You were more of a role player as a Sophomore, but you became probably the most consistent shooting threat on the team last year as a Junior. What spurred on the change?
As a sophomore, there was a bit of a log-jam at the positions I can play. We had big contributors, like seniors Danny Rodts and Brad Schnyders, and then-junior Brian Haverdink who was beginning to develop into a guard that played great defense, took care of the ball, and made smart decisions on offense. With Trent Salo going down to an early-season injury, I was given an opportunity to have some minutes, and I had five or six good games to start the year, scoring in double digits a few times in a row in December. However, I did seem to have an issue with confidence as the conference season began, especially as I got into a rut of turning the ball over too much. I would let my head hang and not be able to get over it.
When Trent did come back, somebody in the rotation had to fall, and it ended up being me because of my turnover issue. Through my diminished role as a sophomore, I learned a lot from guys like Haverdink, Schnyders, Rodts, Salo, and Schuster. The coaches also continued to support me and made sure I continued to be dedicated to the program, especially Assistant Tim VanDyke, They made sure I stayed dedicated and kept working. As a junior, I came back as a more confident player, ready to play. I think my ability to score was always there, and when I learned to take care of the ball better and not hang my head so much for mistakes, better things started happening for me individually. Coach showed a lot of confidence in me by putting me in the starting lineup early in the season and then playing me a lot. The guys trusted me and got me the ball in spots where I could score.
What would you like to continue to improve upon as an individual heading into next season?
I am trying to put on some weight so that I can improve my positioning in the post offensively, improve my rebounding, and improve my ability to guard in the post. Along with putting on a little weight, I am trying to improve my foot quickness through different exercises so that I can improve my perimeter defense and close-outs. I also am looking to become more comfortable shooting the three, and hopefully provide our team with a bigger threat from the 3-point line next year.
