Villanova seeks another Final Four, more
October 30, 2009
VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP)—Scottie Reynolds passed up his chance to jump to the NBA.Jay Wright never seriously considered bolting the Wildcats for the Philadelphia76ers head coaching vacancy.
Villanova’s star guard and coach had numerous reasons to stick around. Oneof the most obvious was this season: Both knew the Wildcats could be apowerhouse, with a return trip to the Final Four a legitimate possibility.
This season marks the 25th anniversary of the “Perfect Upset” and theprogram’s only national championship. Stop by the Pavilion or take a peek at whohas the prime seats for NCAA tournaments games, and it seems those Wildcats arestill as much a part of the program as Reynolds and Wright.
This year’s team wants to give that 1985 squad some championship company.
“This team has a chance,” Reynolds said.
The Wildcats already have raised a banner to the rafters celebrating lastseason’s Final Four berth. Villanova’s road to a repeat is off and running. TheWildcats (30-8) were picked as the Big East favorites by conference coaches andare ranked fifth in The Associated Press preseason college basketball poll.
“There’s a real sense of pride here, there really is,” Wright said.“We’ve always had it. It’s kind of on another level right now. There’s alsomore responsibility that goes with that. We have to maintain that tradition(that previous classes) set. That’s where the pressure comes for us, not fromthe outside.”
If any coach can deflect pressure off his team, it’s the always collectedWright. He enters his ninth season at Villanova with one of the more uniquechallenges of his career. He has to find a way to mix six new players to areturning group determined to prove last season was not a fluke, but the startof regular Final Four contention.
Villanova’s freshman class was ranked one of country’s best by mostrecruiting services.
Mouphtaou Yarou, a 6-foot-10, 250-pound center, has the potential to becomea needed shot-blocking force on a guard-heavy team. Guards Maalik Wayns andDominic Cheek were both McDonald’s All-Americans and could get a shot early atproving themselves worthy of heavy minutes.
Each day at practice, Wright finds the freshman trying to outdo each other.
“They make you say, ‘Wow,”’ Wright said. “Then a different one each dayreally looks like a freshman. That’s freshmen, but I’m sure glad we have them.”
Wright’s also sure glad he has Reynolds.
The Wildcats’ 6-2 point guard returns as a Big East preseason first-teampick after opting not to bypass his senior season for a shot at the NBA.Reynolds, who has scored 1,620 points in three seasons, withdrew from the draftbecause he was projected as a second-round pick.
He’s out this year to be the steady senior leader Villanova needs—and toimprove his draft stock.
“He’s trusting that a year of just getting better, getting smarter, makingbetter decisions, being a leader is going to make him an NBA player,” Wrightsaid.
Reynolds already has his spot in Villanova history with one of the biggestshots in team history. His half-court dash for the winning layup with 0.5seconds left against Pittsburgh sent Villanova to the Final Four for the firsttime since 1985. Reynolds couldn’t take a step around campus or a visit homewithout being reminded of that sensational shot.
He’s tried to downplay the clutch basket, even as others won’t let him.
“Everyone’s still on a high from the Final Four around here,” Wright said.
That postseason trip to Detroit, which ended with a loss in the semifinalsto eventual national champion North Carolina, made Wright a hot prospect forcoaching openings. He listened to Philadelphia 76ers president Ed Stefanski’spitch when they had a coaching vacancy, and Wright was briefly intrigued aboutthe possibility of calling the shots for his hometown team.
The flirtation was brief, and Wright is back on the Main Line.
“I knew I didn’t want to leave here, but it was the 76ers. It was myhometown team,” Wright said. “I don’t want any other job. I love this job, butthat one made me stop and think. I thought about it and I thought I just lovedthis job. I didn’t want to leave this.”
He had to deal with one headache when guard Reggie Redding was suspendedafter an offseason arrest for marijuana possession. Redding is out untilmid-December. Wright said Reynolds, guards Corey Stokes and Corey Fisher, andforward Antonio Pena have “got to be studs every day” until the youngerWildcats find their way in the brutal Big East.
The learning curve is a short one when every team is coming after theconference favorites. Nothing can be assumed, Wright says.
“I never think we should win the Big East,” Wright said. “I always wantus to win the Big East… It’s such a grind. It’s like a mini-NBA season.”
Comments
Got something to say?
