Tim Thomas back in NY

Tim Thomas will be traded from Los Angeles to the Knicks along with Cuttino Mobley for Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins.  Thomas played in New York for one and a half seasons from 2004-2005.  He was averaging 9.5 points and 4.6 rebounds for the L.A. Clippers this season.  Tim has career avaerages of 11.8 points and 4.2 rebounds.  Thomas has changed NBA teams seven times since being drafted 7th overall in 1997 after his one year at Villanova. He averaged 16.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists for Nova.  

Niagara Falls to Nova (pun intended)

Final Score: #23 Villanova 77, Niagara 62

Player of the Game: Corey Fisher: 15 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl

Recap: The Purple Eagles were definitely the toughest opponent Villanova has faced so far this season, but the game was still a little too close for comfort. Nova was only up six at halftime and the lead was cut to two in the second half. Eventually Villanova was able to outlast Niagara and pull away late in the game.

Hack-a-Shaq

There were fouls, fouls, and more fouls. SIX players fouled out, including three Wildcats: Antonio Pena, Dante Cunningham, and Shane Clark. Those three were in foul trouble all of the second half, forcing Nova to play a four-guard lineup. This wasn't too bad because Niagara also played a four-guard lineup. However, Villanova's big men cannot afford to give up so many fouls, especially against an undersized team like Niagara. The foul trouble is an issue that needs to be addressed immediately if Villanova expects to contend in the Big East.

All Aboard the Redding Railroad

Corey Stokes sat to start the game with a sprained left thumb, and Reggie Redding stepped up in a big way. He always brings the defense, but last night he delivered on offense as well. He had 14 points, 3 assists, and knocked down two 3-pointers.

Balance the Force

Once again the scoring was balanced with four starters in double figures (Reynolds-19, Fisher-15, Redding-14, Cunningham-11). Pena had 8 points and 7 rebounds in basically half of a game and easily could have had a double double if his time wasn't limited by fouls. Stokes also had 8 points and surely would have had more if it wasn't for the sore thumb. Scottie Reynolds led the team with a season-high 19 points (4-14 FG, 9-10 FT), but he had 2 assists to 5 turnovers, a step backwards in that department after a strong first two games.

Return of the Prodigal Benn

Bilal Benn had a solid game (11 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals) in his return to Villanova. Best of luck to him for the rest of the season.

Links: Video Highlights, Box Score

Niagara vs. Villanova

Bilal Benn returns to the Pavilion tonight as his Niagara Purple Eagles (1-0) take on the #23 Villanova Wildcats (2-0).  This is Nova's first game as part of the Philly Hoop Group Classic. The game will be televised on ESPNU. Nova Nation All-Access will have the radio broadcast.

For in-depth previews of the game check out:

Villanova by the Numbers

Let's Go Nova

I Bleed Blue and White

VU Hoops

Villanova.com

Purple Eagles

ESPN

Villanova Slaughters Rams

Final Score: #23 Villanova 107, Fordham 68

Player of the Game: Dante Cunningham: 31 pts, 11 reb

Recap:

Dante's Inferno

Dante Cunningham had a career night. With Fordham's lack of size, Dante dominated the interior en route to a huge double-double (31 points and 11 rebounds). Cunningham looks like he's turning into a big-time player, but we'll have to wait and see if he can keep it up against the Big East's elite like Hasheem Thabeet and Luke Harangody.

The Two Coreys

Stokes and Fisher scored 17 points a piece. Both put on great shooting performances. Corey S. was strong on the glass with 8 rebounds, while Corey F. dished out 4 assists. Wouldn't it be great if you could combine them to create a hybrid 6'5 point guard with a ridiculous handle, speed, penetration, and 3-point shooting.


Making a Point

Scottie Reynolds' scoring has been down so far this season, but his assists are up. He had another 7 assists tonight and has 13 assists to 2 turnovers on the season. Not only does this mean Scottie is developing into a true point guard, but his teammates are becoming better scorers, which helps take some pressure off of him. 

