NBA Draft Prospect: Scottie Reynolds, Villanova

As we get closer to the NBA Draft, we will be reaching out to fellow bloggers for scouting reports on some of the top prospects in the upcoming NBA Draft. Today, we bring you Scottie Reynolds, courtesy of VUHoops.com and @brianisawesome.

Click here to find all of our 2010 NBA Draft prospect breakdowns.

Stats: 18.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.7 apg, 38.5% 3PT, 45.7% FG

Listed Size: 6'2", 195 lb, 22 years old


About Him: Here is the short analysis of Scottie Reynolds’ draft prospects: not much. Coming out of an all-American career in college, the draft buzz over the Villanova superstar appears to be lacking. He is listed at 6-foot-2 inches, but that number may actually be padded by an inch or two, and that is ultimately what is holding him back. If Reynolds were 6’5” or taller, teams in need of a shooting guard would be salivating over the possibilities.

The undeniable fact about Reynolds is that over the past four years, very few players have been as prolific at putting the ball into the basket. He scored 2,222 points in college, and in addition to some shifty moves to penetrate the lane, Scottie could shoot the three and shoot a high percentage from the free-throw line as well.

In college, Scottie played most of his minutes as a point guard but there are doubts about his ability to play that position as a pro. His point guard skills and instincts remain an area in need of improvement. He needs to learn to dribble less and pass more, but in the right system, he could be a good fit.

Critics have also lately criticized Scottie Reynolds’ athleticism. He’s not John Wall, but if you saw him running the court (and running circles around defenders) in college, you’d know that he doesn’t belong in the special Olympics either. Not only does he score a lot of points, but as a senior he began to do so efficiently, raising his PPS from 1.38 to 1.52 in his final year. Defenders were not his kryptonite.

Defensively, Reynolds has good lateral quickness and hand speed and his high basketball IQ allows him to read his opponents and generate turnovers at a good rate. He may have difficulty matching up with bigger players at the next level, however, due to his size. He should have no problem matching up with opposing point guards, however.

Most NBA teams will be looking for Scottie to play point guard, and unless he can show them that he has the skill set to play there at an elite level, he will not be considered a valuable commodity. The pre-draft workouts will give him an opportunity to do so, as will any summer league action he may see.

Comparisons: The obvious comparison here might be Eddie House. As a 6’1” shooting guard, House is comparable in size and skill set to Scottie Reynolds. House was asked to develop his point guard skills in Boston, but is most notable for his ability to put the ball in the net. House is perhaps a better three-point shooter than Reynolds, while Reynolds would top his ability to dribble-drive. As a shooting guard, House was most effective defensively when paired with a taller point guard. Another comparison would be Randy Foye, a guard out of the Villanova system who found himself caught between positions in the NBA. Randy is a few inches taller than Scottie and unlike Reynolds, Foye was primarily lined up as a 2, 3 or even 4 at Villanova. Both guards left Villanova with questions about what position they would play in the NBA.

Outlook: Reynolds probably won’t hear his name called in the first round, and if the latest mock drafts hold up, he might not want to hold his breath for a second round pick either. Despite that, some team will surely be interested in signing a player who had Scottie’s prolific college career. As a rookie he may be deployed as a ‘sparkplug’ off of the bench and could be asked to work on developing his point guard skills as a longer-term project. Depending on how he develops as a pro, he will either become a good contributor on an NBA squad or a star in Europe.

Highlights:




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Saying Goodbye: Scottie Reynolds

In this world of NBA Draft early entry and one-and-done freshman, it is difficult to become attached to a college star. They simply don't hang around long enough. But when they do, there is an attachment to that player that is difficult to explain. For me, there will always be a soft spot in my heart for guys like Kirk King and Khalid El-Amin, as I'm sure there is for any fan of any team.

We reached out to some of the blogosphere's best, and over the next couple of weeks we will be running a series of posts saying goodbye to some of the country's best seniors.

Today, VUHoops.com says goodbye to Scottie Reynolds.

Back in March of 2006, I am not sure I had even heard of Scottie Reynolds. Villanova was coming off of its best tournament run since the Rollie Massamino era, but the future was beginning to look blurry. Jay Wright’s first home-run recruiting class was graduating and in something of a surprise, star point guard, Kyle Lowry entered the NBA draft as a sophomore. Suddenly, an ultra-potent backcourt was looking rather sparse.

Scottie Reynolds had a phenomenal career for Nova.
(photo credit: ESPN)

Scottie Reynolds announcing his commitment gave Nova Nation it's first opportunity to exhale and look forward to the coming season. An All-American point guard swooped in to save the backcourt; and boy did he live up to our expectations.

We didn’t get the chance to be impatient with Scottie Reynolds. When he showed up on campus in fall of 2006, he became a sparkplug that made an immediate impact on the Villanova team. He was the BIG EAST Rookie of the Year; a scoring machine that could put up 40 points in Storrs against a Connecticut team that had given the Wildcats fits in recent years. Scottie was an instant legend.

Reynolds always had his critics, he was never a prototypical point guard, but nobody in Nova Nation should be happy to see him go. When Scottie Reynolds was on the court, anything could happen. He was a magician that made crowds hold their breath and wonder, “how will Scottie win this one?”

Statistically, his best year was his last one on the Main Line. In just over 30 minutes per game, Scottie Reynolds lead the Wildcats by averaging 18.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists, while connecting on 45.7% of his shots. He not only scored in droves, but did so with a level of efficiency that we had never seen from him before.

