Published: July 17, 2008 10:07 pm            

Wanted: More time on court

Former CHS star preps for second year at TNU

Playing minutes were scarce for Tyler Watkins, but his reputation as a scorer was underscored during his freshman basketball season at NAIA power Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tenn.

Watkins, Christian Heritage School’s all-time leading scorer with 3,689 points who helped the Lions to two state championships, played in 24 games, a total of 201 minutes, but led TNU by shooting 46.7 percent (21-of-45) from 3-point distance during the 2007-08 season.

The Trojans posted a 25-9 record and lost to the University of Mobile, 67-58, in the NAIA national tournament. They were ranked No. 19 in the final NAIA poll just prior to the national tournament after being ranked as high as seventh earlier in the season.

“I enjoyed last season a lot,” said Watkins, a 6-foot-1 guard who’s preparing for his sophomore season at TNU. “I love Trevecca, the people there, college life in Nashville. I can’t wait to get back.”

Watkins, The Daily Citizen’s All-Area Team Player of the Year his senior season at CHS, averaged 32 points per game and helped the Lions win 105 games in his four years playing for coach Steve Irwin.

So, he wasn’t used to spending a lot of time on the bench.

That changed at TNU.

“Last year Tyler was playing behind Josh Helton, a three-time all-conference player who was on the first team all-tournament team at the national tournament,” TNU coach Sam Harris said. “So his playing time was limited.”

Harris, who is 249-231 in 15 seasons at TNU but 93-38 the last four years, is counting on Watkins to take what he learned last season and parlay that knowledge into a more significant contribution as a sophomore.

“Tyler’s strength is shooting the ball, but he’s trying hard not to be known just as a shooter,” Harris said. “When you shoot the ball as well as he does, that’s OK. I’m trying to convince him it’s OK to be a shooter. We led the nation in 3-point shooting percentage at one point last season, and he fits right into what we’re doing.”

Harris said Watkins will play the two-guard spot this season, but said he’s capable to playing point guard as well. The Trojans’ starting point guard will be Matt Elliott, a junior from Spring Hill, Tenn.

“We had a great team last year,” Watkins said. “We had three or four seniors who had played since their freshman years and it was their year to show what they could do and they did a good job of leading the team. We lost to the No. 1 team (Georgetown) in the second round of the national tournament by two points (85-83) and had a chance to win it with a 3-point shot in the final seconds.”

Elliott took that final field goal, the ball just barely off the mark. Trevecca Nazarene defeated the University of Mobile (Ala.), 67-58, to get the quarterfinal shot at Georgetown in the tournament played in Kansas City, Mo.

Watkins’ biggest challenge was adjusting to college life and the speed of the college game and that wasn’t always easy.

“When I got into the games, everything was just so fast,” he said. “I wasn’t used to the speed and strength of the players, knowing what I could and couldn’t do, what exactly my role was with the team. It took me a while to make those adjustments.

“I knew I could shoot the ball. I wanted to bring energy to the team with that and defense. I had to learn how to come off screens, when to drive, and be sure to make the right decisions. Everybody knew I could shoot the ball but they didn’t know I could pass the ball.”

With the loss of Helton and fellow seniors Marcos Salvi, Rick James, Adam Drake and Collins Onyando, the Trojans lost a little more than almost 60 percent of their offense from last season. Helton led the team with a 16.1-point average and Onyando, who is from Nairobi, Kenya, scored 11.3 points per game.

Brian Oduor, a 6-foot-4 wing player and also from Nairobi, who will be a senior this season, was the team’s third double-digit scorer (13.9 points) during the upcoming year.

Watkins’ 93 points, a 3.9-point average, pales when compared to Oduor’s, but his confidence in skills he’s developed over the years has not been shaken.

“I’m going to work my way into more playing time,” said Watkins, who turns 20 on Aug. 24. “I’m confident I can play more than eight or 10 minutes. I want to prove what I can do and help the team win. My main goal is to get more time on the floor and become more comfortable in what we’re doing.”

Speaking from Camden-ton, Mo., while enjoying his wife’s four-day family reunion, Harris sees no reason Watkins can’t improve on his numbers this coming season.

“Number one, he’s the type player who fits perfectly into our system,” the coach said. “He works hard to get better and I see in him someone who wants to learn. I think he’s going to be a good player for us.”

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.