Balanced Attack

For the second straight game all five starters scored in double figures. Dante - 31, Fisher - 17, Stokes - 17, Reynolds - 11, Pena - 10.

Iron Man

Shane Clark entered the game only ten days after arthroscopic knee surgery. He's understandably a bit out of shape, but he still managed to score 8 points. It's a good thing he's back so soon because of Dwayne's Anderson's injury. On another injury note Casiem Drummond did not play because of foot pain, but he should be fine. You can't help but draw parallels to Jason Fraser's injury-ridden career.


Chuckers

Fordham had the green light all game, jacking up 26 3-pointers and only making 8. Brenton Butler was an embarrassing 3-11 from behind the arc.

Physical

There were a total of 48 personal fouls in the game, including a double technical on Reggie Redding and Jio Fontan. Two Rams fouled out. The first half was brutal to watch at times because they would just go back and forth shooting free throws.

On a Role

Nova's role players had nice games. Reggie Redding chipped in 9 points, 4 assists, and 4 rebounds off the bench. Frank Tchuisi had 4 points in 14 minutes. Jason Colenda and Russell Wooten even played 5+ minutes each.

Highlights:

Fordham vs. Villanova

The #23 Villanova Wildcats (1-0) take on the Fordham Rams (0-1) tonight at 7:30 in the Pavilion. Like the Albany game, this should be an easy win for Nova. Fordham is from the stronger Atlantic-10 conference, but they are a young and inexperienced team. (Photo: Smush Parker, the lone Fordham Ram in the NBA)

More information on the game:

Villanova By the Numbers

Let's Go Nova

I Bleed Blue and White

AP

Villanova.com

Fordham

The Name's Wright... Jay Wright

In honor of the new James Bond film, Quantum of Solace, opening this weekend I thought I'd write a 007-themed recap of Villanova's first victory of the season.

"Dr. No" starring Reggie Redding

Redding, Villanova's lockdown defender, said "no" to the Great Danes as they tried to score. He grabbed 4 rebounds and picked up a steal. He also had a nice offensive performance scoring 11 points, even knocking down a 3-pointer. He will see a lot of playing time early this season because of the injuries to Shane Clark and Dwayne Anderson, and last night he seemed up to the task.

"Moonraker" starring Antonio Pena

Pena nearly jumped to the moon on one put-back dunk off a missed shot. This is exactly the kind of performance I was expecting from 'Tone this season. 12 points, 5 boards, 2 assists, 1 block... he looks poised for a breakout year.

"From Cameroon With Love" starring Frank Tchuisi

I love him, but Frank is simply not there yet. Again, because of injuries he played 11 minutes, grabbing 3 rebounds and hitting a signature Will Sheridan baseline jumper for 2 points. However, he was a liability on the floor, missing a couple of dunks and committing 2 turnovers.

"The Man With the Golden Shot" starring Corey Stokes

Corey was stroking it from deep once again. He hit three of four 3-pointers to finish with 13 points.

"License to Foul" starring Casiem Drummond

Casiem had as many points as fouls (4) in 17 minutes off the bench. He has been foul-prone his entire career at Villanova. On the bright side he was 2-2 from the free throw line and had 5 rebounds and a blocked shot.

"On His Coach's Secret Service" starring Dante Cunningham

As usual, Dante did everything Jay asked of him. He scored (13 points), defended (1 steal), rebounded (6 boards), and was unselfish (3 assists).

"The Point Guard Who Dished Me" starring Scottie Reynolds

Scottie went scoreless in the first half, electing to set up his teammates. He had 6 assists and only 1 turnover. He looked for his shot more in the second half, scoring 13 points to tie Cunningham and Stokes for team-high.

"Goldfinger" starring Corey Fisher

Fisher had the magic touch on both ends of the floor last night. He dished out 5 assists and grabbed 4 steals. His jump shot wasn't falling, but he looked strong attacking the basket and getting to the foul line. He was the sixth Wildcat to score in double figures with 10 points. He was inserted into the starting lineup for Anderson, and more Fish is always a good thing.