Five years from now, if you ask a Villanovan about Scottie Reynolds, you won’t hear about his field goal percentage in his senior year, however. You might hear a story about the time that he scored 30 points in the second half to carry his team back from a big deficit at Louisville. More likely, however, the first words out of a Villanova fan's mouth will be in reference to the shocking Final Four run of Scottie’s junior year.

Nobody will ever forget “The Shot.” In a hard-fought game against a Big East rival, a team that had been ranked #1 in the country during the season, Scottie Reynolds scored what may be the most amazing two points I have ever seen.

The game was close, but the mood was dire with just a few seconds on the clock and momentum seemingly lost. The ‘Cats needed to take the ball the full length of the court and score. They didn’t have the option of taking their time. The plan was to get the ball into Scottie’s hands and for everyone else to cross their fingers. Scottie got the ball around mid-court and proceeded to drive straight to the basket. Leaving less than a second on the clock, he took a difficult shot (his only real option) over Gilbert Brown, and after every heart in America skipped a beat, it went in.

From that moment onward, Scottie Reynolds was superman, and to a generation of Villanova fans, he was the greatest they had ever seen.

If anything was disappointing about Scottie’s career (other than the manner in which it ended), it was that he finished it just 21 points shy of the school record. For those who had watched him play for four years, it would have been a fitting tribute for him to take his place atop the all-time scoring list.

A better tribute, however, will happen when he is invited back to the Pavilion to watch his jersey be lifted into the rafters.

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1/18 - College Hoops Week in Review: Kansas State becomes the third contender in the Big XII

What we learned this week: Never bet on Georgia Tech. Ever. Take a look at there last four games: loss at Georgia, win at home over Duke, loss at Virginia, win at North Carolina. In the immortal words of the Twitterati: SMH? To call this year's version of the Yellow Jackets would be, at this point, an understatement. We know that Georgia Tech is talented, especially in the front court. But anyone looking at their roster could tell you that - Gani Lawal, Derrick Favors, and Zach Peacock are as good as any front line in the country. The question this season has been whether or not they have the toughness, and confidence, to win a big game on the road. I think they proved that in Chapel Hill on Saturday.

Iman Shumpert was great against UNC, scoring 30 points in Tech's road win.
(photo credit: Charlotte News & Observer)

I may be in the minority on this, but I was much more impressed with Tech's ability to hang on after blowing a 20 point lead than the fact that they built a 20 point lead. UNC was in a rhythm offensively, had the Dean Dome rocking, and rode the coattails of an unconscious Will Graves to a late second half lead after being down 20 in the first half, but Tech didn't given in, making a number of huge shots down the stretch, and getting one very important stop - when Larry Drew missed a tough layup in the paint. Holding on to win that game should give the Jackets a big boost of confidence for the rest of the ACC season.

One last point about Tech - one thing I read quite a bit after this game was a sentence along the lines of "it shouldn't surprise you that a Paul Hewitt-coached team in inconsistent." Hewitt hasn't been inconsistent. He's been consistently unpredictable. In other words, he always seems to have a talented roster than underperforms throughout a given year, but wins a number of games each season that they probably shouldn't win, while losing games they shouldn't lose. Hell, even the year that they made the NCAA Finals, they finished the regular season 22-8 and 9-7 in the ACC. I guess you could call that inconsistentcy, but if you are consistently inconsistent, is that really inconsistent?


For North Carolina, one thing I read a couple times was that the Heels were bailed out in their comeback when Will Graves got hot, questioning what would have happened if Graves hadn't shown up in the second half. But if the Heels had won that game, wouldn't the general theme have been that the Heels can compete even when their big guns have an off-night? That their role players are talented enough to step up and bring them back from a huge deficit? Wouldn't we be talking about this team possibly being deeper and more balanced than first imagined? Should losing a one possession game really skew your opinion that much?


Staying in the ACC, is it time to truly be consider UVa a tournament contender? Maybe. They are 14-3 right now and the only team in the ACC that is undefeated. It hasn't come against cupcakes either, as they've knocked of Georgia Tech and Miami in league play, as well as beating UAB in the non-conference portion of their schedule. But there has been a common them for the Hoos - all three of those wins came at home. Their four losses? At South Florida, to Stanford in Cancun, at home to Penn State (Big Ten cellar dwellar), and at Auburn. That's not a pretty sight. So while the Cavs deserve a tip-of-the-cap for the week they had, let's see them win at Wake Forest next Saturday before we start calling predicting a tourney trip for this team.

Sylvan Landesberg has been a star for the surprising Cavs.
(photo credit: WaPo)

Did we write off Oklahoma and Washington too soon? The Sooners picked up two huge wins this week, beating Oklahoma State in the Bedlam Series in overtime before knocking off surging Missouri. The wins moved the Sooners to 11-6 overall and 2-1 in the Big XII. But the Sooners still have a ton of work to do, as those two wins are the only quality wins Oklahoma has. That said, if Oklahoma can get to 11-5 in the league, they may have enough of a resume to earn themselves an at-large simply because the rest of their schedule is as tough as anyone in the country. They have two games left against Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech, have to travel to Kansas and Oklahoma State, and get Kansas State and Baylor at home. If they can go 1-3 against the big three in the league, and avoid losing to any of the teams in the bottom of the Big XII, finishing 11-5 may end up being enough. Given how the Sooners have performed thus far this season, 11-5 may be a stretch, but they certainly have the talent to do it.

