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Posted: Tuesday October 22, 2002 11:19 PM
Updated: Tuesday October 29, 2002 10:31 PM
Villanova Wildcats
The following preview is provided by Blue Ribbon. For the most thorough preview available of the upcoming season, order the 2002-03 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, on sale now at 1-800-775-2518.
Coach and Program | Starters Lost | Others Lost
Projected Starters | Key Reserves | Final Analysis
COACH AND PROGRAM
It seems as if Jay Wright was born to coach the Villanova Wildcats. He grew up in Philadelphia, went to former ’Nova coach Rollie Massimino’s summer camp as a youth, married a Villanova graduate (Patricia, class of ’83) and worked as an assistant under Massimino.
Wright spent seven seasons at Hofstra, building the Pride into a two-time NCAA tournament participant. He was hired as Villanova’s coach on March 27, 2001, after Steve Lappas left to coach at Massachusetts.
Coming off an 18-13 record and a first-round loss in the NIT, many expected the Wildcats would take a step back under their 39-year-old coach. Wright was not among them.
"I expected that we would be successful if we could put our plan in place," said Wright, who was a Wildcats assistant from 1987-92. "I think our season was successful because we established a foundation for how we want to play and what Villanova basketball is. We showed that we were a team that played hard and took pride in the Villanova basketball tradition."
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| Blue Ribbon Previews |
| Oct. 28: |
ACC | A-Sun | NEC |
| Oct. 29: |
A-10, A-East, Ivy League |
| Oct. 30: |
Big East, Colonial, Metro Atlantic Ath. Conf., Patriot |
| Oct. 31: |
Big 12, Big West, Big Sky, Missouri Valley Conf. |
| Nov. 1: |
Big Ten, Horizon, MAC, Ohio Valley Conf. |
| Nov. 4: |
C-USA, Mid. Cont., Sun Belt, SWAC |
| Nov. 6: |
Pac-10, Mountain West, WAC, West Coast Conf. |
| Nov. 8: |
SEC, Big South, Southern, Southland, Independents |
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A team that was short on experience and depth turned out to be pretty good after all, compiling a 19-13 record and advancing to the NIT quarterfinals. This year, four starters return to the Wildcats, including second-team All-Big East selection Ricky Wright and leading scorer Gary Buchanan.
A freshman class that was ranked among the best in the nation by every major recruiting publication arrives to bolster the strong lineup.
"We’re excited about the future," Wright said. "As a coach you’re always concerned with team chemistry. We know that the expectations this year are much different than they were last year. We have to have our own values within our basketball family, though. We understand that everyone will be looking to see how we handle this because we are just in our second year here."
The major concern will be at center, where Brooks Sales graduated. Newcomer Jason Fraser, a 6-foot-10 natural shot blocker, is the heir apparent.
Villanova built a foundation in its first year under Wright, and this year the Wildcats hope -- and expect -- to take another major step forward.
"It’s not the fans’ responsibility to be patient," Wright said. "As coaches, though, we have to understand we may have to be a little ugly early to be good late.
"We’re adding six new players. We’ll have to work hard to mesh those guys with our experienced guys. I’m looking forward to seeing how we make this progression."
STARTERS NOT RETURNING
C -- BROOKS SALES (6-10, 245 lbs., 10.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.4 bpg, 34.3 minutes, .538 FG, .500 3PT, .752 FT). Sales was a major contributor to the Wildcats' lineup last season, a versatile senior who impacted virtually everything ’Nova did. He was third in scoring, tops in rebounding, second in assists, first in field-goal percentage and second in minutes played.
"One of the great traditions of Villanova basketball is that the seniors have stepped up to become leaders," Wright said. "Not only do they make big plays, but they carry themselves off the court in such a way that the young guys look up to them and respect them."
Sales carried that tradition well, Wright said.
"In my mind, Brooks had as good a senior year as any Villanova senior -- maybe not in numbers but in terms of establishing what kind of program this is going to be. I was very pleased with his effort."