"Die Another Day" starring Dwayne Anderson and Shane Clark

Dwayne and Shane may be out now, but they will both come back strong when the team needs them most.

Nova wins, Anderson out

Villanova came out firing on all cylinders to defeat Albany in their season opener. Play got a little sloppy in the second half, but Nova went on to win easily 78-60.

News came in before the game that Dwayne Anderson suffered a stress fracture in his foot and will be out indefinitely.  Dwayne is a key player and this especially hurts since Shane Clark is also injured.  Luckily Villanova is a deep team with guys like Corey Fisher and Reggie Redding that can step up.  It's also better to be hit with injuries now than later in the season, as Anderson and Clark should both be back by the time Big East play begins.

I will post a full game recap later tomorrow.

Foye Posterizes Azubuike

Randy Foye is averaging 10 points and 5.9 assists through 7 games with the Timberwolves.

Season Opener: Albany

Villanova opens its 2008-2009 season tonight against the Albany Great Danes of the America East Conference. Albany was 15-15 last season and they are projected to finish sixth in their conference this season. #16 seed Albany gave #1 UConn a bit of a scare in the opening round of the 2006 NCAA Tournament, before UConn regrouped and pulled away to a 72-59 win. Senior Jimmie Covington is the only remaining player to play in that game. Villanova is 1-0 all-time against Albany, the only meeting coming in 2004.

Villanova should overpower Albany with their athleticism. I don't expect this one to be close. Albany should be more competitive than Northwood, but Villanova should play better after shaking the rust off in the exhibition game. Plus they are back in the comforts of the Pavilion, with the always intimidating student section.
Projected starting 5:

PG - Scottie Reynolds

SG - Corey Stokes

SF - Dwayne Anderson

PF - Antonio Pena

C - Dante Cunningham

The game will be televised online via Nova Nation All-Access.

More Info: Preview, By the Numbers, ESPN, IBBW

The Apprentice Defeats the Master

Final Score: #25 Villanova 75, Northwood 37 (Exhibition)

Player of the Game: Dante Cunningham 20 pts, 8 reb

Recap: Jay Wright took on his former coaching mentor for the second time of his career, and once again was victorious over Rollie Massimino and the Northwood Seahawks.  Rollie received a warm reception as he and several former Wildcat players were honored at halftime.

The Starting 5

PG - Scottie Reynolds

SG - Corey Stokes

SF - Dwayne Anderson

PF - Antonio Pena

C - Dante Cunningham

I think this is the Villanova's best starting five right now.  They have size, are strong defensively, and have three-point shooting.  Corey Fisher was the sixth man, which is probably his best role, for now at least.

1st Half

The first half was downright ugly.  Villanova could not score, and they continually turned the ball over.  Villanova put on a horrendous shooting performance: 37 FG%, 2-11 3PT, and 4-13 FT. You can blame the poor 3-point shooting on adjusting to the newly extended line, but that doesn't explain the rest.  Perhaps they were just rusty, with this being the first game they've played in about eight months. Their only saving grace from the first half was the defense, which held Northwood to 21 points, but Villanova was only up by 5 at the half.

2nd Half

Villanova came out firing in the second half with a 13-0 run.  They were forcing turnovers, which led to easy baskets in transition.  Northwood had 31 turnovers in the game.  The shots began falling for Nova in the second half as well.  Villanova shot 58.6% from the floor, 7-9 from three, and 8-12 from the line to make up for the poor first half numbers.  In the second half the defense was just as good, if not better.  Nova held Northwood to only 16 points on 18.8% shooting. Northwood isn't exactly a powerhouse, but it's a good sign for the defense to be this good this early in the season.

The Players

Villanova went to Dante Cunningham early and often, as he seemed to be the only player who could score in the first half.  He had 13 points in the first half and finished with 20 points and 8 rebounds.  He was especially active on the offensive glass with five offensive rebounds. Dante scored inside and out, hitting a couple of jumpers and slamming a couple of dunks. 

