Sept. 25, 2009

The Nova Notebook, by director of media relations Mike Sheridan, this week introduces us to freshman guard Dominic Cheek.

As he describes it now, seated in the Davis Center cinema in his practice gear, Dominic Cheek's relationship with basketball through much of his youth was nothing more than casual. Baseball was Cheek's game and it was the athletic endeavor he spent his time on as he advanced through P.S. 24 middle school in his hometown of Jersey City, N.J.

Then, one day, everything changed.

"I just started playing around on the court one day," recalls the 6-6 Cheek. "There was a guy there, a police officer, named Officer Wyatt. He asked me if I played for an AAU team. I told him that I didn't - I hadn't even really heard about AAU ball. The next day he had me come to the gym and started working with me."

Not long afterward, Cheek had a successful tryout with the Jersey City Heat, a local AAU team.

"After that," he says now, "I just started sticking with it, playing basketball in the gym every day."

Soon he was on an upward path to one of the country's most renowned prep basketball programs and ultimately, the BIG EAST. It was a scenario he had never really imagined for himself.

"I didn't expect to go to college or to go to one of the best high schools in the country," he states. "I never expected to be in the situation I'm in now."

Cheek became a McDonald's All-American as a senior and one of the country's most coveted prospect.. That is a heady experience for any teenager, particularly one who didn't come up through the ranks as a prodigy. But it was Cheek's good fortune to live in a city that is home to St. Anthony's High School, a perennial national and Garden State power coached by the legendary Bob Hurley that has captured 24 state titles and two national crowns under his tutelage.

"When I got to St. Anthony's, I really didn't know too much about basketball," says Cheek. "But when I did get to St. Anthony's Coach Hurley taught me how to play the game. He also taught me the history of St. Anthony's - how we had great players like his sons, Danny and Bobby, and so many others. We played against great teams at St. Anthony's and it made me a better player and a better person."

As a freshman, Cheek received the occasional letter from colleges, indicating that perhaps there was an opportunity to extend this to college and beyond. Over the next two years, the correspondence became a deluge.

"It felt like," he states, "there were a million of them."

Cheek relied on Hurley's experience throughout the recruiting process.

"Coach has two sons that went to Duke and Seton Hall," Cheek says. "He's seen it all and he knew what was best."

On the court Cheek flourished at St. Anthony's developing a sound fundamental base to add to an impressive set of physical tools. At 6-6, he's athletic, quick and an accomplished shooter. He was part of USA Today's No. 1 high school team in the country as a junior and Cheek points to some of his teammates at St. Anthony's for helping him develop.

"I had a lot of great players around me like Mike Rosario (now at Rutgers), Tyshawn Taylor (Kansas) and Jio Fontan (Fordham)," he recalls. "We played a great schedule and I just played my heart out."

Following his junior year, the speculation about his college choice intensified. Villanova was in the mix from the start and a friend of his from the AAU circuit, Roman Catholic High School's and Villanova pledge Maalik Wayns was none too shy about pressing the case for joining him on the Main Line.

"I think," he quips, "my biggest mistake was when I gave Maalik my cell phone number. Before I committed, it seemed like he called me every day."

Wayns and Cheek were not only teammates on the 2008 USA Basketball entry at the U18 games in Argentina, they were also roommates.

"I kind of played with him," Cheek says, "I was like, `Maalik, I'm not going to go there. I'm going to go to a different school.' But deep down inside, I knew I was coming to Villanova because Maalik did a great job of recruiting me."

When it came time to put the fun aside and settle on a college, Cheek, along with his family was deliberate and precise.

"I took my time and went through the process," he says. "Academics were important to me, my grandmother and my uncle. We knew how highly (regarded) Villanova is. I also knew the coaches would push me to be the best player I can be. I think I made the right choice by coming here. Villanova had been on me since day one and they stuck with me."

As a senior he averaged 14.9 points, 9.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game for the Friars despite being bothered by knee tendonitis all season.

"I can't use that as an excuse," he says. "It just kind of took away some of my explosiveness so I couldn't push off the way I wanted to. I played through it because I knew my team needed me."

Cheek has been told the injury may have been related to a growth spurt. It hasn't been an issue at Villanova and he's confident it won't be. He's been on campus since June and has acclimated himself to college life.

"I think when I first got here it was a whole different world," he states. "Basketball wise, it was totally different. There were times I was like, `what did I get myself into?' But I kept pushing myself and everybody on the team pushed me. I think it's making me a better player. The older guys like, Scottie (Reynolds) and Reggie (Redding) talk to me on the court and off the court to show us young guys the way.

"I give a lot of praise to Coach Hurley. What he taught me has helped me adjust to the game at this level."

Cheek promises to bring energy and fill whatever role may be in store for him. Only a few weeks remain until the start of full practice sessions and the regular season opener awaits Nov. 13.

In advance of that night, Cheek will receive plenty of tips from the Villanova staff, his more experienced teammates and family and friends. But as he gets set to roll up his four pairs of socks prior to facing Fairleigh Dickinson that night, it's entirely possible his thoughts may drift back to Jersey City and the police officer who took an interest in him.

"I still talk to Officer Wyatt a lot," he says.

Just call this one a tale of an officer and a gentleman.