OTHERS NOT RETURNING
G -- REGGIE BRYANT (6-2, 193 lbs., 9.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.8 apg, 24.2 minutes, .390 FG, .386 3PT,.725 FT). Bryant turned in a solid effort off the bench after missing seven games during the 2000-01 season with a stomach muscle pull and averaging only 5.7 points. He was a good mid-range shooter whose 54 3-pointers were second on the team to Gary Buchanan’s 101.
"He was a great scorer," Wright said. "He could put points on the board and was our microwave off the bench. He could put numbers up and was a great 3-point shooter."
G -- B.J. JOHNSON (6-3, 195 lbs., 0.5 ppg, 0.3 rpg, 4.9 minutes, .222 FG, .000 3PT, .750 FT). Johnson played only eight minutes as a walk-on in 2000-01, but he earned a scholarship last year and actually made one start while appearing in 16 games.
"He was a tough defensive player," Wright said. "He was our defensive hustle guy."
PROJECTED STARTERS
G -- GARY BUCHANAN (6-3, 205 lbs., SR, #22, 17.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.4 apg, 35.1 minutes, .424 FG, .423 3PT, .911 FT, St. Thomas More HS/St. Louis, Mo.). The exciting guard already has etched his name into the Villanova record book, with 1,399 career points in his first three seasons. That’s 24th on the Wildcats’ all-time list.
Buchanan led ’Nova in scoring last year and his .423 3-point shooting percentage was the best in the Big East Conference. He is also a deadly free-throw shooter, sinking more than 91 percent from the line. He sank .932 as a freshman and .942 as a sophomore.
What can he do better?
"Just a lot of little things," Wright said. "He’s a great shooter who can score. We want him to become a better defensive player. We want him to get a little bit stronger, handle the ball better and create shots for his teammates better."
Wright said he saw improvement in those areas last season.
"He did all of that as the season went on," the coach said, "and he had a great off-season. He was MVP of the Sonny Hill College summer league and worked Michael Jordan’s camp.
"Just for the time and commitment he’s put forth, I want him to have a great season."
Buchanan was an honorable mention All-Big East selection last season, and his coach is counting on an even bigger season this time around.
"We expect him to be a very prominent player in the Big East for us," Wright said.
F -- RICKY WRIGHT (6-7, 215 lbs., SR, #5, 13.7 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.8 apg, 30.3 minutes, .528 FG, .000 3 PT, .719 FT, Central HS/East Chicago, Ind.). Wright emerged as Villanova’s chief interior scoring threat last season and will be counted on to duplicate that role this year. He was much more consistent than in previous seasons, with nine double-doubles on the year and a solid .528 field goal percentage.
"Ricky developed into a very effective Big East player by the end of the year," Jay Wright said. "He played well in big games and made huge plays. We’re looking for Rick to put together an entire season of rebounding, defense and scoring.
"We believe he has the ability to be the kind of player who is a factor every minute he is in the game."
Wright’s emergence began toward the end of the 2000-01 season, when he started the final 11 games and averaged 11.7 points and 5.5 rebounds after taking over at power forward. He set a career high that season with 26 points against Minnesota.
Coach Wright believes the forward’s improvement last year was "part maturity, part necessity. We really didn’t have anybody else. There were a lot of games when he knew he had to stay in the game and couldn’t get in foul trouble.
"We had to play him a lot with four fouls when normally you pull him out of the game."
F -- ANDREW SULLIVAN (6-7, 215 lbs., SR, #12, 5.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 26.7 minutes, .529 FG, .400 3PT, .680 FT, St. Augustine/London, England). Sullivan was the only Wildcat to start all 32 games last year, and he developed into the Wildcats’ most versatile and dependable defender. Over the course of the season, his long arms and quick feet helped shut down the likes of UCLA’s Jason Kapono, Miami’s Darius Rice and Saint Joseph’s Marvin O’Connor.
"Andrew developed defensively to the point where he became a stopper for us," Wright said. "He began to play with more confidence offensively as the season wore on, and that’s an area I think he can make great improvement in."
Sullivan came to the United States from Great Britain in 1996 and played two years of varsity basketball in New Jersey. He lived with the family of current teammate Lou Ruskey, a senior walk-on.