Scottie Reynolds got off to a cold start.  He had as many points as turnovers (3) in the first half.  He didn't really look for his shot early in the game, but he came out firing in the second half to finish with a very respectable 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists.  He also took much better care of the ball in the second half with zero turnovers.  Despite the slow start, Scottie seems to be picking up right where he left off last year, playing at an elite level.

As I said earlier, Corey Fisher was the sixth man in the game.  I like that role for him because he should be able to bring instant offense off the bench, but he failed to do that last night.  Like most of the team, he got off to a very slow start, not scoring until midway through the second half.  He hit a couple of late threes to finish with 10 points, 2 assists, and 3 steals.

Corey Stokes had a solid all-around game with 9 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals.  He looked good on defense, but on offense he is still relying too heavily on his outside shot.  He was 3-7 from three, which is not bad, but he only took one 2-point shot (and missed).  He needs to learn how to drive to the basket if he wants to become an elite scorer in the Big East.

Antonio Pena, like Corey Fisher, did most of his scoring late in the game.  He finished with 8 points, but had only 2 rebounds in 23 minutes.  He also picked up four fouls, an area he struggled with last season as well.  He was a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line, but overall I was expecting a little more Pena this year.  Hopefully he'll pick it up in the games to come.

Dwayne Anderson played like his usual self, making all the hustle plays and playing strong defense.  He had 6 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, and 1 steal.  Not overwhelming stats, but Dwayne did what he's supposed to do.

Reggie Redding played a decent game off the bench.  He had 6 points, 3 assists, and 3 steals, but was careless with the ball, committing 4 turnovers.  He played strong defense, but he tried to do a little to much offensively, leading to the turnovers.

Casiem Drummond did not have a very good night.  He fouled out in only 10 minutes of play.  He had 2 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal, which aren't horrible numbers for 10 minutes, but he needs to stay on the floor.  The two areas he needed to improve most this season were free throw shooting (0-4) and avoiding fouls, and it appears he is still struggling at both.

The two walk-ons, Jason Colenda and Russel Wooten, got into the game in the final minutes and picked up a steal each.

Two players that did not play were Shane Clark and Maurice Sutton.  Clark had right knee surgery yesterday and will be out for three to six weeks.  It's a shame. Another injury for Shane, who is yet to play an entire season fully healthy at Villanova.  Sutton not getting into the game, which seems to confirm the belief that he will redshirt this season.

Overall you have to be pleased with the Wildcats' performance.  The defense was dominant and hopes are high on the Main Line this year.

Next Game: Friday, Nov. 14 at 8:00 pm - Regular season opener at the Pavilion vs. Albany

Links: Box Score, AP Story

Northwood Preview

The 2008-2009 season kicks off Thursday with an exhibition game against the Northwood University Seahawks.  The game is at 7:00 pm in the Wachovia Spectrum.  The Seahawks are coached by Villanova legend Rollie Massimino.  Villanova played Northwood two years ago in Florida in a exhibition game and won 97-60.  Northwood may have a size advantage up front with three seven footers (7'0, 7'0, and 7'4), but this shouldn't be much of a contest.  Expect Jay Wright to try several lineup combinations in preparation for the regular season.  It will be interesting to see who will be in the starting lineup because there are eight players who could legitimately start.  The only real locks for the starting five are Scottie Reynolds and Dante Cunningham.  Jay tends to favor seniors so I wouldn't be surprised if Shane Clark and Dwayne Anderson started as well.  Then there are the talented sophomores Corey Stokes, Corey Fisher, and Antonio Pena.  Also, Jay might elect to start Casiem Drummond because of Northwood's size.  The two key players to watch are Shane Clark and Casiem Drummond.  If they are back to 100% this season it will be a huge boost to the team.

Offseason Review

In case you haven't been following Villanova basketball closely during the offseason, here's a quick review of everything that has happened, to help you gear up for the new season.

