Mississippi State's Dellquan Warren, Amier Ali and Quincy Ballard eager for productive season

Entering Wednesday’s season opener against North Alabama, Mississippi State’s roster will feature a mixture of transfers, returnees and freshmen. Last week the majority of that mixture met with the media at Humphrey Coliseum, some for the first time as a Bulldog player.

Among one of those groups was returning sophomore Dellquan Warren and transfers Amier Ali and Quincy Ballard. After being injured early in the summer with a broken foot, Warren rebounded to have a strong offseason. Meanwhile, Ali and Ballard are adjusting to a new program and working to find their role within head coach Chris Jans’ system:

Q: Dellquan, once you got healthy this summer, where was your confidence level at and what did you focus on?
Warren: I’ve really been trying to get my confidence up over the summer, especially sitting out. Just getting comfortable, taking those shots and being more aggressive, just to open up for me and my teammates. So that was the next step for me.

Q: Dellquan, how did last year’s experiences help you going into your sophomore year?
Warren: I feel like it helped a lot, to be honest, especially being with a lot of older guys last year and learning from them from practice and off the court. I feel like I learned a lot, especially being behind Hubb (Josh Hubbard), too. I feel like I’ve grown a lot learning from those guys.

Q: Amier, what was that transition here like when facing a team like Houston in the exhibition game?
Ali: I already knew kind of what it was from playing them last year. Hard-nosed, physical, defensive team. I was just more focused on playing hard and helping my team whatever I can do on the floor, getting loose balls. I know how they are and I just wanted to match that energy in the game. Like I said, I knew what it was from playing them last year. They are a really good team and physical. All of us tried to match their energy and I think we did a great job.

Q: What did you take away from that exhibition game against Houston?
Ballard: We had some good stuff happen. Obviously, we also have some stuff we have to work on. Coach Jans emphasizes to see where we were at. Houston was a pretty good test for us, as a whole.
Warren: Just to piggyback off of what Q (Ballard) said, I feel like Houston was great and the best test for us. We got a lot of good and bad information. So I feel like these next couple of practices will be really intense. We are just trying to take away a couple of things from (Houston) to make us better. Not trying to take their identity or nothing, but just trying to take a couple of things that they do and mesh their culture and bring it over here to State and make us better overall, as a team.

Q: Dellquan, in what ways do you feel this year’s team is better than last year’s team?
Warren: I feel like we are more together. I feel like we are more together as a team on and off the court. Off the court we like each other. So on the court it’s not really as hard to play with each other and stuff like that. It’s not like anybody is for themselves as individuals. I feel like it is more of a team thing and everybody just has the same mindset and just trying to win.

Q: Quincy, Tee Bartlett said he learns a lot by going against you in practice. What do you learn from him?
Ballard: Obviously, he is one of the bigger guys on the team. He is a great passer in the post. He’s a good post player and he’s got certain moves. Like I said, he can pass, run the floor and is just another defender we have.

Q: Amier, you said you wanted to added more weight when you got to Mississippi State. How’s that process been going?
Ali: Yeah I’m doing good, keeping my weight and adding to it. I’m still focused on the weight room and adding weight. So I feel like I am doing a pretty good job.

Q: Amier, having played Power 4 basketball before, what were you aware of with Mississippi State that made you want to come here?
Ali: I just knew how they played, the playing style, especially the defensive end. That is what really drew me because I always wanted to work on my defense. I feel like the next level of my development is on the defensive end. So that is the main reason why I came here because Coach Jans is going to get after you on the defensive end and that is the main focus. I feel like that is the main focus for me right now so it just intertwined.