Jan. 18, 2010

The Nova Notebook, by director of media relations Mike Sheridan, checks in with its first edition of 2010

They were never teammates and could easily have become ships passing in the night. By the time the younger man began contemplating Villanova, the older one was already an All-American being whisked all over the country for workouts conducted by National Basketball Association franchises.

Indeed, when Scottie Reynolds announced his intention to become a Wildcat in May of 2006, Randy Foye was already a Villanova alumnus.

And yet to see the two together is to witness a portrait in mentorship.

When Foye speaks, Villanova's current senior captain is an eager student.

"I have created a real tight bond with Randy," says Reynolds, currently in ninth place on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,948 points.

The two communicate regularly, often via text. They got to spend some time together after a recent Wildcat practice when both were guests on "Talking Villanova Basketball with Jay Wright" at Flip and Bailey's Restaurant. Once the show ended, Reynolds waited patiently for Foye - in town as a member of the NBA's Washington Wizards to face the Philadelphia 76ers - to complete his conversation with Wright and a host of well-wishers who recall well an outstanding career that was capped by All-American honors in '06.

"Randy took me under his wing," states Reynolds. "I think that goes to show he saw where I was as a freshman and sophomore and he saw where I was last year. We talk and we kind of have the same personality and same morals. He calls me his little brother and I take great pride in that - not because he calls me his little brother, but that he takes pride in me and wants me to be good. He wants this team to be good and he knows that I'm one of the leaders on this team."

The conversations are wide-ranging. But frequently they center around the game each shares a passion for.

"One of the things we talk about is having a clear mind," states Reynolds. "That's where I feel like I am this year. I'm not worrying about anything other than trying to get this team to reach its highest potential. The only way to do that is to listen to Coach Wright. If we do that, everything is going to work out.

"We also discuss how to motivate other players, trying to get them in the same mindset Randy was in and that I'm in. We talk about how we can get that knowledge to everybody so that we can be successful."

To Reynolds' way of thinking, that clarity of mind helps diffuse some of the hype his accomplishments have engendered. Though he is aware that he is approaching some significant career mileposts - 2,000 points, a potential run at Kerry Kittles' all-time school scoring mark (2,243), not to mention a host of individual awards - those kinds of details are something he purposely sets aside.

"I remember when I first got here, Coach (Brett) Gunning and Coach Wright always told us that you can't predict the future," recalls the native of Herndon, Va. "For example, if you try to be the BIG EAST Rookie of the Year, you are more likely not to become Rookie of the Year. But if you just worry about playing Villanova Basketball every possession every time you step on the floor, all those things will come.

"I kind of apply that to each year every time I step on the floor. I think it's even more (important) now in my senior year - there is so much more media and so much more stuff going on than there was earlier in my career. I'm in a great state of mind right now. I think Coach Wright knows that and that my play has shown that. I'm just out here having fun and trying to be the best player I can be. We're trying to get this team to be the best team it can be by the end of the season.

"I don't think anyone had a clearer mind than Randy. I'm just trying to learn from him and Coach Wright."

One of those who mentioned the approaching milestones to Reynolds was Foye himself. (Foye sits in eighth place on the school's all-time points chart with 1,966 from 2002-06. They are two of only three players in Wildcat history to accumulate more than 1,800 points and 400 assists. Kittles is the other.) "He talked about 2,000 points and that I could go down as one of the most clutch players ever here," he stated. "I don't know where I stand on those lists and that's what I try to tell people. I've got a lot more work to do and this team's got a lot more work to do so I can't even worry about that."

Though it's still a bit early to start pondering a legacy, Reynolds is making a conscious effort to smell the roses even as he pours his energy into helping guide his younger mates.

"It's not that I'm content at all," says Reynolds. "Appreciative is more like it. You look back and I remember it wasn't that long ago that I was just trying to play Division I basketball. Now, all this stuff has come. We've still got a few months left of this and I'm just going to try to get this team where it needs to be."

The milestones are out there within reach.

But over the course of his first three and half seasons on the Main Line, the 6-2 guard's steadfast focus on the basics has served him exceedingly well. Don't look for that to change as he writes the final chapters of his amazing Villanova story.

As he does so, he won't hesitate to touch base with one of his mentors.

"Randy's always telling me that I'll be calling him up next year or the year after and talking about how special my time was here," says Reynolds. "I know he appreciates what Villanova, Coach Wright and this program did for him. He still cares so much and I just try to be a sponge for all that knowledge."