Washington is in a different boat. Given how weak the Pac-10 is, the Huskies would likely have to win out, or come very close to it, if they want to earn an at-large bid. But after their performance this weekend, could winning out be all that unlikely? Washington has been a disappointment this season, dropping three straight to fall to the bottom of the Pac-10 after the first two weekends, but the issue has been one of intensity and focus, especially on the defensive end, as opposed to one of talent. After beating Stanford by 33 and Cal by 15, have the Huskies finally figured it out?


Northwestern knocked off Purdue at home on Saturday improving their record in the Big Ten to 2-3 against a brutal early season schedule (their losses are to Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Illinois). Things will get more difficult before they get easier, as the Wildcat's next four games are at Ohio State, at home versus Illinois, at Minnesota, and at Michigan State. But if they can pick up a win somewhere in those four games, Northwestern should win at least seven of their last nine games in the league (the only two are at home against Minnesota and at Wisconsin). Would 10-8 in the Big Ten, 21-9 overall, with wins over Purdue, Iowa State, Notre Dame, and at Michigan be enough to get a bid?

Northwestern may have saved their season with a win over Purdue.
(photo credit: Chicago Tribune)

Purdue, on the other hand, has dropped their last three games, and has head coach Matt Painter questioning their effort. Maybe he has a point. The last three games have been by far the Boilermakers worst in terms of defensive efficiency. They have been far from great offensively, but the defensive end is where Purdue hangs their hat, and as we all know, how good you are defensively is a direct result of effort.


GAME OF THE WEEK: Georgia Tech 73, UNC 71

Led by 17 points and 4 assists from Iman Shumpert in the first 20 minutes, the Yellow Jackets opened up a 20 point lead on the Tar Heels in the Dean Dome. But the Heels had a comeback in them. On the strength of 22 second half points from Will Graves, UNC came all the way back, taking the lead midway through the second half. This set up an electrifying finish.

After Graves hit a three to put UNC ahead 64-63, Brian Oliver answered with a short jumper. After a Ginyard jumper and a bucket from Derrick Favors, Graves hit another three, this one from about 25 feet, to give the Heels a 69-67 lead with just under two minutes left. Iman Shumpert would answer for Tech with a three-point play, and after UNC regained the lead on a bucket from Travis Wear, Zach Peacock scored what would eventually be the winning basket with 28 seconds left. Larry Drew missed a tough layup in the paint, and after Tech hit one free throw, Graves missed a 30 footer at the buzzer and Tech came away with the win.


PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Scottie Reynolds, Villanova

We've already written in depth about Reynolds this week, but he deserves another mention after yet another fantastic outing against a top tier Big East opponent. In two games this past week, Reynolds averaged 31.5 ppg as Villanova won on the road against Louisville and hung on to beat Georgetown after the Hoyas made a frantic comeback in the second half. Reynolds didn't get his points in garbage time, either. Against Louisville, Reynolds had 30 in the second half, hitting big shot after big shot to lead the Wildcats back from a 17 point first half deficit. Against Georgetown, he hit his first four shots from the field, scoring 12 points as Nova jumped out to a 40-23 first half lead. After the Hoyas made a run to get back into the game, Reynolds scored on a tough drive to the rim to break a 69-all tie before hitting six free throws down the stretch to seal it.

Scottie Reynolds looks to be the favorite for Big East POY.
(photo credit: TSN)

The biggest improvement in Reynold's game has been his efficiency. Early in his career, he was the only scorer for the Wildcats, and as such Jay Wright needed him to be aggressive in trying to create scoring opportunities. As a result, Reynolds would post big scoring numbers, but on a very high volume of shots. These days, Reynolds is making the most of his more limited opportunities, and this week was a prime example. In the two game, Reynolds scored his 63 points on just 25 shots, hitting 68% from he floor, 75% of his threes, and 80% from the charity stripe. Against Louisville, he scored his 36 points on just 10 shots, hitting nine of them and going 5-5 from three.

They were good too:

• Hassan Whiteside, Marshall: The best player you've never heard of might also be the best fantasy player in the country, period. Whiteside's averages of 12.5 ppg, 9.4 rpg, and 5.6 bpg only improved this week as he averaged 17.0 ppg, 13.0 rpg, and 9.0 bpg, including a triple double against Central Florida. We get a real sense of how good this kid is in the next few weeks. He hasn't played much competition yet this year, and Marshall's next five games are rough: West Virginia, UAB, Memphis, @ Houston, @ Tulsa.
• Evan Turner, Ohio State: Ohio State thrust themselves back into the picture in the Big Ten as they knocked off Purdue and Wisconsin, and Turner put himself back into the player of the year race as he averaged 23.5 ppg for the week, including a 23 point second half performance to almost single-handedly bring OSU back from 10 down in the final four minutes against Purdue.
• Elias Harris, Gonzaga: The Zags have all but wrapped up the WCC crown, and we are only three games in. In their first three games in league play, they won on the road against Portland, St. Mary's, and San Diego, the other three teams thought to have a chance to contend, and the latter two this week. Harris was sensational in both, averaging 25.5 ppg, 11.0 rpg, and 2.0 bpg, including a 31-point, 13-board, 3-block performance against St. Mary's.
  

