Boulder – A day after lame-duck Colorado coach Ricardo Patton said some players might be quitting on him, junior Richard Roby said he hopes everyone can move forward.
But, Roby acknowledged Thursday, it will be a challenge for the team to pull together for the final five games and the Big 12 Conference Tournament.
“I think it is going to be difficult,” Roby said. “There were a lot of hard comments in the papers, a lot of butting heads going on (between players and coaches). We have to take it head-on and fight, and not give up on each other or ourselves.”
After a 75-46 home thumping by No. 9 Kansas, Patton said some players had shown “an attitude” recently. He demoted three regulars – Roby and freshman guards Xavier Silas and Kal Bay – from the starting lineup against Kansas and said Thursday they will not start against Texas Tech.
“(Coaches) have turned our heads to some things; that’s the wrong thing to do,” Patton said.
Roby, Silas and Bay said Thursday they do not understand Patton’s accusations.
“I come to practice and work hard every day to try to help us win,” Bay said.
Said Silas, “The frustrating thing is, we’ve been practicing well (as a team) and haven’t translated that to games.”
After reading Patton’s postgame comments Thursday, CU athletic director Mike Bohn reconfirmed his support of the coach, who announced Oct. 25 this season would be his last.
“I recognize the challenges associated with transition,” Bohn said. “We’re dealing with (eight) freshmen and some young men that have been through a lot of emotions and adversity. But I have confidence in Ricardo and the young men in our program.”
Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com.
