Jan. 26, 2007
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 Reggie Redding.
NOTRE DAME, Ind. - Following Villanova's 82-73 victory at Providence - only the Wildcats third in the Dunkin Donuts Center since 1991 - head coach Jay Wright mentioned that, prior to the game, he wasn't sure his 10 underclassmen appreciated what a hostile environment would confront them.
"I think our seniors did a good job of communicating that to them before we came out here tonight," stated Wright.
Will Sheridan, Mike Nardi and Curtis Sumpter made a point to emphasize to their young friends that this BIG EAST battle would feature a special kind of intensity. Those words sunk in.
"At first Coach (Wright) was talking about Villanova's history at Providence and it seemed like he was just trying to get us pumped up," says freshman guard Reggie Redding. "But he kept bringing it up and then our captains talked a lot about it. We were just relaxing and they were telling us about it. So you knew this must be something tough."
That Redding stood up well in that cauldron, playing a career high 30 minutes and adding five points and four steals, is an indicator of just how far this product of St. Joseph's Prep has come in the last few weeks. After seeing spotty action early, Redding of late has become a valuable part of the Wildcats' rotation.
As a decorated prep player and one of the most coveted prospects in the area, Redding was accustomed to basketball success. Yet like many newcomers, he faced a learning curve that took some time to navigate.
"The biggest transition for me was just keeping up with the intensity every day in practice," he says. "Playing hard is such an important part of this program and you can't ever forget that."
Redding made an early impression during an open scrimmage in late October, sinking shots from all over the court. But Wright and his staff never doubted the Philadelphia native's offensive skill or high basketball intelligence. They were focused instead on his attention to detail and the need for high octane intensity for every moment he was out on the court.
There were moments when Villanova fans saw some of the tools Redding offered. He scored nine points in 18 minutes of his college debut at Northwood. He also saw extensive action at Stony Brook. Yet there were also occasions when the 6-4 guard did not see game time.
"It was kind of tough," Redding says of that period. "But I knew that I could change that with how I played in practice."
Redding focused on the basics - playing hard, learning all his assignments and being prepared to contribute at all times. It was a matter of living the classic cliché - one day at a time.
"I really began to feel comfortable in late December and in early January," Redding says. "I just tried to have good days of practice. If I had one good day, I worked really hard to have another. I just wanted to be consistent and put together as many good days as I could."
And what constituted a good day for Redding? "Going hard and not making a lot of mistakes," he says.
One element that always worked in Redding's favor was his basketball savvy. In many ways he is a cerebral athlete, skilled at blending his gifts with those of his teammates.
"People have talked about that ever since I have been playing," he says. "It's a nice complement because all players want to play with intelligence." The persistent approach worked, though not overnight. One good day became two. Two became three. Three became a week. Suddenly, Redding found himself earning more time with the Blue team than he saw with the White team in practice. Then, he was inserted early in the game on Jan. 17 against Notre Dame and he wound up playing 13 minutes, the most to that point in his nascent BIG EAST career.
Redding and his other young mates have received constant encouragement from their elders. Villanova's seniors have taken to mentoring their young charges and Redding says it is appreciated.
"Our captains do a good job with all of the young guys," he says. "They aren't ever negative. When you make a mistake, they are looking to help you understand what you did wrong. They would say things like, `we know what you can do. Just play hard and stay together and it will happen.'" There is a calm that Redding exudes on the court. He is seldom rattled and that trait is especially vital for a squad that asks much of rookies and young vets alike. He calmly logged 30 minutes and made no complaints about his increased basketball workload in the aftermath against the Friars.
"It's what I want," he says simply. "I felt very comfortable out there."
Redding's traditional 3-point play in the closing minutes of the first half against Providence was cited later by Wright as a key play in the contest. It helped deflate the partisan Providence crowd and stopped a run that had seen the Friars charge back from a double digit deficit to move ahead by four, 33-29. Redding's basket cut the margin to one and before halftime, the `Cats were up by four. They are 12-1 in that circumstance this season.
Villanova exited Providence with a key road victory, their seventh of 2006-07. All of those nights wearing the road blue uniform has created a comfort zone away from home in Redding's mind.
"In some ways, I feel we're actually better on the road than we are at home," he says. "We spend a lot of time on the road as a family and that really brings you together."
Redding also believes the lows Villanova endured at the start of the BIG EAST campaign, dropping three of its first four within the conference, have ultimately benefited the squad.
"We learned from those losses," he says. "We are making fewer mistakes now and that's helped us get some wins."
Of course, there is no rest for the weary. Redding and his teammates practiced here at the Joyce Center in advance of yet another difficult road assignment, this one against Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish are undefeated at home and eager to make amends for last week's 102-87 loss to the `Cats at the Pavilion.
"We know it's going to be tough," says Redding. "We really have to concentrate on playing 40 minutes of Villanova basketball."
Spoken like a seasoned veteran.