TEAM OF THE WEEK: Kansas State Wildcats

Kansas State officially announced that the Big XII was a three-team race as they knocked off No. 1 and then undefeated Texas at home on Monday night. We've touched on that win already today, but what shouldn't be lost in the shuffle is the other two wins the Wildcats had this week. On Tuesday, they blew out Texas A&M, a team expected to contend for an at-large berth, before holding on to pick up a rare road win by holding on to beat Colorado.

Jamar Samuels had a breakout performance against Texas.
(photo credit: Mercury News)

The question now becomes how good at the Wildcats? Are they really a Final Four contender? They should be considered one, albeit a bit of a dark horse. Kansas State's biggest strength right now is their back court. Both Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen are talented senior leaders, and great, experienced guard play is what prevents upsets in the tournament. And if you took anything out of their win against Texas, it should be that all suspicions of their front court being underrated were substantiated. They play defense, they score in transition, and they were the best in the country at hitting the offensive glass heading into Monday's game. But if they have an achilles heel, it is the ability to score in the half court. Well coached teams don't generally give up easy baskets in transition or off of second chances, and the Wildcats may have an issue if they run into a team like Purdue early in the tournament. That said, with a little luck of the draw, Frank Martin's club could very well make a Final Four run.

They were good too:

• Virginia Cavaliers: The Hoos lent some credibility to their gaudy record by knocking off Georgia Tech and Miami at home. UVa is now alone atop the ACC standings with a 3-0 record. Win at Wake on Saturday, and we'll officially buy the Cavs.
  
• Ohio State Buckeyes: The Buckeyes put themselves right back into contention in the Big Ten avenging a loss to Wisconsin and knocking off Purdue in Mackey. With Evan Turner back, OSU may be the best team in the Big Ten not playing in East Lansing.
  
• Clemson Tigers: Clemson blew out UNC at home, picking up a much needed marquee victory. But more impressive may have been beating NC State on the road with Demontez Stitt leaving the game early in the second half with a foot injury. While it is just NC State, winning on the road is never easy and something Oliver Purnell has not been known for, especially when you lose your starting point guard with so much time left in the game.
  
• Pitt Panthers: The Panthers just keep rolling along, as this week they won at UConn then knocked off Louisville at home to remain undefeated atop the Big East standings.
  
• Syracuse Orange: The Orange won three league games on the road this week, including Monday night's victory over Notre Dame, but none more impressive than their win at West Virginia. With their performance this week, the Orange ensured that they would be in the thick of the title hunt in the league.
  
• Xavier Musketeers: The Musketeers were though to be in a rebuilding year, but they week knocked off both Charlotte and Dayton to improve to 4-0 in the A-10 as they sit atop the league standings.
  

MATCHUPS OF THE WEEK

• 1/19 - 7:00 pm: Clemson @ Georgia Tech
• 1/19 - 7:00 pm: Northwestern @ Ohio State
• 1/19 - 9:00 pm: Purdue @ Illinois
• 1/19 - 9:05 pm: Northern Iowa @ Wichita State
• 1/20 - 7:00 pm: Wake Forest @ UNC
• 1/20 - 7:00 pm: Xavier @ Temple
• 1/20 - 7:00 pm: Georgetown @ Pitt
• 1/20 - 9:00 pm: Baylor @ Kansas
• 1/23 - 12:00 pm: Michigan State @ Minnesota
• 1/23 - 2:00 pm: Marquette @ Syracuse
• 1/23 - 2:00 pm: Ohio State @ West Virginia
• 1/23 - 4:00 pm: Texas @ UConn
• 1/23 - 4:00 pm: Virginia @ Wake Forest
• 1/23 - 4:00 pm: Oklahoma State @ Kansas State
• 1/23 - 6:00 pm: Rhode Island @ Xavier
• 1/23 - 7:00 pm: Old Dominion @ William & Mary
• 1/23 - 9:00 pm: Duke @ Clemson
• 1/23 - 10:00 pm: BYU @ San Diego State
• 1/23 - 10:30 pm: Washington @ USC
• 1/24 - 12:00 pm: Georgia Tech @ Florida State
• 1/24 - 2:00 pm: Pitt @ Seton Hall
  

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Scottie Reynolds doesn't get the love he deserves

I thought it would be awhile before I saw a more impressive second half performance than the 28 points Austin Freeman had as Georgetown overcame a 19 point deficit to beat UConn.

Turns out I only had to wait two days.

Last night, Scottie Reynolds scored 30 of his 36 points in the second half as Villanova came back from 17 points down in the first half to beat Louisville on the road. With Nova clinging to a 76-74 lead with 6:05 left in the game, Reynolds scored the last 16 points for the Wildcats, including two big threes and a tough drive to the rim that put Nova up 88-83 with less than a minute left, ending a 6-0 Louisville run.

This should come as no surprise to anyone as Reynolds is having the best season of what has been a stellar career at Villanova. He's averaging 18.8 ppg and 3.6 apg while knocking down 43.4% of his threes. He's been even better in the last eight games, putting up 24.2 ppg as the Wildcats have gone 7-1 with two wins over Marquette, a victory at Louisville, and a win over Maryland in DC.

Despite putting up those numbers for a team ranked in the top five, you rarely hear Reynolds' name when discussing the best guard (or best player?) in the country.

Rarer still is a mention of Reynolds as an NBA prospect.

Why?

Maybe its because Reynolds isn't flashy. He not going to break many ankles or blow by defenders. Reynolds game is all about fundamentals and efficiency. His bread and butter move is a pump fake, which he uses to get his defender off-balance, or on a pull-up, getting the defense off their feet and drawing a foul.

