Virginia Tech men’s basketball forward Ben Burnham and head coach Mike Young joined Zach Mackey and Mike Burnop on Tech Talk Live on Thursday for the final show of the season. The Hokies are at No. 11 Clemson on Saturday (6 p.m. ET, ESPNU) in their regular-season finale.
Ben Burnham
How are you?
I’m good, thanks for having me.
How’s the season been for you?
Definitely a grind. Trying to get better every day is a part of it. We started practicing in May and here we are in March. Long, grueling season.
Tell us about your time at Carmel Christian School.
One of the best coaches I’ve ever played for. Joe Badgett was my coach there, I still talk to him. He’s a great coach. We had a lot of winning seasons. I played there for two years. I played there with Cade Tyson from UNC. It was good to see him.
You guys were 24-2 in your senior year. You averaged a double-double. Really tore it up.
Yes, sir. You’d be correct.
What about those triple-doubles you had, 10 blocks in a game?
It’s a lot of effort. Have to be willing to go after a lot of them.
You’re always a high intensity guy around the rim. What goes into your mentality around the rim?
Playing hard and being a ball hawk. Always finding where the ball is. Sometimes I’ll make a defensive mistake and make up for it by blocking a shot.
Who recruited you at Virginia Tech and why was this the choice for you?
Kevin Giltner recruited me. We call him KG. It was a lot of the belief he had in me and the vision he saw in me as a player. That’s what made me choose Virginia Tech.
Do you remember much about playing Virginia Tech when you were at College of Charleston?
I do, it was the championship game of the Charleston Classic. The crowd was insane there. We had a little sixth man. That was a good win there.
Talk about that big block you had there that sent you to the tournament.
We were playing against rival UNCW in the championship. We were up by four and a guy got loose. I gave chase and made a block. We secured the rebound and eventually held on to get that win. Memorable block.
Did it catch you by surprise that Pat Kelsey turned it around so quickly at Louisville?
He’s been successful everywhere he’s been. I expected success at Louisville.
He called you Benny. Does anybody here do that?
Nobody here does. Nobody did before I got to College of Charleston. They have an Australian guy on the coaching staff and I had an Australian teammate. I think it’s an Australian thing to add a ‘y’ to the end of Ben. That’s how that started.
What was senior day like?
It was special. I had my mom and dad there with me. And my girlfriend. All the memories that I’ve made through my college career. All the fans cheering for me, even though I’ve only been here for a year. It was special for me.
Was it frustrating to be in foul trouble in such a good game?
It was an exciting game. I had some dumb fouls in the beginning so that stunk.
Did you feel any extra pressure on senior day or was it bad luck?
I got one early and the other was on a fast break. I don’t know about the third one.
He left you in with three fouls. Does that stay in the back of your mind?
Definitely. We were trying to run a play where I had to set a screen. The guy got under it and I tried to move a little to get in front of him and they blew the whistle.
You had two SportsCenter top-10 plays at the College of Charleston. Tell us about that.
I think the first one was my freshman year. Some guy tried to take a charge and I just went over him and dunked it. The second one was sophomore year. I had a nice block and we were in transition, my teammate missed a three perfectly for me to put it back. That was cool.
What are your impressions of your year at Virginia Tech?
It’s been up and down. I think we had some good wins and a lot of good memories. I’ve made some good friends that I’m never gonna forget.
What’s it been like playing in the ACC?
I think it’s special. I loved coming from a lower conference and proving that I belong every game. And seeing all the arenas was pretty cool.
Do you have a favorite arena?
I liked Duke. I liked Notre Dame, too.
Your bio says that you were a skateboarder. Tell us about that.
I was pretty good at skateboarding. My favorite trick was a tray flip. I was pretty good at it because I have strong legs and I’m tall.
Did you ever get hurt?
During the middle school years, my brother and I would go to the skatepark on the weekends and just stay there for six, seven hours at a time in Charlotte.
Did you wear the helmets and pads?
