Any discussion of the top leapers in the recent history of University of Cincinnati basketball would surely include Melvin Levett and James White.
Darnell Wilks probably wouldn’t be mentioned in the same company, but he should be. With his 42-inch vertical jump, Wilks can soar above the rim and over defenders the same way Levett and White did.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m flying,” Wilks said. “It’s just a gift, I guess.”
But in the absence of Rashad Bishop, who has been suspended indefinitely by UC coach Mick Cronin, Wilks has seen his playing time increase during the past four games. And he’s made the most of it.
Until recently, Wilks had not been able to convert that gift into consistent success on the basketball court because of his defensive shortcomings in the half-court and his penchant for turning over the ball.
The No. 2 seed Bearcats (19-15) will try to extend their season again Monday night when they face No. 3 seed Dayton (21-12) at 9 p.m. in the second round of the National Invitation Tournament at Fifth Third Arena.
UC has won three of four games since the regular season ended and Wilks, a 6-foot-7 junior forward from Nashville, has been instrumental in that success. His playing time has increased from 8.4 minutes per game in UC’s first 30 games to 19.5 in the last four.
In those four games, he has averaged 7.7 points and 3.2 rebounds and provided the Bearcats with a needed offensive spark off the bench.
He scored 12 points with seven rebounds in UC’s upset win over Louisville in the second round of the Big East tournament.
“I’m just taking advantage of every chance I get,” Wilks said.
Wilks has attempted only 29 3-point shots, but when he does fire one up, he has a better chance of making it than any other player on the UC roster, with a 41.3 percent success rate.
He’s most effective hitting the boards, running the floor in transition, and is a key factor in UC’s full-court press because of his length.
“His best work is going to be done using his athleticism,” Cronin said, “running the floor on the fast break and getting to the glass. And he’s been much more active on the glass with the opportunity he’s gotten to play.”
Wilks has struggled, Cronin said, when he tries to do things he’s not capable of. That’s why he turned the ball over so frequently and why it was hard to leave him on the floor for extended periods.
“Darnell is a play finisher,” Cronin said, “one or two dribbles into the lane, jump up and score, make an open shot, go offensive rebound, go run the floor, finish on the break. If you’re a finisher and you try to be an initiator, you’re going to have problems.”
“I’m just listening to what he says,” Wilks said. “Keep it simple. If I do that, I should be all right. Just do what I’m capable of, not try to do extra stuff. When I’m open, score.”
Monday night the Bearcats will face a Dayton team that shares their strengths – defense and rebounding. The Flyers led the Atlantic 10 in rebounding margin. They allow only 61.7 points per game and hold opponents to 39.6 percent shooting.
Junior guard Chris Wright leads Dayton offensively, averaging 14 points per game.
“Their quickness and how hard they play on the defensive end is the reason they have over 20 wins,” Cronin said. “It’s going to be hard to score on them. They really play a lot of people. It’s rare if anybody on their team plays over 25 minutes. Their guards get after it. They don’t have to worry about foul trouble because they’re so deep.”
A UC victory would send the Bearcats into the quarterfinals Wednesday against the winner of the Illinois-Kent State game and would give them their first 20-win season since they went 21-13 in 2005-06.
“We don’t want to quit,” Wilks said. “We’re not where we want to be, but we’ve still got some fight.”
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100321/SPT0101/303210032/1064/Wilks+soars+for+Bearcats
Darnell Wilks probably wouldn’t be mentioned in the same company, but he should be. With his 42-inch vertical jump, Wilks can soar above the rim and over defenders the same way Levett and White did.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m flying,” Wilks said. “It’s just a gift, I guess.”
But in the absence of Rashad Bishop, who has been suspended indefinitely by UC coach Mick Cronin, Wilks has seen his playing time increase during the past four games. And he’s made the most of it.
Until recently, Wilks had not been able to convert that gift into consistent success on the basketball court because of his defensive shortcomings in the half-court and his penchant for turning over the ball.
The No. 2 seed Bearcats (19-15) will try to extend their season again Monday night when they face No. 3 seed Dayton (21-12) at 9 p.m. in the second round of the National Invitation Tournament at Fifth Third Arena.
UC has won three of four games since the regular season ended and Wilks, a 6-foot-7 junior forward from Nashville, has been instrumental in that success. His playing time has increased from 8.4 minutes per game in UC’s first 30 games to 19.5 in the last four.
In those four games, he has averaged 7.7 points and 3.2 rebounds and provided the Bearcats with a needed offensive spark off the bench.
He scored 12 points with seven rebounds in UC’s upset win over Louisville in the second round of the Big East tournament.
“I’m just taking advantage of every chance I get,” Wilks said.
Wilks has attempted only 29 3-point shots, but when he does fire one up, he has a better chance of making it than any other player on the UC roster, with a 41.3 percent success rate.
He’s most effective hitting the boards, running the floor in transition, and is a key factor in UC’s full-court press because of his length.
“His best work is going to be done using his athleticism,” Cronin said, “running the floor on the fast break and getting to the glass. And he’s been much more active on the glass with the opportunity he’s gotten to play.”
Wilks has struggled, Cronin said, when he tries to do things he’s not capable of. That’s why he turned the ball over so frequently and why it was hard to leave him on the floor for extended periods.
“Darnell is a play finisher,” Cronin said, “one or two dribbles into the lane, jump up and score, make an open shot, go offensive rebound, go run the floor, finish on the break. If you’re a finisher and you try to be an initiator, you’re going to have problems.”
“I’m just listening to what he says,” Wilks said. “Keep it simple. If I do that, I should be all right. Just do what I’m capable of, not try to do extra stuff. When I’m open, score.”
Monday night the Bearcats will face a Dayton team that shares their strengths – defense and rebounding. The Flyers led the Atlantic 10 in rebounding margin. They allow only 61.7 points per game and hold opponents to 39.6 percent shooting.
Junior guard Chris Wright leads Dayton offensively, averaging 14 points per game.
“Their quickness and how hard they play on the defensive end is the reason they have over 20 wins,” Cronin said. “It’s going to be hard to score on them. They really play a lot of people. It’s rare if anybody on their team plays over 25 minutes. Their guards get after it. They don’t have to worry about foul trouble because they’re so deep.”
A UC victory would send the Bearcats into the quarterfinals Wednesday against the winner of the Illinois-Kent State game and would give them their first 20-win season since they went 21-13 in 2005-06.
“We don’t want to quit,” Wilks said. “We’re not where we want to be, but we’ve still got some fight.”
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100321/SPT0101/303210032/1064/Wilks+soars+for+Bearcats