Texas Tech’s Brad Reese and Iowa State’s Marquis Gilstrap played junior college basketball together at Gulf Coast Community College where they became fast friends. this week they each talked to the A-J about tonight’s game.

Brad Reese

What was the best game you’ve ever seen Marquis play?
The best game I saw him play was probably against Miami Dade in the state tournament. He was unbelievable. I think he had like

33 points, 12 rebounds, five blocks. He was hitting everything. That night was incredible.

Is he a better shooter or rebounder?
I guess rebounder. He’s a monster on the glass, but he can shoot, too. I’d say rebounder.

Texas Tech forward Brad Reese, right, swats at a ball controlled by Oklahoma State guard Keiton Page, left, during the second half an NCAA college basketball game in Stillwater, Okla. Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010. Oklahoma State defeated Texas Tech 81-52. (AP Photo/Brody Schmidt)

What’s his favorite kind of shot?
His favorite shot is that jab, when he comes off a screen for a step-back jumper, or sometimes he’ll catch it, step back and shoot it. His favorite might be a deep 3-pointer. He can shoot from anywhere. I don’t know. I’d probably say a pull-up. That’s probably his favorite shot.

How often do you talk to each other?
Mostly every day. I don’t go a week without talking to him. We might be focusing on games or something, but I always text him after the game with how I’m doing, or he’ll check up on me. I usually text him every other day. Two days don’t go by when I don’t text him.

Is there any competition at all?
There’s going to be competition in this game, it’s bragging rights, definitely. We were JUCO teammates, and we’re both trying to win. I think he wants some bragging rights on me. And Iowa State recruited me, so they probably have a little grudge against me.

Is it nice to have a friend who went to the same junior college, plays the same position, now plays in the same conference?
Yeah, it is, because if I’m struggling with something I’ll ask how he handled it, or he’ll ask me some things. I always ask him how he’s doing, situations he’s in. He’s like a brother to me.

When I was struggling the first seven, eight games, just getting in the rhythm of things, I’d call and ask what he was doing to get in a rhythm or whatever. He was like telling me to get to the free-throw line instead of settling for a jumper, try to get in a rhythm first, that type of thing.

• Favorite restaurant: Applebees. I love Applebees. I used to go there after every game in JUCO.

• Nickname: Pete. Or they call me B Reese. I’ve got all kinds of nicknames.

• Describe Quis in three words: Competitive, tough, laid-back.

About Marquis:

• Favorite pizza topping: Pepperoni.

• Favorite movie: “Love and Basketball”

• One thing that really annoys him: He hates when somebody is crying, complaining about a call or something like that. In practice, if somebody on a team was looking for a foul, he didn’t like that.

Marquis Gilstrap

Brad says he was skeptical about you, that when Gulf Coast coach Jay Powell told him you’d really help the team he wasn’t so sure. When did you prove him wrong?
The first day of open gym me and him were playing against each other, we were defending each other, and I think I did pretty well. After we got finished playing he came up to my room and were talking. I told him coach Powell said he was a really good shooter, he said coach Powell had said the same thing about me.

Iowa State's Marquis Gilstrap (3) reacts with teammate Craig Brackins, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

He reminded me of myself because he can shoot the ball really well. In high school and whatever I hadn’t seen anybody who could shoot the ball that well besides me, but he definitely can.

Is Brad better at offense or defense?
I don’t know, I guess I’d say he’s both an offensive and defensive player. He can shoot the ball really well and he always guarded the best player last year. Whoever we played, he was on their best guy.

In the games he’s played at Tech, Brad seems to have better accuracy when the game is on the line, when it really matters if the shot goes in or not. Did that happen at Gulf Coast a lot?
He can hit big shots. He hit some big shots for us last year in the clutch. He gets a little more focused, probably.

When we were playing (Northwest Florida Community College) on the road. Both of us struggled in the first half, then in the second we hit consecutive threes right at the end of the game and got it to overtime.

Have you guys trash talked about this game at all?
Not yet, but we probably will. We talk all the time. Actually I just talked to him right before I got here; I’m at the gym getting ready for practice and I just talked to him. We haven’t talked about the game much, but we talk about other games and how Gulf Coast is doing right now.

Has anything surprised you about the Big 12 Conference in your first season here?
Not really. The only thing different I think is the fans. The fans get you into the game. I’ve never witnessed anything like Hilton Coliseum (where Iowa State plays).

Iowa State coach Greg McDermott said he’s been impressed by your rebounding this season. Are you doing more of that now than in the past?
I always rebounded well last year, too. I had double-doubles throughout the season. I feel like I can rebound with anybody.

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