No, none of that. I was out there risking it. Once I got good at basketball, I had to tone it down, you can get injured really easily.
Have you ever skied?
No. I want to, though. I’ve water skied before.
What’s your major and what are your plans after basketball?
I haven’t quite figured it out yet.
Tell us about your father.
My father is 6-1, not that tall. Don’t know where I got the height. The milkman was like 6-9. He was a point guard, good player at Virginia Wesleyan. He has some freshman scoring record there.
When did you get your height?
I hit a growth spurt going into ninth grade and grew a couple inches throughout. I was tall in high school.
Your great grandfather and uncle played at South Carolina. What have you learned from your family about basketball?
I didn’t get to meet my great grandfather, but I heard he was a great player. I was introduced to basketball by my father before I could even walk. Started early and loved the game from an early age.
How much do the bench guys pride themselves on the bench production?
I think it’s big to know your role and be ready when your number is called. One game somebody will be off and it could be you that needs to step up for him. I think we have a bunch of great players that are ready to do that.
What do you think about the rematch with Clemson?
I think we have a chance. We have to play hard and do the things that we’re good at. I think we’ll have a good chance.
How do you assess how you played on Tuesday night?
Disappointing loss. I guess I played alright. It’s embarrassing to lose like that at home.
It was close for the first 17 or so minutes, then they just went on some big runs.
Yeah, bad turnovers. Couldn’t even get a shot up. Guarded well in transition when we had the game close and then we had some bad turnovers that led to them leaking out and making some threes and layups.
Turnovers have been an issue for most of the year, haven’t they?
They sure have.
You guys have gone on runs a lot of times now, against teams like Notre Dame and Louisville. What does it take from a player to go on a run?
Never getting too high or too low. Taking it play by play. Kevin and Coach Young like to say no home runs, just singles. That’s what you have to do to cut into a lead.
Isn’t it weird that the road record is better than the home record?
It is weird. Matchups play a factor. Maybe being too comfortable at home. We’ve had some good road wins.
What does it take in a tournament-style format for a team to succeed?
It takes a lot to win in tournaments. It’s called March Madness for a reason. You have to play hard and stick to what you’re good at. When it comes down to it, find a way to win.
What do you remember about facing Alabama in the NCAA Tournament?
I remember scoring a couple early. Coach Kelsey was running a lot of plays for me to get shots. I played a big role. I was disappointed that we weren’t able to win that one, for sure. Alabama had a really good team.
What’s your advice to some of the guys that may have to play for a long time?
Resting your body and getting ready for a couple of grueling days is important. You only get one day of prep and you really have to lock into those film sessions. Learn tendencies and focus on the next one.
Do you have any desire to coach?
I do. I think in the beginning of my college career I didn’t. As I’ve gotten older and learned a lot, I think I could be a coach one day.
How would you do navigating the portal and NIL?
I think I would just hire some assistants with experience and connections. Delegate.
What do you like to do off the court to have fun?
I like to watch movies. I can still skateboard every now and then in the off season. I like to hangout with friends a lot. Football. I like going to the beach.
What’s the best spot to eat in Blacksburg?
I like Cabo Fish Taco and PK’s. El Rods. There’s a lot of good spots.
Do you like to cook?
No, my girlfriend cooks for me.
What’s your favorite food?
She makes a good steak.
Are the nutrition and weight lifting aspects to Virginia Tech different than at College of Charleston?
Not too different. The biggest difference is the SAPC where we can go in at any time and get however much we want.
What’s the adjustment on the road trips compared to being at College of Charleston?
Playing against better players is the main adjustment. Figuring out different ways to get your shot off and different ways to facilitate to others. You’ve got to be on your A game in the ACC.
How did you like the California trip? Had you been out there before?
I’d been out there one time to visit one of my friends but I never went anywhere cool. I think it was cool getting to see the prison [Alcatraz]. Making a couple threes at Stanford was cool, wish we got to win that game. Winning at Cal was nice.
