Post by dunzz on Dec 3, 2004 13:40:26 GMT -6
A heart warming story about Banks. Gives an explanation or an excuse to why hes not scoring.
Copyright 2004 Chicago Sun-Times, Inc.
Chicago Sun-Times
November 10, 2004 Wednesday
SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 145
LENGTH: 952 words
HEADLINE: High-flying Banks now a solo act;
With partner Bailey ineligible, UIC guard must carry load
BYLINE: JOE GODDARD
BODY:
It's not so much what Cedrick Banks does with the basketball, but what he does without it.
Illinois-Chicago's 6-2 shooting guard likes leading defenders into a forest of tall players under the basket, then looking for a pass when he emerges -- alone -- on the other side.
I've always been an unselfish player,'' Banks said. I figure if I get free, the ball will find me.''
Coach Jimmy Collins calls Banks our franchise player'' for good reason. The top player on last season's 24-8 team and the Horizon League preseason player of the year, as chosen by league coaches, Banks is sixth on the Flames' career scoring list with 1,556 points. He could break Larry Williams' school record of 2,025 in February.
The former Westinghouse star -- who beat out current NBA players Eddy Curry (Bulls) and Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat) and former college stars Andre Brown (DePaul) and Matt Lottich (Stanford) for the Sun-Times' Player of the Year award in 2000 -- averaged 18.4 points last season as UIC won the Horizon tournament and earned its second NCAA tournament berth in three years.
Cedrick not only understands what I want on the floor, but delivers as well," Collins said. He is not afraid to shoulder a heavy load for this team.''
Banks, who made 90 three-pointers last season, might have to shoulder the load. The Flames are short on height, and point guard Martell Bailey, Banks' longtime running mate, was ruled ineligible for his final year because of an academic problem. Bailey, who also teamed with Banks at Westinghouse, is pursuing his degree as a student assistant.
I'm going to miss Martell, but he's at practice every day,'' Banks said. He and I have an understanding that he'll still be here for me. If he sees something on the floor, he'll let me know.
Rocky Collum and Marcetteaus McGee are going to be tremendous as his replacements at point guard, so I'll be seeing the ball like always.''
Banks has seen the ball enough times in his first three seasons to lead UIC in scoring in 51 of 92 games and hit double figures 76 times. The Flames were 29-58 in the three seasons before Banks' arrival and are 65-31 since.
Like Bailey, Banks also wants his college degree.
A lot of people were downing me because my grades were not up to par,'' said Banks, who sat out his freshman year as an academic nonqualifier. I took that with me to UIC so I could prove people wrong. So far, I'm proving people wrong.''
Collins has had something to do with that, guiding Banks in the right directions both on and off the court.
He's a very intelligent player, one of the most coachable kids I've ever had,'' Collins said. He takes constructive criticism, and the next play, you can see him trying to put into play what you've just asked him to put into play.
Cedrick is on another level. He will be one of the first guys from my program to get to play really big-time basketball.''
The Flames, meanwhile, will be short-handed to start the season. Collum, a junior-college transfer who had earned Bailey's spot in practice, is out six to eight weeks with a knee injury suffered last week. And forward Armond Williams, the Horizon tournament MVP, will miss a few weeks with torn ligaments in his hand suffered when he ran into a screen set by Banks in practice.
I didn't want to hurt him," Williams said with a smile, so I took one for the team."
Copyright 2004 Chicago Sun-Times, Inc.
Chicago Sun-Times
November 10, 2004 Wednesday
SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 145
LENGTH: 952 words
HEADLINE: High-flying Banks now a solo act;
With partner Bailey ineligible, UIC guard must carry load
BYLINE: JOE GODDARD
BODY:
It's not so much what Cedrick Banks does with the basketball, but what he does without it.
Illinois-Chicago's 6-2 shooting guard likes leading defenders into a forest of tall players under the basket, then looking for a pass when he emerges -- alone -- on the other side.
I've always been an unselfish player,'' Banks said. I figure if I get free, the ball will find me.''
Coach Jimmy Collins calls Banks our franchise player'' for good reason. The top player on last season's 24-8 team and the Horizon League preseason player of the year, as chosen by league coaches, Banks is sixth on the Flames' career scoring list with 1,556 points. He could break Larry Williams' school record of 2,025 in February.
The former Westinghouse star -- who beat out current NBA players Eddy Curry (Bulls) and Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat) and former college stars Andre Brown (DePaul) and Matt Lottich (Stanford) for the Sun-Times' Player of the Year award in 2000 -- averaged 18.4 points last season as UIC won the Horizon tournament and earned its second NCAA tournament berth in three years.
Cedrick not only understands what I want on the floor, but delivers as well," Collins said. He is not afraid to shoulder a heavy load for this team.''
Banks, who made 90 three-pointers last season, might have to shoulder the load. The Flames are short on height, and point guard Martell Bailey, Banks' longtime running mate, was ruled ineligible for his final year because of an academic problem. Bailey, who also teamed with Banks at Westinghouse, is pursuing his degree as a student assistant.
I'm going to miss Martell, but he's at practice every day,'' Banks said. He and I have an understanding that he'll still be here for me. If he sees something on the floor, he'll let me know.
Rocky Collum and Marcetteaus McGee are going to be tremendous as his replacements at point guard, so I'll be seeing the ball like always.''
Banks has seen the ball enough times in his first three seasons to lead UIC in scoring in 51 of 92 games and hit double figures 76 times. The Flames were 29-58 in the three seasons before Banks' arrival and are 65-31 since.
Like Bailey, Banks also wants his college degree.
A lot of people were downing me because my grades were not up to par,'' said Banks, who sat out his freshman year as an academic nonqualifier. I took that with me to UIC so I could prove people wrong. So far, I'm proving people wrong.''
Collins has had something to do with that, guiding Banks in the right directions both on and off the court.
He's a very intelligent player, one of the most coachable kids I've ever had,'' Collins said. He takes constructive criticism, and the next play, you can see him trying to put into play what you've just asked him to put into play.
Cedrick is on another level. He will be one of the first guys from my program to get to play really big-time basketball.''
The Flames, meanwhile, will be short-handed to start the season. Collum, a junior-college transfer who had earned Bailey's spot in practice, is out six to eight weeks with a knee injury suffered last week. And forward Armond Williams, the Horizon tournament MVP, will miss a few weeks with torn ligaments in his hand suffered when he ran into a screen set by Banks in practice.
I didn't want to hurt him," Williams said with a smile, so I took one for the team."