April:

• Malcolm Grant transfers out.

• Taylor King transfers in.
  

May:

• Maurice Sutton joins team.
  

July:

• Isaiah Armwood ('09) commits.

• James Bell ('10) commits.

August:

• Associate head coach Brett Gunning leaves Villanova for the NBA.

• Mouphtaou Yarou ('09) commits.
  

September: 

• Schedule released.
  

October:

• Polls released (#25 Coaches, #23 AP, #5 Big East).

• Hoops Mania
  

And here are the previews I did for each player:

• Frank Tchuisi
  
• Shane Clark
  
• Casiem Drummond
  
• Corey Stokes
  
• Scottie Reynolds
  
• Dwayne Anderson
  
• Reggie Redding
  
• Corey Fisher
  
• Antonio Pena
  
• Dante Cunningham
  
• Taylor King, Maurice Sutton, and Jason Colenda
  

The season opens 11/14 at home vs. Albany.

The Rest of the Roster

In continuing with the weekly player evaluation segment, let's conclude by looking at the rest of the roster.

Player: Taylor King

2007-2008 Review: This former McDonald's All-American played his freshmen year at Duke before deciding to transfer to Villanova. King most likely became disgruntled with Coach K over his decline in playing time as the season progressed. He scored 20 points in his first game at Duke on November 9 versus N.C. Central. On November 25 he scored a career-high 27 points after making six 3-pointers versus Eastern Kentucky. He scored in double figures six times last year and shot a .377 3-point percentage. However, in mid-January is minutes dropped, lowering his season average for points to 5.5.

2008-2009 Preview: Because of NCAA regulations, Taylor King will have to redshirt this season after transferring. He has shown that he can shoot the ball, so he should focus this time on getting stronger in the weight room and improving his defense and rebounding. At 6'6 he has good size for the shooting guard or small forward position. It will be fun to see him and Corey Stokes on the floor together in 2009-2010 because they can stretch defenses out with their 3-point shooting.

Player: Maurice Sutton

2007-2008 Review: Maurice played his high school ball at Largo High School in Maryland. In his final season he averaged 18 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 blocks per game. Largo was 48-5 during his final two seasons and earned the Class 3A Maryland state championship. He chose Villanova over Indiana and Seton Hall.

2008-2009 Preview: Sutton is the lone freshman on this year's squad, and at 6'11 he is the tallest Wildcat player. I have yet to see Sutton play, so I am not entirely sure what to expect from him. From Villanova.com: "Brings an intriguing skill set ... Possesses athleticism and the ability to run the floor at 6-11 ... Excellent instincts as a shot-blocker ... Can finish around the basket ... Rebounds well ... Needs to add strength." From I Bleed Blue and White's Hoops Mania account: "Sutton, however, did not impress. He has nice size, but he rarely made a good play. He probably had 4 fouls in the first 6 minutes. Offensively, he wasn't given any chances. So I guess the jury's still out on him, but I think he's relegated to the bench for the majority of his career here." There were reports that Sutton might redshirt this year to develop his game, but I haven't heard anything final. From most reports it seems like Sutton is a Chris Charles type of player; very tall, but not very skilled. The size will help, especially with shot-blocking, but Sutton might not be ready to contribute for another season or two.


Player: Jason Colenda

2007-2008 Review: Jason got into five games last season: vs. Stony Brook, vs. Penn, vs. Syracuse, vs. West Virginia, and vs. Siena. He failed to score and never attempted a shot, but he did have one assist and one rebound.

2008-2009 Preview: Jason Colenda will continue the tradition of Tommy Grace and Ross Condon as the Villanova walk-on. He will work hard in practice and cheer the team on from the bench. If there's a blowout, the student section will chant "COL-EN-DA!" until Jay puts him in, then they will cheer for him to shoot every time he touches the ball, and if he does score, the Pavilion will go crazy.

