Darryl Hudson was Howard’s leading scorer and rebounder last season. But after the final game of the Bison’s difficult 7-22 campaign, then first-year head coach Gil Jackson left Hudson with a stern message for the offseason.
“He said, ‘I want you to become a basketball player,’ ” said Hudson. “He wasn’t talking about, ‘I want you to score.’ He was talking about, ‘I need you to learn more about the game, calm yourself down, pick your spots on the court and work on your jump shot.’ When I went into the summer, that’s what I was focusing on.”
The 6-foot-4 senior took the advice to heart and has expanded his impact, not only in the box score but also as a team leader.
Hudson leads the team with 18.4 points per game and needs just 39 points to reach 1,000 for his career. But he’d rather talk about a growing trust in the players around him.
“Last year, I was just out there being an athlete,” said Hudson. “I think I’ve learned more about the game and am listening to the coaching staff more … You have to be able to pass, and you have to be able to drop down that assist to the big man, and most of all you have to have confidence in your teammates.”
Hudson’s success, along with that of sophomore Eugene Myatt (16.6 ppg), has made it difficult for Jackson to find minutes for freshmen big men Kandi Mukole and Nate Cooper.
“We’re trying to develop some depth,” Jackson said. “We thought it would be one of our strengths, but it’s taken a little longto get some of our younger players to understand what it means to be productive at this level.”
It could be the least of worries for the Bison (5-6), who’ve already matched their win total from 2004-05 and are two victories away from reaching last season’s total. Jackson said the goal this year is simple: Finish around .500.
“With our realistic goals, I think we’re right there,” said Jackson. “From that standpoint, you can’t say you’re happy. You always think you can win one more.”
Bison bites
» Nearly all of Hudson’s numbers are up from last season, including points (12.1 to 18.4), rebounds (5.1 to 6.8), field goal shooting percentage (.466 to .566) and minutes (28.6 to 32.7). He’s also added to his assists (1.4 to 2.1) and has made more 3-pointers (13) than he attempted last season (11).
» The Bison have suffered two injuries in the last week. Freshman forward Curtis White could be out for an extended period after breaking his foot. Eugene Myatt also suffered a sprained ankle late in Tuesday’s loss to Oregon State.