Did you go on any cool trips at College of Charleston?
They’re going to Greece this summer, but I left. That would’ve been a fun trip.
Do you have a lot of family and friends coming up for the tournament?
Yeah, and a lot of family members coming to the Clemson game as well. Fort Mills is right outside of Charlotte. I’ll have to be asking teammates.
How does that go? Are you just going around the locker room asking for tickets?
Yeah, pretty much. We gotta get a little argument going.
Have you played at Clemson before?
I haven’t. First time there.
It seems like this group really likes to be around each other. Tell us about some of the characters on this team.
Definitely a lot of characters. Makes me think of Ryan Jones. We’re all good buddies.
Do you stay in touch with your teammates from College of Charleston?
A couple of the guys. CJ Fulton has the best assist-turnover ratio in the country. He’s a good point guard and a good friend.
What was it like playing against some old teammates at Louisville?
It was weird. I played and lived with Reyne Smith for three years at College of Charleston. It was very strange playing against him. We both made the all-rookie team at College of Charleston.
Mike Young
How are you?
I was doing a lot better last week when it was warmer outside. Wind is cutting through me.
How about that Syracuse game. How satisfying was it to get that win?
Very. I thought they came in here and played a good ball game. I saw Jyare Davis had two points last night after having 21 against us on Saturday. We were down Tobi [Lawal] so we had to rely on Ben Burnham on senior night. He picked up two quick, and I’m not afraid to play somebody with two fouls. Just as my luck would have it, he got that third foul. Bad luck for us. Tyler Johnson has played very little at the four, and he did some really good things for us and competed. A really good win for us.
Ben said when he picked up his three foul, he just stood there holding his breath, hoping you’d let him ride with it.
Now, I’ve never played somebody with three fouls in the first half. I’ve done some unorthodox things in my career, that would not be one of them. Jaden Schutt had a great game. Ben Hammond was terrific. Jaydon Young was probably the player of the game. He played well defensively and shot the ball very well.
How about Eddie Lampkin?
Mylyjael [Poteat] did a good job on him. We were nervous, he’s a really big person. Good rebounder on both ends. He had 16 and 12. He did not score in the second half. Not sure what to attribute that to after watching it back a couple times. [JJ] Starling, who is a very good player, I didn’t think he played great. Lampkin is certainly a load in the post and we could very well draw them again in the tournament.
It seems like this team is able to make big comebacks and rally together. Is that something special about a team?
That’s having a couple of go-to guys. Notre Dame with their guys had a big win at Stanford the other night. That guy that you can give the ball to and expect something positive to happen, Starling is that guy for Syracuse.
You were talking about bad luck. How about Jaquan Carlos making his only three on the night to send it to overtime?
We got disconnected and then were afraid to foul like we wanted to in fear that it gets in the air and goes in before you get to him. He aired on the side of caution and it cost us. We came in at the timeout and that was a jolt to our system. They did make a three to start the overtime period. We played great. First overtime game we had since that Clemson game in the ACC Tournament [in 2022].
That North Carolina team can really get up and down the court in a hurry.
They always are. RJ Davis hit a couple early. He’s a terrific player. [Ian] Jackson and [Jae’Lyn] Withers are playing very good basketball for them. [Jalen] Washington had made only a couple all year and stepped out and made one. They shot the ball well. We have got to do a better job at defending the perimeter. This team has done a good job being there on the catch and playing with high hands. If your hands are down at your side, that gives a level of comfort to a shooter to get the ball in the air. This is the ACC, there are some guys who can crank it. Gotta do better at moving on the fly and getting there in a timely fashion.
What are your thoughts on their game against Duke coming up?
