had Ryan Boatright, I bet you he had the big star on his name. Now, Daniel’s gonna have that star on his name. The good thing is we have a lot of players that are gonna have that star on their names. It’s not gonna just be one guy. That’s a good thing for a coach to have options, and to have a team that’s deep.”

(on SMU)

“We hate for that to happen to SMU ... I just hate for it to happen to a very dear friend of mine. I know they’re gonna get better from the situation and hopefully go forward. We’ve got to go forward as a university, as a conference. We still have some great teams that are gonna have the opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament.”

“I can’t tell you that, you’re gonna have to call Larry about that. But, knowing him, he’s been down a lot of times in his life. The good thing about being down, a week later, he’s back up and at it again. I don’t think that’s gonna change now. I think he’s gonna look at it as a learning circumstance, and I think he’ll get better. But he’s a great man, he’s been very influential in my life. I just wish him the best going forward.”

*** Amida Brimah sat out the run. He rolled his ankle in his final GHPA game in August, but should be fine for Saturday's first practice.

Sam Cassell, Jr. also sat out the Husky run. Trainer James Doran didn't want him pounding his stress fracture for 3.1 miles on blacktop. He's good to go Saturday, too.

HAMILTON
“I said I was gonna win it a couple of weeks ago, so I had to make sure I lived up to that.”

“Definitely a different attitude. I want to win, like UConn does. I just want to come in, win and make a huge impact.”

“I’m in the best shape of my life.”

“I’m ready to come in and lead and just win, that’s the main thing. We win, everybody’s having fun and everybody looks good.”

“We’re more together. We all come to the gym at the same time, nobody’s separate from each other. We’ve got the team mindset. The new guys are fitting in real well, putting in their work at nighttime. They’re dragging me to come in the gym. That’s always a good sign.”

“I had way too many turnovers -- two turnovers a game, that’s a lot a game, and I’m not even a point guard. I’ve got to defnitely cut down on that.”

(on speculation he'll go pro after this year)

“That’s a distraction outside the locker room. I don’t want to make a distraction outside the locker room, because that could affect the way we play. I just want to come in and play our game, play the way UConn wants to play. That’s getting wins.”

OMAR CALHOUN:

“I’m feeling real good, better than I felt last year coming in. I did a lot of rehab over the summer, so I’m feeling 100-percent right now. Hopefully I can stay this way and just continue to improve.”

a lot of track work, working on mobility, flexibility, lot of strengthening core, when I was in boot, strengthen everything else

“I want to show everyone the kind of player I really am. I’ve been dealing with injuries basically every year, besides my freshman year. Hopefully, I can get the year I want my senior year. Make a big run in the tournament, that’s the plan.”

“I’ve always been a competitive person. It should be fun. Whoever’s the best is gonna be on the court at the end of the day.”

PURVIS:

“Everything with me is off the flow of the game. I’m pretty fast, so I’ll let my speed get me out in transition to get me going. It’s a great thing to have a lot of weapons, but just because you have a lot of weapons doesn’t mean you have to take your foot off the gas. The more scoring, the more points, the more wins we’ll get.”

“He’s even surprised me how much more he’s opened up. Last year he was a freshman. When you’re a freshman, you’re kind of figuring yourself out. You’re coming to a locker room with a lot of older guys. With his summer and with that year, he’s really opened up a whole lot. He’s kind of like a differnet person. Last year, he was the quietest in the locker room. Now, he’s one of the loudest. That’s always a positive.”

“I dedicated my whole summer pushing myself and preparing myself for this moment. It’s not really good to say, but I really do feel like this is my team. I’ve got to step up and be that guy and be that coach on the floor. It’s a huge role, a huge task, but I’ve got to give my credit to Coach Ollie. He’s really working with me each and every day. I really credit him.”

History was made when 7-foot sophomore Amida Brimah won the Husky Run this afternoon.

“That’s probably the first time in history a big guy won the Husky Run," Kevin Ollie noted. "That’s very impressive. Records are meant to be broken. I imagine nobody’s done that -- ever.”

Brimah certainly looked proud of his victory, accomplished in a time of 20:22.



“That’s an amazing sign," Ollie continued. "I like that. We know he can run. I think he said his forte is long distance running. He proved that. I had to ask him who’s got DeAndre’s spot. He said, ‘I got it, Coach.’”

Ollie also competed in the event, something no one can recall Jim Calhoun ever doing (though he may have done it at some point in his first couple of seasons as coach). He finished with a time o 21:25, behind only Brimah and Omar Calhoun.