Maybe its because Reynolds plays a floor game. He isn't going coast-to-coast for a dunk or catching an alley-oop off of a backdoor cut. Reynolds makes his living below the rim, finding space and driving lanes in the paint when there appear to be none and driving opposing coaches crazy with the variety of shots he can make - floaters, step-backs, pull-ups, deep threes, layups with contact. Bad shots are few and far between, and its rarer still to see him playing out of control.

In fewer words, Reynolds isn't going to make many highlight reels. He isn't going to spend much time on Sportscenter's Top 10. He doesn't have the "hype" factor of a John Wall or a Sherron Collins.

But there are few who have developed the reputation for making big shots that Reynolds has. Pitt found out last year in the Elite 8, when Reynolds went the length of the floor for a buzzer-beating layup that sent the Wildcats to the Final Four. Marquette found out this year, when Reynolds used his patented pump fake to draw an and-one on a 15 footer to give Nova a win. And Louisville found out last night, as Reynolds knocked down big shot after big shot to hold off the Cards.

The most impressive part of Reynolds' night was he came absurdly close to actually hitting every big shot. Reynolds needed just 10 shots from the floor to get his 36 points, going 9-10 from the field, 13-17 from the free throw line, and making all five of his threes.

Before last night, there weren't three players in the country I'd rather have taking a shot with the game on the line over Reynolds.

After last night, there isn't one. Continue reading...

Top 10 moments from 2008-2009 - No. 2

College basketball season tips off today, and in an effort to get you guys (and ourselves) excited, we will be counting down the Top 10 moments from last season. Check back with us throughout the day as we will be posting on the hour until 7pm, when UNC and FIU kick off the 2009-2010 college basketball season.

2. Scottie Reynolds goes the length of the floor to hit the game-winner in what was the probably the most exciting game of the 2009 NCAA Tournament.


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No. 5: 2009-2010 Team Preview: Villanova Wildcats

2008-2009 Record: 30-8, 13-5 Big East (4th)

Key Losses: Dante Cunningham (16.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg), Dwayne Anderson (9.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg), Shane Clark (5.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg)

Key Returners: Scottie Reynolds (15.2 ppg, 3.4 apg), Corey Fisher (10.8 ppg, 2.8 apg), Corey Fisher (9.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 42% 3's)

Newcomers: Maalik Wayns, Mouphtaou Yarou, Isaiah Armwood, Dominic Cheek

Scottie Reynolds and Jay Wright are both back after flirting with the NBA this summer.
(photo credit: beliefnet)

Villanova did lose some talent during the off-season as Dante Cunningham, Shane Clark, and Dwayne Anderson all graduated. But when you consider the recruiting class that Jay Wright brings in and the amount that the three teams above Nova in the Big East last year lost, the Wildcats look primed to make a run at a Big East title.

As was the case during their last Big East title in 2006, Villanova will very much be a perimeter oriented team. It all starts with Scottie Reynolds. Reynolds had an excellent freshman season, as he averaged almost 15 ppg, which resulted in a lot of expectations being thrown his way. He never quite lived up to those expectations, however, although a lot of that is a result of the Villanova team as a whole improving quite a bit. When he was a freshman in '06-'07, Nova had just lost Allan Ray, Randy Foye, and Kyle Lowry, and desperately needed someone to step in and be a scorer on the perimeter. Reynolds filled that void.

Reynolds can score, there's no doubt about that. He is an above average shooter from deep, and can really be dangerous once he gets it going offensively. While he isn't the quickest or the most explosive guy in the country, he has a knack for keeping a defender off-balance and is creative when finishing in the lane. He uses his body well to absorb contact and create space, but he also has a dazzling array of floaters, pull-ups, fade-aways, turn-arounds, etc., that he can use off the dribble from about 8-10 feet.

Part of the reason that Reynolds' number have not exploded has been the addition of the two Coreys, Fisher and Stokes. Stokes is a big, strong two guard. He is not a great athlete, doesn't really put the ball on the floor well, and has an average floor game. What he does well is shoot. He is one of those guys that, when given an inch, will make you pay. And when he gets it going, watch out, because he has range out to about 25 feet. Fisher is one of the most underrated guards in the conference. He is a great complement to Reynolds. While Fisher is not the greatest shooter in the world, he is a quick, dynamic play maker at the lead guard spot. He can really break down a defense, creating looks for himself in the lane or drawing defenders and finding an open man.

As much as I want to say Fisher is going to have a breakout season, I don't think he will simply because Villanova's back court is going to be so good. In addition to the three guys mentioned, Villanova also returns Reggie Redding, who will join the team after a semester's suspension. Redding is a perfect glue guy for this team. He rebounds the ball, he can defend multiple positions, and he can create open looks for his teammates off the bounce.

Villanova also adds two freshman stars to the fray. Maalik Wayns is an athletic, 6'1" play maker. Not much of a shooter yet, Wayns has break-your-ankles handle and quickness, and will be very tough to keep out of the lane. His biggest issue right now is learning to harness his ability. He is always going full speed, which will result in some charges, turnovers, and tough shots early on. Wayns was also noted for his ability to pressure the ball defensively, which will earn him minutes with Wright. Dominic Cheek is the other freshman guard Villanova brings in. Cheek is a long, slender two-guard, standing 6'6" but weighing just 175 lb. He has the frame to develop into an excellent defender once he adds some strength, but right now he seems to be more of a threat offensively. He is solid at getting out and running the floor, but he biggest weapon offensively is his jumper, with range extending well beyond the three point line.

