Dec. 29, 2006
The Nova Notebook, by Villanova director of media relations Mike Sheridan, appears each Friday from September through February and monthly from April through August. This week we spend time with freshman guard Scottie Reynolds.
There is no small measure of irony in the fact the perhaps the most celebrated honor a high school basketball player can achieve is fronted by a fast food chain. For once you become a McDonald's All-American the anticipation is that you will deliver an enormous impact at your next stop in about the time it takes to negotiate the drive through lane.
Seldom, though, is the assimilation that flawless.
Transitions take time, even for those gifted enough to have been chosen among the national elite in their final season of high school hoops. That is especially true when the college freshman in question is asked to help guide his new team from the point guard position.
It is Villanova's good fortune that it's latest McDonald's All-American is an unflappable throwback unmoved by the hype which accompanied him to campus. Scottie Reynolds has faced his learning curve with grace, accepted his mistakes, and learned from them. As each day passes, he feels more settled in his role as a Villanova guard.
"Probably the biggest challenge for me coming into this has been the mental aspect," he says. "At this level, you really have to be prepared for what your opponent is going to do. You have to know the personnel and its tendencies. Once you get an idea of what to expect, it helps."
Reynolds, a 6-2 product of Herndon (Va.) High School, wasted little time in establishing himself. He became the first Wildcat to begin his career in the starting lineup since current senior Mike Nardi did so in 2003-04. On opening night at Northwood he converted all six of his field goal attempts and finished with 13 points despite being slowed by foul trouble.
Of course, in few endeavors does one snap fingers and succeed. Reynolds endured his first bumps when Villanova traveled to the U.S. Virgin Islands for the Paradise Jam. Early foul trouble limited him to just 16 minutes in the opening round win over the College of Charleston on Nov. 17. Two nights later he contributed eight points but committed four turnovers, including a second half steal by Xavier's Drew Lavender on what appeared to be a routine in-bounds play. In the final game victory he scored just one point and turned the ball over four more times in an 89-60 win over Iowa. On Nov. 25 against Navy, he was just 1-of-7 from the field in a 71-60 triumph.
The Villanova coaching staff never wavered in its belief in Reynolds'. Jay Wright and friends recalled well the travails Randy Foye and Allan Ray endured as Wildcat freshmen backcourt rookies in 2002-03.
"Scottie never stopped working and trying to get better," observes Wright, himself a former point guard at Bucknell.
"It's been an adjustment," says Reynolds. "But I have tried to be positive. There are a lot of talented players at this level and most of them have gone through a transition."
December has been a month of growth for Reynolds. His gains have been subtle but substantial. He dropped in 11 points in a 99-89 win at Penn and followed that with a sturdy performance in the face of unusual antipathy at Oklahoma, scoring 10 points and grabbing four rebounds despite a heavy dose of derisive cheering at his expense. (It was owed to his decision to ask out of his letter of intent at OU last spring after the exit of head coach Kelvin Sampson.)
Coming through the heat at the Lloyd Noble Center on Dec. 6 only enhanced Reynolds' development. As the month went on, his scoring numbers, assists and minutes increased just as his turnover numbers began to shrink. In Villanova's two most recent games, victories over Rider and La Salle, Reynolds contributed 12 assists and only one turnover as one of his club's primary quarterbacks.
"I have definitely felt more comfortable these last two games," he says. "I have been able to be more aggressive but not force things."
Indeed, Wright and his staff have stressed often to the unselfish Reynolds that it is vital that he looks for his own scoring opportunities as well as for those of his teammates. At his core, Reynolds is a guard in the purest sense because he brings a desire to feed his cohorts the ball. However, he has come to learn that too much emphasis on passing can damage his club in less obvious ways.
"I think I have to keep people honest," he says. "Coach has talked about me taking open shots. He wants me to be creative, not just for my teammates but for myself. It's a fine line and, as I become more experienced, I have learned to recognize each situation - time and score -better than I was early on."
Reynolds was a prolific scorer in high school and remains an icon at Herndon. There have been flashes of his long distance shooting skill in his first 11 collegiate games and one gets the sense that as he settles in, a burst of points is not far away. For now, Reynolds averages 7.7 points and 3.5 assists per contest.
One plus for Reynolds is that there are a handful of upperclassmen to lean on. He has paid close attention to a core of seniors in Ross Condon, Mike Nardi, Will Sheridan and Curtis Sumpter who have accomplished much here.
"There are certain situations you find yourself in where you have questions," Reynolds explains. "It's good to know that as a young player I can go to ask a senior something, whether it's about basketball or every day events."
While some might look at their watch and tap their feet waiting for a payoff, Reynolds remains content to focus on the basics and allow the rest to fall into place.
"I am probably my own hardest critic," he says. "But I try hard not to get down and to stay upbeat. As a team we are getting better each day and that's what we are all thinking about."
