Sept. 22, 2006

The Nova Notebook, by Villanova director of media relations Mike Sheridan, appears each Friday from September through February and monthly from April through in August. This week we introduce the Nova Nation to freshman center Casiem Drummond in our third of five profiles on the newest members of the Wildcats.

The concept may seem quaint to some but in the eyes of 6-10 Villanova freshman Casiem Drummond it is very real.

"What I really liked about Villanova," he says, "is the family atmosphere."

In fact, Drummond enjoys the company of his new teammates so much that he is seldom separated from them. That is especially true of his four fellow frosh - Andrew Ott, Antonio Pena, Reggie Redding and Scottie Reynolds. In addition to its time on the basketball court, the group shares classroom and social time.

"We're always together," he states as he completes an interview in an office in Jake Nevin Field House. "In fact, I'm surprised I'm not with them now."

As the most physically imposing of the bunch at 6-10 and 280 pounds, Drummond is in some ways the most recognizable of the new `Cats. Yet Drummond is accustomed to blending into his world and by all accounts has done so seamlessly at Villanova.

Observers first began to take note of Drummond's height as a fourth grader. Basketball, of course, appeared to be a natural diversion and Drummond was certainly willing. The game was fun but at such a tender age didn't seem much more than that. Yet as his growth chart kept spiking north, Drummond began to realize the possibilities it presented.

"I was growing like three inches every year," he notes. "By the time I got to the seventh grade I started playing well. It became something I really liked to do."

And, yes, people noticed. By the time he reached Bloomfield Tech as a ninth grader, he was skilled enough to become the sixth man on the varsity. That year, his first recruiting letter arrived from Clemson. The combination of size, soft hands, and affinity to be a factor near the basket began attracting interest.

Drummond paid close attention to coach Nick Marinello and programs from around the Big East made contact. While he listened politely and appreciated the attention, the center says he was focused on Villanova almost from the beginning. It offered some of the same things he liked about his high school program.

"I always had it in my mind to go to Villanova," says Drummond. "Coach Wright reminded me so much of my high school coach. They are both interested in you as people and treat their teams like a family. We were a close team in high school and I thought Villanova was the right place for me.

"One of the things I liked when I visited was that all the guys were really down to earth. Randy Foye was the same with the freshmen as he was with the older guys. Everybody was included in everything."

The Wildcats coaching staff returned the admiration. Although his game was, in some respects, a work in progress, Drummond offered back to the basket skills that are rare in the evolving college game, averaging 16 points and 11 rebounds per game as a junior in 2004-05. Wright and company believed Drummond brought the potential to add a dimension that hasn't been in evidence here since Michael Bradley roamed the lane in 2000-01. So a scholarship offer was made and Drummond accepted in July of 2005.

"A lot of guys who haven't decided put pressure on themselves to play well," Drummond states. "I knew where I wanted to go so it made sense to announce it. Then I could just concentrate on playing and getting better."

With his future plans settled, Drummond produced another quality season at Bloomfield Tech, earning an invitation to the 2006 Jordan Classic Regional All-American game at Madison Square Garden.

No sooner did he pick up his high school diploma than did Drummond head down the New Jersey Turnpike to begin his college experience, enrolling in summer school classes. It helped ease the transition for him, both academically and socially. There were challenges to be met on both fronts.

"To me, it feels like the school work is one level above high school but the basketball is about five levels above high school," he explains. "The game is so much faster at this level. I'm still trying to adjust to that."

Drummond says advice is plentiful, both from his new teammates and the staff.

"The older guys just tell us the biggest thing is to always play hard," he says. "Everyone makes mistakes when you are learning a new system but as long as you give your best effort, it will all work out."

In workouts thus far, Drummond has displayed a soft shooting touch and low-post scoring skills. He is, as he readily concedes, adapting to the quickness of the interior athletes at this level and learning how to position himself. In this area it doesn't hurt to have the counsel of assistant coach and Villanova legend Ed Pinckney available to him.

"Coach Pinckney played in the (NBA) a long time and he was a great player here," Drummond says. "He has been in the same situation I'm in and has some tips that really help you as a player. It definitely helps to have him here helping us learn."

In the near term, Drummond says his goals are simple.

"As a freshman and sophomore, I'm just here to learn from the coaches and older players," Drummond says. "The team is the most important thing to me. Any way I can help, I will."

At the interview session ends, Drummond heads for the doorway. Soon he can be seen walking through the Field House, off to enjoy a bit of down time after a pair of morning classes. He is a solitary figure as he does so but don't expect the image to last. No doubt next time he is spotted it will be with one or more teammates alongside.

The family that plays together stays together.