The place where Villanova is going to be hurting is inside as they lost their two leading rebounders in Dwayne Anderson and Dante Cunningham. They do bring back Antonio Pena, who is a solid big man, but he is still the same Antonio Pena. He's big and strong, will play good positional defense, and will grab you some rebounds, but he isn't a scoring or a shot-blocking presence inside. That may be provided by freshman Mouphtaou Yarou. Mouph is a load on the block. Standing a muscular 6'9", 230 lb, Yarou is not the world's greatest athlete, but he more than makes up for it with hustle and desire. He has some decent post moves, especially using a drop-step, but this season he is going to get most of his offense off of dump-offs and offensive rebounds. Isaiah Armwood, another highly regarded freshman, is a 6'8" athletic specimen. He is of slender build and is quick enough to defend on the perimeter, which means that he may see some time on the perimeter this season. Where Armwood excels at this stage in his development is when he is allowed to let his natural ability take over - getting out and running a lane on the break or crashing the offensive glass.

Outlook: Villanova has great guard play. They have great leadership. They have enough inside to at least hold their own against some of the bigger front lines in this league while taking advantage of mismatches on the offensive end. What Villanova is missing this year, and what was so critical to their success last year, is the defensive toughness and versatility of Dwayne Anderson and Shane Clark. Both of those guys could, legitimately, defend one through five. That ability is part of what made Villanova's switching man-to-man defense so devastating. Without them, the Wildcats are not going to be as good on the defensive end, which means that they are going to be relying more on their offense. The question is whether or not Reynolds and company will be up to the task. Personally, I think they will be, and expect Nova to win the Big East.

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2009-2010 College Basketball Season Preview: Point Guards

The season is fast approaching. The first games are on Nov. 9th, and the BIAH live blog during ESPN's season kickoff is just two weeks away. So with just a week until actual games are played, we figured the best way to finish up our 2008-2009 season previews is to give you our Top 10 players at each position. You know how much we love a good Top 10 list here.

A few caveats. First, we're talking about how good these guys are as college players, not how well they project as a pro. Second, while it may be too much power for me, I am making the executive decision on what "position" a player is (and it may not necessarily be what he is listed as on a roster). Third, I am not putting the freshman in the list. As much as I've read about these guys and as many Youtube clips as I have watched, I have yet to see many of them play a real game (the all-star games don't count), and I don't think that I could give an accurate assessment until I see them play. Lastly, I love me a good argument, so if you think someone is too low or too high or the wrong position, leave a comment and let me hear about it.

Here are the point guards.

Best Freshman:

• John Wall, Kentucky
• Abdul Gaddy, Washington
• Maalik Wayns, Villanova

Best of the Rest:

• Charles Jenkins, Hofstra
• Chris Warren, Ole Miss
• Courtney Fortson, Arkansas
• Jimmer Fredette, BYU
• Trevon Hughes, Wisconsin
• Mac Hobson, Idaho
• Corey Fisher, Villanova

Top 10:

• 10. Talor Battle, Penn State: Talor Battle was the major reason that Penn State was relevant down the stretch last season. Battle's offensive game is based on his ability to shoot, where he is excellent, especially in the clutch as he knocked down a couple game-winners last year. When he puts the ball on the floor, Battle is good at getting into the paint and is a solid finisher in the lane despite lacking outstanding explosiveness. If he improves his ability to create for his teammates (he averaged 5.0 apg last season, but a lot of that was simply the result of moving the ball around the perimeter), this ranking may end up being too low by the end of the year.


• 9. Shelvin Mack, Butler: Mack is one of the more underrated point guards in the country. Playing on a team with Gordon Hayward and Matt Howard in the Horizon League will do that to you. But don't doubt his ability. Mack is an effective scorer, capable of carrying the Bulldogs if Hayward and/or Howard happen to be struggling. A big, strong kid (6'3", 215 lb), Mack is an excellent defender and a good rebounder from the guard spot. He needs to improve on his quickness getting into the lane, as well as add some consistency to his perimeter jumper, but the bottom-line is that Mack is the guy that runs the shows for Butler, who most believe will be a top 10 or 15 team this season.

Shelvin Mack is one of the most underrated point guards in the country.
(photo credit: Horizon League)

• 8. Nic Wise, Arizona: Arizona caught a huge break when Nic Wise decided to return to school. With all the turnover in the Arizona program, Wise declared for the 2009 NBA Draft and expected to end up playing overseas this season. But when Sean Miller was able to sign five top 100 recruits this summer, Wise decided that the Wildcats just might have enough talent to be a factor this year. Arizona is going to go as far as Wise carries them. After slimming down before his junior season, Wise had an exceptional junior campaign, at times carrying a Wildcat team with two NBA draft picks on it. While he is capable of creating opportunities for others, Wise is going to be asked to shoulder much more of a scoring load this year as the young Wildcats adjust to the college game.


• 7. Scottie Reynolds, Villanova: Reynolds doesn't get the national credit that he deserves. He's not a guy that is going to be a great pro, as his athletic limitations will limit his effectiveness at the next level. But at the collegiate level, his smarts allow him to get by. Reynolds is a deadly three-point shooter, but when he is playing his best, he is putting the ball on the floor and going to the rim. Despite an underwhelming vertical, he finishes well in the paint because he is able to use his body to shield his man. He has had his play-making duties reduced with the emergence on Corey Fisher along side him. Where Reynolds is at his best in the clutch. He is the guy that Jay Wright is going to go to when he needs a basket.