Jon Gill, a Lyman Hall student, won the event with a time o 18:30. Here's how UConn's players finished:

1. Amida Brimah, 20:22.
2. Omar Calhoun, 20:51.
3. Kevin Ollie, 21:25.
4. Kentan Facey, 21:48.
5. Ryan Boatright, 21:50.
6. Terrence Samuel, 22:12.
7. Daniel Hamilton, 24:01.
8. Rodney Purvis, 25:37.
9. Sam Cassell, Jr., 25:38.
10. Phillip Nolan, 25:46.
11. Nnamdi Amilo, 26:40.
12. Rakim Lubin, 29:14.

Pat Lenehan didn't compete, due to a left foot injury.

Here's Ollie and Boatright addressing the crowd before the start of the race:

Just got off the phone with new UConn recruit Phillip Nolan, who seems like a real nice, polite young man. Here's what he had to say.

"In my opinion, UConn is one of the best programs in the Big East. I know a couple of guys are transferring, and that opens up minutes at UConn. I know if I work hard enough, I'll be able to attain some minutes as a freshman."

Nolan said the questions surrounding how long Jim Calhoun will stay as head coach, as well as next year's almost certain postseason ban, didn't bother him.

"Not at all. I'm just excited to be a part of the UConn family. None of that stuff really bothers me. Coach Calhoun is not the only coach at UConn I have a relationship with. I'd like for him to stay as head coach, if that's what he wants to do, but it wouldn't change my decision."



Nolan said he's been in contact with Calhoun and assistant Kevin Ollie. He said that "nothing's been promised to me. They let me know that minutes will be available, it depends how hard I work, how bad I want it."

As for the postseason ban: "t really dosn't bother me. UConn is just the place for me."

(Give us a like on Facebook, if you get a chance!)

Nolan said he visited St. John's last weekend and Oregon and Clemson last fall. He'll make his first visit to UConn on Sunday.

Nolan played at two different public high schools and two different prep schools. He played this past season at Riverside University High in Milwaukee, his hometown. Nolan explains his nomadic high school life:

"My freshman and sophomore year I went to the same public school in Milwaukee. After my sophomore year, I went to prep school and thought it was going to be great. I was a little immature, and it didn't really work out for me. I came back home and ended up going to another prep school .. and that just didn't work out for me, either. Instead of going back to my original high school, I wanted to be at a high school near my home. Riverside is one of the best public schools in the city, and after prep school, I realized how imprtant grades were and (wanted to be in a good academic situation)."

Nolan says his strengths are rebounding, blocking shots, running the court. He admits he needs to get stronger, but has already bulked up from 187 at the end of the season to 209 pounds through working out four-five times a week with a personal trainer, downing protein shakes etc.

Phillip Nolan, UConn's newest recruit (and first since the program learned it will almost certainly be banned from next year's postseason), is "6-10, long, shoots pretty well from the outside," according to his high school coach, Tyrone Lewis.

"To be that long and tall like that, he can run the floor pretty well," added Lewis, who coached Nolan for just this past season at Milwaukee's Riverside University high school. "He can mix it up, and step back and hit jump shots, also."

Lewis said that Nolan was being recruited by Clemson, Marquette, Oregon, St. John's and DePaul, among others, and had visited Oregon, St. John's and Clemson. Nolan has yet to visit UConn, but Lewis believes that Nolan will be doing so early next week.

Lewis admitted that, after talking to him last week, he was "surprised" the big man chose UConn.

"But I think he's very happy with his decision," said Lewis.

Nolan could see minutes right away, as UConn's frontcourt was further depleted on Thursday when Michael Bradley officially announced he's leaving the program and heading to Western Kentucky University.

Nolan is well-traveled, having played for a couple of prep schools and public schools in the Milwaukee area. He had to sit out part of this past season until the MIAA cleared him to play a little after Christmas.

Lewis said Nolan averaged 16.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and three blocks per game. He shot 70 percent from the foul line and 62 percent from the floor. He also made three of the four 3-pointers he attempted.

Lewis said Nolan "did a pretty good job with academics" at Riverside.

Recruits do still want to come to UConn!

Philip Nolan, a  a Class of 2012, 6-foot-10, 200-pound power forward out of Milwaukee, tweeted earlier today that he has verbally committed to UConn. Nolan is the 30th-ranked power forward in his class, according to scout.com.

We'll have more later ...