Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
’Nova’s Gillespie will now be leader at the Garden
RADNOR » Collin Gillespie dribbles into the lane, turns his back to the basket like a post player and looks for an open teammate while rarely picking up his dribble. If nothing is there, the 6-3 junior guard will move out and reset the offense.
It’s a familiar move for Villanova fans.
Guard Ryan Arcidiacono did it during his stellar career and so did national Player of the Year Jalen Brunson.
“I wasn’t able to see a lot of Arch do it,” Gillespie said “but I saw Jalen do it a lot where he would play out of the post so I definitely learned a lot from him.”
That signature move has helped transform Gillespie into one of the leaders on the 11th-ranked Wildcats and will be on display when Villanova (24-7) takes on the winner of Wednesday’s game between DePaul and Xavier in the quarterfinal round of the Big East tournament Thursday night at Madison Square Garden (7 p.m.).
“We like to play inside-out, where we get the ball to the baseline, get a lot of post touches and play inside-out or outside-in,” Gillespie
said. “It doesn’t really matter to us, we just have to do what we do. It’s not any different for me. I’m just trying to be aggressive, create for other guys and get other guys easy opportunities.”
Villanova is seeded second and is going for its fourth straight tournament title, and Gillespie has been an integral part of the team’s success this season. He is second on the team in scoring (15.1 points per game), first in assists (4.5), steals (1.2) and third in defensive rebounds (108). Those numbers earned him second-team All-Big East honors.
“Scorer, leader, rebounder, defensive player, whatever it takes he has done for us this year,” head coach Jay Wright said. “He’s had games where he’s been our leading defensive rebounder. He’s been incredible all year and we’re going to need a lot out of him. He has played in these games. He’s played in a national championship game. He’s the only guy. Dada (Dahmir CosbyRoundtree) got some minutes, but we’re going to need a lot from him and a lot of his leadership in this tournament.”
As one of the older members of an inexperienced team, Gillespie understands that.
“I think it’s different for me from a leadership standpoint,” Gillespie said. “I’m going to have to lead our guys. I know what it’s like, but I also have Jermaine (Samuels) and Dada, and the sophomores played in it last year, so they know what it’s like, too. We just have to explain it to the young guys and help them get prepared for it.”
Playing at MSG during the regular-season is one thing. Playing in the “World’s Greatest Arena” in the Big East tournament is a different animal. Freshmen Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Justin Moore will be making their tournament debuts. If both start, and there’s reason to think Wright will be changing his lineup, it will be the first time a Villanova team under Wright has started two true freshmen since Randy Foye, Allan Ray and Curtis
Sumpter started against Georgetown in 2003.
Robinson-Earl and Moore did get to play in the Garden once and played well. Robinson-Earl had 13 points and 14 rebounds in a 79-59 victory over St. John’s on Jan. 29. Moore had 11 points and four assists in that game.
Robinson-Earl and Moore have handled the spotlight well. They’ve been in most games during crunch time and both were unanimous selections to the Big East All-Freshman team, with Robinson-Earl earning Freshman of the Year honors. Robinson-Earl is the fourth Wildcat to receive the honor, joining Omari Spellman (2018), Scottie Reynolds (2007) and Tim Thomas (1997). Still … “I have to see how these guys react to Madison Square Garden,”
Wright said. “It’s a big thing. I still get excited going there. “They’re 18-, 19-years-old. They’re going to be excited … There is nothing like the Big East tournament. It is unique unto itself. I think it rivals the NCAA tournament in terms of juice, not the Final Four, but NCAA tournament games.”
That’s where Gillespie’s experience comes into play. He’s played in six Big East tournament games, eight NCAA tournament contests and a national championship. His message to his younger teammates as the team heads to New York is simple.
“The arena’s different,” Gillespie said. “The feel when you get in there is different, but it’s just another game for us. We have to stay 94 by 50 feet and you have to play for your teammates and coaches.”