With the NBA Draft less than 24 hours away, there's one thing I've noticed: no Villanova players can be found. That's because none of them decided to dive into the water overflowing with one and done freshmen.
A Sweet 16 team returning all of its players? I'd say it's okay to get excited.
If you're like me, you still remember the amazing trio of Allan Ray, Randy Foye, and Mike Nardi. That group of guards was not only fun to watch, but played exactly how a Philadelphia guard should play—like there's no tomorrow.
So let me ask you this: Why can't a new trio emerge for this upcoming season? I know, I know, it's very early, but let's do some dreaming. Why can't a trio of Scottie Reynolds, Corey Fisher, and Reggie Redding lead the way?
You'd think a team that started last season 10-1 would receive a little more respect. Everyone knows North Carolina is returning more talent in Hansbrough, Ellington, Lawson, and Green. Didn't the experts say Georgetown had a little more talent back in 1985? Hmm. Since when did a Philadelphia team go down quietly?
The last time Villanova lost to the defending National Champions was 2004-2005. I'd say the next season could be classified as successful.
The formula for success involves experience, great coaching, and aggressiveness. I'm not sure Villanova is lacking in any of those categories.
No matter what happens, this team should be extremely enjoyable to watch. Eventually some team will end the Philadelphia title drought. I don't see why an underrated group of basketball players from a great school with a lot of support can't be the team to do it.
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3 months ago
Villanova! There we go, baby, some Nova love on the front page.
3 months ago
Wow, nice 'Nova love.
3 months ago
Go Nova! They really do have a lot going for them, but i also believe that Corey Stokes could be a good part of the trio (make that quartet) and this year we'll still have our fantastic big guys in dante, shane clark (sometimes), dwayne anderson, and casiem drummond (?)
3 months ago
I agree which is why I think we should be excited for this upcoming season. All of these players are capable of great things. The one guy I thought about adding was Malcolm Grant but Redding's numbers were just slightly better last season.
3 months ago
There are errors in this story... first of all, the Foye-Ray-Lowry trio was better than the Foye-Ray-Nardi trio. And that team twice lost to eventual national champions... first to UNC in the Sweet 16 and the following year to Florida in the Elite 8. The year after losing to Florida (the last time we lost to an eventual national champ, in other words) was a mediocre year with a first-round NCAA to Kentucky.
3 months ago
There are errors in your comment... first of all switching lowry with nardi is a matter of opinion. I like my stories to be accruate, therefore I looked at the statistics from those 2 seasons and found that Lowry was better than Nardi in only Rebounds (important stat for a PG huh?) Second, maybe I wasn't clear enough for you in my article but it was all about respecting this year's team. We were highly respected in 2005-2006 when we lost to Florida, I think most #1 seeds get a little attention. However, in 2004-2005, no one cared much as an 8 seed took on a national power house. And if it wasn't for a blown out-of-bounds call, who knows what could have happened during the 20th anniversary celebration of the greatest upset of all time.
3 months ago
Wait, Matt, you leave out Lowry based on stats and you say the botched call was and out of bounds call? Grant isn't even ON the team anymore! Hasn't been for months. Redding also shouldn't be brought in above Stokes. Someone doesn't know very much about 'Nova's team...
3 months ago
Matt, thanks and naz drowie to you.
Villanova is entering a whole new era with Jay, one we 'Nova fans envisioned when he signed on iin
2001. It takes quite a while for many coaches to get their signatures on the total program, and it
took several years for Jay to get us out of our mediocrity funk from the prior administration, which
did its level-headed best but clearly could not compete with the big timers.
We fell short against Kansas last March, but in a year we were borderline to make the Big Dance
at all, here we were in the Sweet 16 -- again -- for the third time in four years. And slowly but surely,
we are shedding our image as "Guard U" as Jay is getting more and more involved with some of the
moste talented big men in the east and country both.
With maybe one more run of success and possibly a trip to the Final Four or 2 in the next 4-5 years,
suffice it to say, 'Nova should position itself to get in the hunt with talented players across the country and draw national attention each year. Great feeling for all of us.
NO...VA!!!
Buckeye70
3 months ago
Okay I didn't know everyone would read this with a fine-tooth comb. Malcom Grant wasn't even part of the original article, he was added in a comment. I'm sorry I don't focus enough on transfers for your liking Kevin. Also, I believe switching Redding for Stokes is another matter of opinion choice. I'd rather have 2 juniors and a sophmore lead the team than 1 junior and 2 sophmores so don't dare try and question my knowledge of anything related to Villanova University.
After hearing so much hype for North Carolina due to the returns of Hansbrough, Ellington, Green, and Lawson, I felt like Villanova was being over looked. I believe Andy Katz of ESPN.com has them ranked 18th which is way too low in MY OPINION. So much for trying to spread some excitement for this upcoming season.
3 months ago
Good god, no. I honestly doubt you've ever watched Reggie Redding play the game of basketball if you were to tell me you'd take him over Stokes, or even that it's a "matter of opinion". Reggie plays "good" defense, but is an unconscionable liability on the offensive end. I mean, utterly horrendous. He won't shoot, can't dribble, doesn't pass particularly well, and in the two years he's been at Nova, he hasn't seemed to make any progress whatsoever. Stokes, on the other hand, is a competent defender, and showed through the course of the season that once he becomes comfortable in the system, he can make key contributions. I'm not saying he's the be all end all, but he's certainly leaps and bounds ahead of Reggie "The Black Hole" Redding. I dare you to not cringe every time he touches the ball.
3 months ago
You ask the question Why not 'Nova? I'll give you a quick answer for why not, the Big East is so good this year, 'Nova I think is behind UCONN, ND, Pitt, WVU, Louisville, and even or right ahead of Syracuse, Marquette, Georgetown.
There's a lot of good Big Men in this league which are going to give 'Nova enough fits they will probably have 6-8 losses in conference play with the way things look very early in the season.
Good optimism though.
2 months ago
The year Villanova was a no.1 seed the Big East was probably the best it's been ever but maybe this year it will be tougher. During that year Nova only lost 3 games in the big east and one of them was to no.1 seed UCONN who they split the series with. So height doesn't matter that much but it does help that Jay is recruiting height to compliment his guard play.
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