Welcome back for part two of the interview with the seniors, the penultimate column on the men’s basketball team. In next week’s final column, we will wrap up the season and examine what lies ahead for Lawrence basketball.
Q: Ryan, how did you earn your nickname, “The General?”
Ryan: So I’m not sure if you like Chinese food, Reid, but a common dish at those restaurants is General Tsao’s chicken, which I am a fan of. Shane Cullian and Davis [DeWolfe] (now graduated) thought that it would be comical to start calling it “General DePouw’s chicken” because it rhymed. For some reason it stuck with some guys and alas the nickname, “The General,” was born.
Q: Andrew, what’s your nickname on the team? It’s not just “Borresen,” right?
Andrew: My freshman year, I may have picked up the nickname “Sid” for my supposed resemblance to a certain sloth from the movie Ice Age. Personally, I don’t see it, but all the older guys used to call me Sid so it stuck. Play your cards right, and I’ll bring the sloth voice out from time to time.
Q: Shane, how did you earn your nickname, “Blade?”
Shane: Supposedly my widow’s peak resembles that of a vampire, which led to the nickname “your girlfriend’s favorite vampire” by my teammates freshman year. It’s either that backstory, or possibly the fact I have an edgy personality that resembles a blade.
Q: Chipotle or Qdoba? Explain your reasoning.
Ryan: Toughest question I’ve ever been asked in an interview. I’m going to go with Chipotle because of the guac, and I just feel like the serving size is a little bigger…but man, you can never go wrong with a queso burrito either.
Andrew: Chipotle. This is a tough one for me, because I was raised on Qdoba. There’s a Qdoba minutes from my family’s house, and there’s no Chipotle in the WB (West Bend). It’s all I knew. I came to college and found out Chipotle’s got the better burrito and the better chips and guac for my taste buds.
Shane: If this question even needs to be asked, there’s a problem with investigative journalism. One word: Queso.
Q: Ryan, how did it feel to score your thousandth point on Feb. 7? Was this a goal you set freshman year?
Ryan: It was a very cool feeling. The outpour of support I received from teammates, family, friends and even people I have never even talked to before the game was just truly special. I’ve never really set statistical goals, I feel like they’re just a byproduct of hard work—that if you put in the time and get a little luck you might reach—but this was never anything that I actively pursued. However, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t proud of it, and it will definitely be a day I remember.
Q: Andrew, you’ve fought hard to earn a starting spot in your senior season. What has this meant to you?
Andrew: It has meant a lot to me personally because of all the hours of hard work I put into hoops over the years. I started at the end of the bench my freshman year just trying to absorb everything around me and learn from some of the best teammates I’ve had at LU (guys like Chris Sims and Scott Beauchamp). It has been a journey.
Q: Shane, what facets of your game have improved most since freshman year?
Shane: My athleticism and overall recovery from my ACL tear as a freshman has really improved over the past four years. Being able to post up and cut to the basket with confidence after an injury is a facet that is more psychological than physical, in my opinion. The ability to rehabilitate my game and be able to knock down 15-foot jump shots and post up with confidence once again is the most improved aspect of my game.
Q: The Lawrence basketball team is a family. What makes this team so close-knit and what will you miss most about it after this season?
Ryan: The team is so close-knit because we all realize that what we have at Lawrence is special, and that it’s bigger than basketball. Sure, basketball is the reason that we’re all here and is our common bond, but from alumni down to the freshmen this year and beyond, I genuinely care about these guys and I think that is why the term “family” is so applicable.
Andrew: It transcends basketball. We’re a bunch of guys that have similar interests, like a lot of the same music, and love talking trash while playing 2K. It’s difficult to describe, but in the end, it’s not really about basketball, is it? What I will miss most after this season is just being around the fellas and going to work day in and day out.
Shane: We are able to become close-knit because we accept everyone’s differences and individualities from day one. We understand that we’re here for each other, will battle together, and will stay together in relationships that will transcend college basketball. I’ll miss the camaraderie, the family ties, and the experiences we share as a basketball team and as a group of individuals who brought together their own families to form the LU Basketball Family.