Corey Stokes at postgame press conference/Schimri Yoyo
Villanova junior guard Corey Stokes ignited the fire for a previously stagnant Villanova offense in the second half of the season opener to blow open a tightly contested game against Fairleigh Dickinson University. Stokes scored 17 of his 20 points after halftime (a halftime which saw the fifth-ranked Wildcats clinging to only a 35-34 lead), draining four 3-pointers and converting a gorgeous 3-point play in the latter frame.
In the first half, Villanova looked out of rhythm and sloppy on offense. They seemed to settle on too many threes and long jumpshots early on, while also hesitating to run through a full offensive set in the halfcourt. When the Nova guards did try to penetrate to the basket, they were met with stiff opposition from opposing big man Alvin Mofunanya. There was a stretch of the game, from about 7:00 mark to about the 4:30 mark, that Mofunanya's presence in the lane directly led to 3 blocks and a turnover on four straight Villanova possessions.
On defense, the 'Cats were aggressive on the perimeter but picked up too many careless fouls, enabling FDU to get into the bonus a little past midway through the half. Veteran FDU guards, Terence Grier, Sean Baptiste, and Philadelphia native Mike Scott used their quickness, guile, and marksmanship to put pressure on Villanova's defense in the opening frame. At the postgame press conference, Villanova coach Jay Wright praised the trio of guards saying that his squad had their hands full trying to contain the "tough, experienced guards."
Corey Fisher, Jay Wrigt, Corey Stokes/ Schimri Yoyo
The season opener marked the collegiate debut of Villanova's much-heralded freshmen: Mouphtaou Yarou, Maalik Wayns, Dominic, Cheek, and Isaiah Armwood. While much hype has accompanied their arrival to the main line campus, they all have much room for growth if the Wildcats are to fulfill the lofty preseason expectations cast upon them. Of the four freshmen, Armwood was the only one whom did not receive significant playing time; while Yarou was the most impressive. He has surprisingly quick footwork and excellent athleticism for a young big man as well as a soft touch on a jumper that extends out to the 12-foot range.
But while much of the preseason hype has gone to the Nova Newbies, it was the upperclassmen that broke the game open tonight. Although senior Scottie Reynolds had an off shooting night, the junior trio of Corey Stokes, Corey Stokes, and Antonio Pena all chipped in major contributions in securing the the Wildcats their first victory of the 2009-10 season. Stokes and Fisher carried the scoring load for the unusually-ineffective Reynolds, while Antonio Pena did all the not-so-pretty-yet-oh-so-gritty dirty work and made countless hustle plays to help lead his teammates to a W.
Villanova family/Schimri Yoyo
So what have we learned about the Villanova men after one game? Well, for starters, for a Final Four team that only graduated two seniors, they still have a lot of inexperience. Coach Wright explains this paradox like so, "All this hype, all this hype, and I've been waiting for this moment so everyone could see it. When everyone sees how young we are, how inexperienced we are, I think it'll temper expectations a little bit. But I think we can be good. We've got a lot of work to do, but I think we can be a good team by the end of the year."
Another thing I learned attending tonight's game is that Mouphtaou Yarou is a BEAST. His skill level and athleticism is amazing to watch in person, especially considering the fact he's only been playing basketball for four years now. His offensive game still needs some refining but he has a knack for finding the ball, whether he is rebounding or blocking shots. At the 16:28 mark of the second half, Yarou hustled back on defense to goaltending a shot against the backboard. Despite the illegality of the goaltending, to watch in person Yarou track the ball down the court and pin it against the glass reminded me of how NFL All-Pro safeties Ed Red and Troy Polamalu ballhawk on the gridiron. I cannot wait to see if he can continue to develop the considerable promise he's already shown after one game.
The last takeaway I learned from initial game of the regular season is that Antonio Pena has replaced Dante Cunningham as Jay Wright's Ultimate Glue Guy this season. This is not to say that Pena will score as well as Cunningham did last season, but that he is the consummate team player towards whom teammates gravitate and follow. Scottie Reynolds is the captain and face of the Wildcats, Corey Fisher and Corey Stokes provide the swagger, but Antonio Pena is the heart of this squad. His diving for loose balls, fighting for rebounding position, and rooting on of his teammates is infectious and it injects enthusiasm into his teammates and the fans at the Pavilion. If the Wildcats do cut down the nets in Indianapolis this coming April, it will be because Antonio Pena will have played a similar role for Jay Wright and Villanova that Jawad Williams played for Roy Williams and the 2005 North Carolina Tar Heels.
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