• 6. Jerome Randle, Cal: I've said it before and I'll say it again - Jerome Randle might be my favorite player in the country to watch. The catalyst for Cal's resurgence last season, Randle should once again carry the team that was picked to win the Pac-10. Randle is the perfect fit for the spread system that Mike Montgomery is running in Berkeley. Very solid with the ball in his hands, Randle is adept at beating his man off the dribble thanks to his fantastic ability to change speeds. But you cannot lay off of him as he is one of the best shooters in the country. If Cal is going to win the Pac-10, it will be Randle's play that will carry them there.

Despite his small stature, Jerome Randle is one of the best scorers in the country.
(photo credit: DailyCal)

• 5. Devan Downey, South Carolina: Downey is small, even for a point guard, but he is unbelievably quick. Downey can flat out score. He is at his best when he is attacking the rim, where an effective floater and an impressive ability to create space through contact with the defender allows him to finish inside. Downey tends to settle for threes, but when he is on he can hit four or five in a row from deep. Downey is a high-risk, high-reward kind of guy. He takes a lot of tough shots, but makes a good number of them. He tries quite a few risky passes and gambles for steals on the defensive end, but again, he is successful enough of the time that it isn't a huge issue. Expect big numbers once again from Downey, as his speed and ability to create in the open court will be instrumental in Darrin Horn's uptempo, pressuring style of play.


• 4. Kemba Walker, UConn: Walker came into UConn as a much-herald recruit out of NYC's Rice High, but was stifled a bit last season by UConn's slower tempo and the presence of all-american AJ Price. With UConn being a smaller, more athletic team this season, expect Jim Calhoun to play a much faster pace with Walker being the catalyst. He is an absolute menace on the defensive end as he may be the quickest player in the country. Offensively, he is near impossible to stay in front of. Despite his small size, Walker can finish at the rim, but he is at his best when he collapses a defense and finds an open man - be it a big at the rim or a shooter on the perimeter. While his jump shot could still use some improvement, Walker is going to be the motor that makes the Huskies engine run this season.


• 3. Greivis Vasquez, Maryland: Simply put, Vasquez will be the most exciting player in the ACC this season. While his time in College Park has been maddeningly inconsistent, Vasquez improved his decision making last year. He didn't force as many tough shots and more often settled for the smart, easy pass as opposed to the highlight reel play. When he is playing well, Vasquez can completely take a game over, even against a much more talented team (see his triple-double is MD's win over UNC last year). He still will need to focus on making the smart play this year, but in terms of pure talent, Vasquez is good enough to carry an undermanned Terp team to a second straight NCAA tournament.


• 2. Kalin Lucas, Michigan State: Lucas is the perfect fit for the team-oriented offense that Tom Izzo likes to run. He can play on the ball or off, and is excellent at picking his spots to attack. Not the quickest player in the world, he is excellent at changing speed and direction when putting the ball on the floor. Lucas is going to be instrumental for the Spartans this season as Izzo is going to look to play a quicker pace than he did last year. Lucas is valuable for a talented MSU team because he can run a team and keep an offense moving without dominating the ball, but if the shot clock is winding down, he is more than capable of creating a good shot, either for himself or for a teammate.

Sherron Collins and Kalin Lucas are the two best point guards in the country.
(photo credit: daylife)

• 1. Sherron Collins, Kansas: Collins is an easy pick atop these rankings. First team pre-season all-american and the star player and leader for the consensus best team in the country. Collins is a great scorer at this level. He is strong enough to get to the rim on just about anyone, but he has three-point range well beyond NBA line. What makes Collins so good is he really developed into a point guard last season. While he had to shoulder a bulk of the scoring load for a young Jayhawk team, he was a good decision maker. He knew when he should pass and he knew when he needed to shoot. But the biggest difference between Collins and anyone on this list is his ability to make a big play when you really need it. If you are down one with 15 seconds left on the clock, is there anyone in the country you would rather have with the ball in their hands?

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Scottie Reynolds returning to Villanova

Good news for Villanova today, as point guard Scottie Reynolds has withdrawn his name from the NBA Draft. Smart choice. Reynolds was projected as possibly being able to sneak into the end of the second round, but was expected by many to go undrafted.

Reynolds provides a lot of leadership for this team, and the Wildcats will need it next year as they are losing seniors Dante Cunningham, Dwayne Anderson, and Shane Clark.

Scottie Reynolds will be returning to Villanova.
(photo credit: NYDN)

But don't expect Villanova to fall off next season after making a run to the Final Four in 2009. Yes, losing Cunningham, Anderson, and Clark is going to hurt, but the Wildcats bring back an excellent back court as Reynolds will be teaming with The Two Coreys (Fisher and Stokes) and Reggie Redding.

They also bring in the best recruiting class in the country this side of Lexington, which includes four top 100 players, and three in Rivals top 30: big men Mouphtou Yarou and Isaiah Armwood and guards Maalik Wayns and Dominic Cheek.

So yes, Villanova will once again have a talent laden roster, and has already been tabbed by one national college hoops writer as a top 5 team. But I warn you, Wildcat fans, don't underestimate what the Wildcats are losing to graduation.