Sullivan averaged only 1.7 points as a sophomore but showed flashes of offensive production last year, with a career-high 13 points against Virginia Military Institute. He also came within a whisker of his first double-double by scoring nine points and grabbing nine rebounds in a 71-59 loss at Pittsburgh.
G -- DERRICK SNOWDEN (6-0, 160 lbs., JR, #3, 10.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.9 apg, 33.2 minutes, .461 FG, .329 3PT, .706 FT, Archbishop Spalding/Baltimore, Md.). Snowden was the only point guard on last season’s roster and was inconsistent through the first half. But he was among Villanova’s top players the second half of the year.
"Derrick should be very proud of his growth over the course of last season," Wright said. "By the end of the year he got a feel for how he could put his signature on the point guard position. We don’t want him to be a clone. We want him to use his ability so that he can become a very unique and efficient guard in the Big East."
Snowden is a pesky defender who loves to create off the dribble, and he has developed a knack for making clutch plays. He set a career high with 21 points in an 84-69 first-round NIT victory over Manhattan and made a crucial 3-point play with 2:39 to go, giving Villanova the lead for good in a 67-61 Big East win over Syracuse.
Snowden averaged 8.5 points and 4.2 assists as a freshman, starting the final seven games.
"I don’t think he was a natural point guard, but all in one year he assumed point-guard responsibilities and leadership," Wright said. "He scored and defended and gave us energy and enthusiasm last year.
"He can shoot it and drive it. We love him."
C -- JASON FRASER (6-10, 220 lbs., FR, #20, 25 ppg, 12 rpg, 6 apg, 8 bpg, Amityville HS/Amityville, N.Y.).
A McDonald’s All-American, Fraser is a terrific defender and a smart player who should help Villanova immediately as he takes over for Sales at center. He was voted second-team All-USA Today as a senior and led Amityville to four New York State Class B championships playing for coach Jack Agostino.
Fraser was rated the 18th-best recruit in the nation by ESPN.com and was one of the most highly recruited big men in the nation. Fraser was heavily recruited by St. John’s, his favorite team, but in the end Villanova won out.
"He’s going to learn that he’ll have to use offensive moves rather than just his size to score," Wright said. "Defensively, he has a great passion and understanding of the game. I think he has good touch on offense but in high school you rely on size and athleticism a lot more. Here at Villanova, he’ll have to rely on his skill and his ball abilities."
Fraser set the Amityville High record for career points (1,639), rebounds (1,412) and blocked shots (760).
"He’s going to have to make an impact for us because we’ve lost Sales," Wright said. "There’s going to be pressure on him immediately, and we’re going to have to balance that with some patience. Young big guys come along slower than guards."
KEY RESERVES
F -- MARCUS AUSTIN (6-9, 231 lbs., SO, #44, 1.9 ppg, 1.8 ppg, 9.1 minutes, .373 FT, .000 3PT, .536 FT, St. Patrick’s/Irvington, N.J.). The power forward flashed promise at times as a rookie but needs to turn his game up another notch this season.
"Marcus had a typical freshman year -- some good games, some inconsistent games," Wright said. "But he’s got a body that can bang in the Big East, he’s very intelligent and he can be an important factor for us with his rebounding and his ability to make plays in the post."
C -- CHRIS CHARLES (7-0, 220 lbs., SO, #21, 1.7 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 9.4 minutes, .484 FG, .000 3PT, .467 FT, Crispus Attucks/Milwaukee, Wis.). Charles had more to worry about than breaking in as a freshman last season. He missed eight games because of an irregular heartbeat.
"Chris handled a very difficult situation extremely well," Wright said. "His physical problems did not diminish his enthusiasm, work ethic or commitment. I think he’s a diamond in the rough."
Charles is a lean big man who is capable of nailing 15-foot jump shots. He has good hands and runs the floor very well for his size. Improving his upper body strength is a priority for the player who was the first signee in the Jay Wright Era at Villanova.
"His skills can make him a very effective frontcourt player in our system," Wright said. "As long as he’s patient, I believe he can become an outstanding Big East player."