Duke beat the fire out of them a couple weeks back. North Carolina is playing well. Their front line is a sore spot compared to Duke, who is so dominant up front with [Khaman] Maluach. He’s not a big offensive threat, but my stars he can block shots and defend all five positions. Cooper Flagg is probably the best college basketball player that we have today. North Carolina does not match up well with them with Ven-Allen Lubin and Withers on their front line. Carolina’s guard play has been outstanding as of late. Ian Jackson has really come into his own. Drake Powell, who’s sister played volleyball at Virginia Tech, has played well for them. I’ll be curious and I hope it’s a good game. North Carolina will have to continue to play well and win a couple in the league tournament to advance and represent our league in the best tournament of them all.
Tobi has not played for two games. What can you tell us about his status?
We thought he would be ready to go on Saturday. We needed that dynamic athlete that rebounds. He’s put together a heck of a year. He was uncomfortable and I’m never going to put a young person in harm’s way if he’s not going to feel like he’s ready. We came back today, didn’t go long. He was really close to full go. I thought he was moving well. He didn’t have any pain. Unless we have a setback tomorrow, I fully expect him in uniform on Saturday.
We’ve seen a lot of college coaches leave for the NFL recently. Is there ever any thought that it could bleed into basketball with the emergence of NIL?
I don’t know. I have no desire. I like being on a college campus and working with this age group. I don’t know why others have gone to the NFL. Could it be NIL and the portal going nonstop? Maybe. As my dad, who’s no longer with us, told me many times in my coaching career, “You’ve never worked a day in your life. You’ve got a great job, keep trucking.” And he’s exactly right. I love what I do and love doing it on a college campus. We certainly could see college people go to the NBA or another level to avoid the chaos of college athletics.
What stands out to you about Clemson?
They’re playing great. Really good basketball. Connected. They’re old. They’ll start four seniors and a junior. Chase Hunter didn’t play in the first meeting, I think he was sick. [Ian] Schieffelin will be a first team all-league guy. [Viktor] Lakhin is playing well for them. Rebounding, shot blocking. They’ve got a good outfit. Del Jones had 13 against us in Game 1. Jake Heidbreder is a deadly shooter. Brad is a heck of a coach.
Jaeden Zackery had a great career at Boston College. He transferred down and has been very good for the Tigers.
He has been. I just watched the SMU game where he was outstanding. He’s a perfect pickup for anybody. He’s solid, he understands, he’s tough, he can make a shot. He does all of those things for the Tigers.
Mylyjael had four points last time, definitely something to improve on.
Lakhin gave him trouble with his length. We gotta do a better job at getting it down there to him. He had some fouls early on and they got him out. His leg was bothering him a bit, if I recall correctly. He’s a big part of what we do, you know that as well as anybody. We have to do a good job getting him established early in the game and turning him loose.
That first game, they had 41 in the first and 31 in the second.
We cut it back to four, if you recall, with about 10 to play. Ball was moving and we were making shots and competing. That’s a big thing with this team. Schieffelin is probably the best in our league in that area. Strong and relentless to the glass. Their guards will go get offensive rebounds. That’ll be a big thing with these Tigers.
Give us a sense of what the schedule looks like.
There’s still a chance that we could be the No. 9 seed [in the 2025 ACC Tournament] and have Tuesday off. In all likelihood, with all the scenarios that are all over the place, we’ll be in there early on Sunday, whether we play Tuesday or Wednesday, and get settled in. Continue with preparations. Monday is the shootaround time. We will practice in a high school gym. We’ll have 45 minutes in the coliseum to shoot around before heading back to the hotel for a little more film. Eat well and be ready to go.
Is there anything you tell the guys different about tournament time?
No. I’ve been in a tournament every year that I’ve been coaching. We talk about winning a game. We treat every game like its own mini-season. We’ll win one and turn our attention to the next one.
Is there a difference in the stress level between here and being at Wofford?
It’s all the same. At that level, you know that you lose and you’re out come league tournament time. Our league needs four or five teams. Wake Forest will need to get some things done in the tournament. Duke, Louisville, Clemson are in. I think UNC is a tournament team. Nothing like the ACC Tournament. I’ve been watching it since I was a little boy. Leading the Hokies onto the floor in that great tournament is a lot of fun for me.
5 Comments