The reason that Villanova was as good as they were last year was their toughness and their versatility, especially on the defensive end. It was guys like Anderson and Clark that could defend all five positions on the floor. They were the reason that Villanova could run so many different defensive looks - switching all screens, switching all exchanges, straight up man-to-man. And it was the Wildcat's defensive prowess that made them a great team last year.

And don't forget Dante Cunningham, who was basically the Wildcats only inside presence last season, made all the more valuable by the excellent 17 foot jumper he developed oer the course of his career.

Now, Yarou is a top 10 recruit, and may be able to come in and provide Villanova with an inside presence as a freshman. And Jay Wright has arguably the best track record of any coach this decade when it comes to churning out talented perimeter players. There is no denying the talent on this roster is as good as any in the country.

I'm simply saying that what Jay Wright is losing with Anderson and Clark graduating goes far beyond the stats those two posted every night.

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SCOTTIE REYNOLDS: Reynolds, who just completed a junior season at Villanova where he led the Wildcats to their first Final Four since 1985, has declared for the NBA Draft. It is a good move for Scottie. He probably is not going to stay in the draft as he looks to be a second round pick at best right now. But by going through the process he can gauge where he currently stands and what exactly he needs to improve on. Continue reading...

Point Guards in the Final Four

It is one of the most cliche things to say during the NCAA Tournament.

You need a great point guard to make a run in the dance.

We have all heard it before, and every bracketologist, whether you are on ESPN or the "expert" filling out your office pool, has more than likely uttered those words yourself. On the surface, it seems to hold true this year. Michigan State's point guard Kalin Lucas was Big Ten player of the year. UNC's Ty Lawson also won conference player of the year, in the ACC. UConn's AJ Price was a second team all Big-East selection, but has been one of the best point guards in the country since Jerome Dyson went down (19.2 ppg, 5.1 apg). Villanova's tandem of Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher is one of the more underrated point guard duos around.

Scottie Reynolds scores the game-winning hoop against Pitt.
(photo credit: Elise Amendola/AP)

So does correlation equal causation here? Easier put, are these point guards the reason that these four teams advanced to the Final Four?

Not necessarily.

Sure, they played a vital part. Reynolds hit the game-winner for Nova against Pitt in the Elite 8. Price is UConn's leading scorer through four tournament game. If the tournament ended today, Lawson might be the MOP of this year's dance.

But that doesn't mean they are the sole, or even most important, reason these four teams have advanced.

Take Michigan State. Lucas has been far from dominant through four games. He is averaging 12.8 ppg (down from 14.8) and has shot just 40% (15-37) from the floor. Goran Suton has actually been the best player for the Spartans during the tournament. He is averaging 14.0 ppg and 11.5 rpg (to go along with 2.3 apg, 2.3 spg, and 1.3 bpg). If he didn't score 17 first half points against Louisville, MSU may not have been in a position for the huge run they put on the Cardinals in the second half.

Price has been nothing short of great for the Huskies in their run to the Final Four. He has averaged 20.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, and 5.3 apg. As valuable as he has been, Price has not been the most important player on the floor. UConn has won their four games simply because they out-big (is that even a word) every team they have faced. Hasheem Thabeet was a dominant force on both ends through the first three games, and when he struggled a bit against an uptempo Missouri squad, the more athletic Stanley Robinson and Jeff Adrien combined for 25 points, 16 boards, and 7 blocks. Price wasn't even the best guard on the floor in that game. Kemba Walker was, as he finished the game with 23 point, 5 boards, 5 assists, and broke the devastating Mizzou press by himself on a number of occasions.

AJ Price scores over DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons of Missouri.
(photo credit: Chris Carlson/AP)

For Villanova, since the first day of practice on October 15th, it has been all about team. It is tough to pick out a best or most valuable player for the Wildcats, simply because they have so many guys that are just solid players. Is Scottie Reynolds leadership really more important than the versatility provided by "posts" Dante Cunningham, Dwayne Anderson, and Shane Clark? Is the dynamic Fisher more valuable than the fundamental play-maker Reggie Redding? More than anything, the reason that the Cats have made it this far is because they have been tougher, especially on the defense end, than anyone they have played (and that is saying something considering they beat Pitt in the Elite 8).

There is no question that Ty Lawson has been the best player on the floor for the Tar Heels. He took over the second half of the LSU game, scoring 21 points and helping UNC rally back after giving up a nine point half time lead. He continued that hot play against Gonzaga, as he scored 17 in the first half to help UNC open up a lead they would not relinquish. Even against Oklahoma, he was the Heels leading scorer with 19 points. But would UNC have won that game if they weren't able to get the lead on the Sooners? Maybe, but it would have been much closer than the final ended up being. Why were they able to build up said lead? Because their interior defense on Blake Griffin was outstanding for the first 11 minutes of the game, holding the player of the year scoreless. That allowed the Heels to stay at home on the Sooner shooters, who were never able to get into a rhythm, starting off the game 0-15 from deep and finishing 2-19.

Blake Griffin was swarmed by UNC's front line for most of the game.
(photo credit: Matt Slocum/AP)

When it comes down to it, no one player or position is going to get you to a Final Four. Yes, having a great point guard is important, but is it necessarily more important than having a great big man? Or playing great perimeter defense? Or having great shooters?

No.

To win a national title, or even to make a Final Four, a team needs to be just that. A team. They don't even really need to be a great one. They just have to play great for four games.

As a team.

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