Villanova ranked #25

The USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll was released today and Villanova is ranked #25.  There are a total of seven Big East teams in the top 25, with Connecticut #2 and Louisville #3.  North Carolina is the unanimous #1.  Marquette and Georgetown are ranked ahead of Villanova, even though Villanova is ranked ahead (#5) of both teams in the Big East coaches poll. Based on how they finished last season and the fact that they are returning the entire team (minus Malcolm Grant), I think Villanova is being underrated by the national media.  On the other hand, I'd prefer to enter the season ranked where we are now because they won't have as much pressure from the start as other teams such as UConn and Louisville.  

Update: Villanova is #23 in the AP Poll

Hoops Mania 2008-09

I was unable to attend Hoops Mania this year, but you can head over to I Bleed Blue and White for a great recap of the event.

T-Pain was the musical guest this year.  Along with the traditional Blue vs. White scrimmage, they added a slam dunk contest.  Here's the winner...

Weekly Player Evaluation: Dante Cunningham

Player: Dante Cunningham

2007-2008 Key Stats: 30.0 minutes, 10.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 0.9 blocks, 54.4 FG%

2007-2008 Review: Last season Dante Cunningham led the team in rebounds and blocks and was the second leading scorer, but somehow he is underrated.  He is “the rock” of the team because he is so steady and consistent.  He quietly does what he needs to do to help the team win.  Cunningham usually isn’t the go-to option on offense.  He only scored 20+ points once last season, but he always scored right around 10 points a game.  He also led the team with five double-doubles.  Despite his modest reputation, Dante was the star on several occasions last season because of his knack for making game-winning shots.  Dante had what should have been the game-winning put-back with 2.2 seconds left against NC State in the Old Spice Classic.  Of course everyone remembers Dante’s put-back off of Malcolm Grant’s miss with 5.9 seconds left to seal the epic comeback victory over LSU.  He sank the game-winning free throws against Pitt with 10 seconds left.  Finally, despite missing a free throw with 4.9 seconds left against UConn, Dante got his own offensive rebound to save the game. 

2008-2009 Preview: This year I expect more of the same from Dante “the rock” Cunningham.  He is entering his final year at Villanova and is the most experienced player on the team.  Last year Cunningham added a mid-range jumper to his repertoire, but he struggled to make it consistently.  I’m sure he has been using the offseason to perfect that shot.  The best thing about Dante is that you know what you're going to get from him every night.  He will average close to a double-double, have a high field goal percentage, and play hard on defense.  Not only is Dante the second-leading scorer and anchor on defense, he will also have the responsibility of guiding the young Wildcat forwards.  Let's hope Dante makes the most of his last year in Villanova blue and white.

Randy Foye, Links

Hoopsworld had an interview with Randy Foye recently.  Foye feels very confident this season: 

"I feel as though I can do better.  I came off the injury last year averaging 13 points and four assists on half a leg, basically.  This year I'm looking to do big things.  This year you're going to see a lot of me, man.  Just write that.  I know deep down inside the way I am when there's a lot of controversy or when my back is against the wall.  I'm going to look competition right in the face, I'm not going to run from it.  You're going to see a lot of me this year."

Randy backed up those strong words with a fantastic 12 point, 15 assist preseason game last Sunday. All signs point to Foye having a breakout year.

Weekly Player Evaluation: Antonio Pena

Player: Antonio Pena

2007-2008 Key Stats: 6.9 points, 4.3 rebounds

2007-2008 Review: It’s hard to believe Antonio Pena is only a sophomore.  Pena redshirted the 2006-2007 season, so this will be his third year with the team.  ‘Tone had a promising first season, but like the other freshmen on the team, his play was inconsistent.  He was probably the best low post scorer on the team, and he could also knock down mid-range jumpers.  He scored in double figures twelve times.  His season high was 17 points, which he had on three occasions.  He had one double-double (10 points and 10 rebounds at Pitt), and those 10 boards were his season high.  ‘Tone is also a good passer for someone his size.  However, Pena struggled on the defensive end and was foul-prone, which keep him off the floor at times. 

