Fisher vows to lead Villanova by example

Corey Fisher is a self-motivated guy, a trait that has helped him rise in the ranks among Big East Conference guards throughout his career at Villanova.

However, there are extra motivating factors that have come at Fisher from all angles as he prepares for his final year with the Wildcats, a season that tips off Friday night against Bucknell.

They began with the disappointing end to the Wildcats' 2009-10 season in the NCAA tournament and the unceasing rumor about discord within the team. They continued through the summer, accelerated in the preseason, and now carry into a new year that finds Villanova ranked No. 6 in the Associated Press poll.

This additional impetus helps Fisher get ready for new roles this season, particularly as a senior cocaptain and a player being counted on to carry the offensive load with the graduation of Scottie Reynolds, the No. 2 scorer in Wildcats history.

"Everything motivated me," the 6-foot-1 Bronx native said. "There were my teammates and my coaches. There's still hearing about last year and still being asked about it. And I know that people are going to come after us this year in the Big East and throughout the whole country.

"Being a senior, that's a big thing with what we do here, being a leader. All of that is your motivation. It's going to show starting Friday night. My team will come out with a lot of energy. I'm going to come out with a lot of energy, and we'll start from there."

The Wildcats were 20-1 at one point last season and ranked No. 2 in the country. Despite a late slump, they entered the NCAA tournament as a No. 2 seed. But 'Nova coach Jay Wright held Fisher and Reynolds out of the starting lineup for a first-round game against Robert Morris for not being properly prepared and left them out for the first five minutes.

The Wildcats won that game in overtime but then lost to 10th seed St. Mary's, 75-68. The second-round knockout further fueled rumors that players hadn't gotten along, particularly Fisher and Reynolds.

Reminded earlier this week of the reports, Fisher smiled.

"We just laughed at it," he said. "Me and Scottie were roommates the whole year on the road, and we were fine. We heard all kinds of different stories. That's life. It's kind of like basketball. If you're a good team, you're going to get a lot of attention. But when things are not going good, you're going to hear about it.

"So you've got to handle it. Me and Scottie answered everything that was asked. But now that's in the past."

Wright said he's never had any issue with Fisher's motivation. What he would like to see this season, however, is domination, particularly on offense - more along the lines of the 105 points Fisher scored this summer in a tournament in New York.

"You would think a kid from the Bronx that scored 105 points would be a more selfish player," Wright said. "There were times last year when he would acquiesce to Scottie. Scottie was the senior, and Fish's mentality was that it's his turn.

"We wanted Fish and Scottie to dominate last year. Fish did it at times, but not consistently. We want him to do that this year. He doesn't feel it necessary to dominate. He just likes making everyone else happy. But that's his challenge."

Of course, if Fisher should do what Wright has asked, he would become the face of the Villanova program, much like Reynolds last season. But he's more into joining fellow seniors Antonio Pena and Corey Stokes in making sure the team has effective leadership, particularly with five sophomores expected to make an impact.

"I love challenges," Fisher said. "I might mess up a couple of times. I might not get it right. I might not look good all the time, but I'm never going to give up. That's something we all take pride in - never giving up.

"Coach always tells me a lot of things are going to come my way and a lot of people want to see if I can be that go-to guy and score. I've played with great guards like Scottie and I've learned from them, so I think I'm ready for it."

One of the Wildcats' two freshmen, 6-7 forward JayVaughn Pinkston, will not play pending a university review of an off-campus incident in which he was charged with assault by Upper Merion Township police.

National ranking: 7 (RealTimeRPI.com power rankings).

Preseason Big East ranking: Second.

Last season: The Wildcats finished 25-8 overall, 13-5 in the Big East, and 3-1 in the Big Five. They qualified for the NCAA tournament as a No. 2 seed and lost in the second round to St. Mary's, 75-68.

Coach: Jay Wright. Career record, 325-184 in 16 seasons, 203-99 in nine seasons at Villanova.

Scouting report: The Wildcats are led by three seniors - guard Corey Fisher, who averaged 13.3 points last season; forward Antonio Pena (10.5 points, 7.0 rebounds); and swingman Corey Stokes (9.5 points). Usually heavy on guards, the Wildcats expect big things from their inside players, particularly 6-foot-10 sophomore Mouphtaou Yarou. Yarou is one of five sophomores who will be better after a year in Wright's system, particularly at the defensive end.

Outlook: The Wildcats enter yet another season with high expectations placed upon them. Wright is fine with that as long as his players know they need to earn their high ranking. Fisher and sophomore Maalik Wayns may make up the fastest backcourt in the Big East, if not the country. So the Cats will run. But they must defend and rebound at a higher level if they want to be successful in the conference and the NCAA tournament.

Quotable: Pena on team chemistry: "We already had it last year, but this year we have more. It keeps us humble and hungry to do better this year."

- Joe JulianoEndText