F -- ANDREAS BLOCH (6-8, 215 lbs., JR, #1, 0.3 ppg, 0.2 rpg, 2.3 minutes, .250 FG, .273 3PT, .000 FT, Fresno Central/Wurmlingeu, Germany). A skilled long-range shooter with a smooth touch, Bloch has the potential to become one of the Wildcats’ better 3-point shooters. Injuries limited him early on last year and he had a tough time breaking into the rotation, playing only 48 minutes all season. He logged a season-high 12 minutes against Miami, scoring three points.
"Andreas is in the development stage where he’s learning what it takes to thrive in our system," Wright said. "He’s building his body to play on the inside and defend on the perimeter and in the post. He’s working very hard at it. He’s an outstanding perimeter shooter with great size. He’s learning how to fit into our system as we’re learning how to use him."
G -- RANDY FOYE (6-3, 185 lbs., FR, #15, 22 ppg, 6 rpg, 6 apg, East Side HS/Newark, N.J.). A versatile player with impressive tools, he can play either guard position. He was selected the New Jersey Player of the Year and was ranked by many recruiting services as one of the nation’s top 50 prep players. He was rated No. 60 by ESPN.com.
"He’s not a point guard or a two-guard, he’s a guard," Wright said. "He can score, set people up and defend. He knows how to play the game. He really has a chance to be a special player."
G -- ALLAN RAY (6-2, 175 lbs., FR, #14, 17 ppg, St. Raymond HS/Bronx, NY). An explosive scoring guard and a tremendous leaper, he beats foes off the dribble or with a jumper and has excellent range beyond the 3-point arc.
He enjoyed a strong junior season at St. Raymond but broke his foot last year and missed all but a handful of games. He is rated the nation’s No. 66 recruit by ESPN.com and signed with Villanova the summer before his senior year.
"We hope he can be as good as Ray Allen," Wright said. "He’s a lot like Foye. He’s a great New York City guard who can score, defend, shoot it and set people up. He has a great ability to get to the rim and finish."
F -- CURTIS SUMPTER (6-7, 205 lbs., FR, #34, 18 ppg, 8 rpg, Bishop Loughlin HS/Brooklyn, N.Y.). A versatile player with a great feel for the game, he can score in traffic in the paint or with his jump shot.
"He can play on the perimeter or the inside," Wright said. "He’s kind of a poor man’s Caron Butler."
Sumpter was recruited by Wright when the coach was still at Hofstra, by Wildcats assistant Joe Jones before Wright arrived at Villanova, and by former Seton Hall assistant Fred Hill, now a member of Wright’s staff.
"I had all three of my favorite coaches in one place," Sumpter told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "I want to make a good experience out of this, and win some games. I expect to make the NCAA tournament."
G -- MICHAEL CLAXTON (6-2, 198 lbs., FR, #25, 6 ppg, Christ the King HS/Hempstead, NY). A tenacious defender who understands the game, Claxton brings quickness to the floor. Wright plans to ease him into college ball slowly.
He is the brother of Craig "Speedy" Claxton, a former Hofstra standout and current member of the San Antonio Spurs.
G -- BAKER DUNLEAVY (6-6, 205 lbs., FR, #13, 14 ppg, 6 rpg, Lawrenceville Prep/Portland, Ore.). The son of former NBA coach Mike Dunleavy and the brother of ex-Duke All-American Mike Jr., Dunleavy has good size and can shoot the ball from deep. As a coach’s son, it’s no surprise that he also brings great basketball instincts to the court.
Like Claxton, Wright plans to gradually work him into the rotation.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
It took Villanova time to get used to its new coach, but the Wildcats played their best basketball of the season in March.
"By the end of the year, I felt like we were demonstrating the kind of pride and passion that have always been the hallmark of Villanova basketball," Wright said.
When he took the job, Wright said he wanted to place an emphasis on defense and play more of a pressure game. His Wildcats responded by finishing third in the Big East in scoring defense (66.3) and second in field-goal defense (.392).
This year’s emphasis is obvious: Make the NCAA tournament.
With four starters back, plus an exciting freshman in Fraser, Wright’s Wildcats should be a force in the Big East this season.
"We still have a ways to go," Wright said, "but we’ve made some important strides."
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