2008-2009 Preview: Pena will play most of his minutes at the power forward position, but he can also play small forward or center.  This season Pena needs to get stronger on defense and stop picking up quick fouls.  He is the most skilled low post scorer on the team, so he needs to find a way to stay on the floor.  Pena is very athletic and one of the best dunkers on the team. I'd like to see Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher try to throw him some more alley-oops this year. 'Tone could improve his rebounding and shot-blocking numbers which were low.  He had a tendency to try to draw charges, but at 6'8 I would rather see him go up and try to challenge the shot. Pena is a decent 3-point shooter, but Jay Wright kept him in check last season.  Look for ‘Tone to have a little more freedom around the perimeter this year.  If he can avoid foul trouble, I think Antonio will have a spike in scoring and average about 10 points per game this year.

Weekly Player Evaluation: Corey Fisher

Player: Corey Fisher

2007-2008 Key Stats: 9.1 points, 2.7 assists, 1.8 rebounds, 1.1 steals

2007-2008 Review: Corey Fisher was probably the most hyped incoming freshmen last season and there were high expectations for the young point guard.  With Scottie Reynolds already on the team, and with fellow freshmen guards Corey Stokes and Malcolm Grant, many fans were anticipating a return to the three and four guard lineups that were so successful a few years ago.  However, things didn’t quite work out that way.  The young guards struggled to play together, especially on the defensive end, forcing Jay Wright to go with a bigger and more experienced lineup.  One word to describe Fisher’s first season is inconsistent.  At times, he was the best offensive player on the floor, scoring 20+ three times last year, and he even earned the nickname “Fisher Price” because of the way he toys with defenders.  However, at other times he was ineffective and struggled to get playing time.  The highlight of Fisher’s season came in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last year.  He had 17 points, including a huge three-pointer as the shot clock was winding down to help seal the upset victory over Clemson.

2008-2009 Preview: Corey Fisher has all the tools you would want in a point guard.  He’s a great passer, he can shoot the three, and he can drive the lane and finish around the basket.  His weaknesses are on the defensive end, but after a year of experience he should be much improved in that area.  Another problem with Fisher is his tendency to resort to streetball plays, which often result in turnovers.  Jay Wright might feel more comfortable playing Fisher and Reynolds alongside each other this year because they both improved defensively, but I think Fisher will primarily play the backup point guard role behind Reynolds.  Fisher could excel in a sixth man role because of the instant scoring he can bring into a game.  I would like to see Fisher get more playing time alongside Reynolds this year.  They are two of the best guards in the Big East, and with their quickness they can cause some real matchup problems for opposing teams.  He should be more consistent in his scoring this season; I project him to average around 13 points and 4 assists per game.   

Weekly Player Evaluation: Reggie Redding

Player: Reggie Redding

2007-2008 Key Stats: 4.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.1 steals

2007-2008 Review: Last year Reggie Redding’s role on the team diminished as the season went on.  Jay Wright called him the best defender on the team, but he struggled offensively.  Early in the season Reggie was the team’s perimeter defensive specialist, and Jay Wright would call on him to guard the opposing team’s top scorer.  One example was November 18 when Villanova was trailing by eight points at halftime to Bucknell, behind 17 first half points by John Griffin.  Reggie Redding shut down Griffin, his former high school teammate, in the second half, holding the sharpshooter to five points and securing a Villanova victory.  However, Redding’s offensive deficiencies kept him off the floor, especially when Villanova’s younger guards like Corey Stokes and Corey Fisher began to improve defensively. 

2008-2009 Preview: For Reggie Redding to become a prominent member of Villanova’s core rotation again, he will have to improve his shooting.  Last season it got to the point that I cursed every time he attempted a three-pointer because 75% of the time it wasn’t going in.  Redding gained playing time his freshmen year and early last season because of his size (6’5) at the guard position.  With the emergence of Corey Stokes, also a 6’5 guard, Redding’s importance was reduced because Stokes was much a better shooter.  This season Reggie will most likely maintain a role off the bench for defensive situations.