Happy Homecoming
October 17, 2003 10:19 AM | General
October 17, 2003
Schifino is the top returning scorer in the Big East Conference, averaging 20.1 points per game.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Going home the past couple of years has been difficult for West Virginia University junior forward Drew Schifino.
It’s been rough on the Pittsburgh native not because he doesn’t enjoy the company of friends and family, but rather it’s because he’s had a rough time beating his hometown teams. Schifino has yet to beat Pitt in four tries and he’s also 0-2 against Duquesne. The only win he can count is a 102-86 verdict against Robert Morris his freshman season.
“It’s been tough,” he said. “It would be great if we could beat them so I can go home.”
Most of Schifino’s friends from high school either go to Pitt or root for the Panthers.
“They hope I do well but they want Pitt to win the games,” he said.
Schifino also runs into some of the Panther players when he’s back in Penn Hills, either on the basketball courts or when he goes out.
“Chevy Troutman, Julius Page … I see a lot of them when I go home,” he says.
Because Schifino knows a lot of the Pitt players he has a unique understanding of what Coach Ben Howland built in Oakland. Schifino says it’s all about experience.
“Last year they had players who went to the Sweet 16. They had Brandin Knight, Donatas Zavackas, Ontario Lett – just about their whole team were players over 20 years old,” he said. “We had a bunch of teenagers out there against them. I guess we went out there and got a lot of experience and hopefully that carries on and helps us win some games.”
One thing is for sure, West Virginia coach John Beilein won’t let his players forget about the lopsided losses to Pitt and Syracuse. It’s one thing to play them; it’s another thing to compete against them.
“He kind of reminds us about those games,” said Schifino. “He says, ‘If you want to get to the tournament you’ve got to play with the big boys and you’ve got to be physical.’ We weren’t that physical last year so we’ve got to play bigger and stronger this year.”
Schifino believes this year West Virginia might finally have what it takes to stay on the floor with some of the best the Big East has to offer.
“First of all we’ve got four new guys coming in plus we’ve got D’or Fischer, who is a great shot blocker,” he said. “We’ve got that extra defender so if (Notre Dame’s) Chris Thomas gets past you he’s also got to get past D’or, so that should help a lot.
“Tyler Relph can shoot the ball. Brad (Byerson) is physical, Jerrah (Young) is athletic and Frank (Young) can shoot the ball too -- they’re all pretty good players,” he continued. “They will make it more competitive because last year we didn’t have that many players on scholarship. Now this should make us better and get us prepared for the games.”
Schifino has done his own preparing. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound guard has always been known as a great slasher and has had very little difficulty getting points by going to the basket.
His 20-points-per-game average last year was the first time a Mountaineer player was able to accomplish that since 1983, but Schifino understands that if he wants to become a complete player he's got to improve his outside shooting.
“I’ve been shooting the ball real well … that’s probably been my weakness,” he said. “I know a lot of players are going to play off me and make me shoot the three but I’ve been working on my three all summer.”
And while becoming a better outside shooter will enable him to become a more complete player, Schifino must also continue to work on the mental part of his game, too. Last year some teams like Seton Hall and Georgetown tried to take him out of his game by playing him physically.
Because Schifino is one of the Big East’s premiere scorers he knows he’s going to take a lot of abuse. It is something he’s still learning to deal with.
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| Schifino is looking to help West Virginia move up the Big East standings this season. (All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks) |
“There are some teams that try and play you physical and try and get your mind out of the game,” he said. “Last year I played through it, but sometimes it was difficult.”
Last season as the minutes piled up for West Virginia’s starters, Schifino was among those affected. He averaged 34 minutes per game and logged almost 1,000 total minutes for the year. And while he won’t come out and admit that he was worn down in March, he says it does help to get a few minutes of rest each game.
“You need a breather every once in a while I guess,” he said.
That’s about as far as Schifino will go. He isn’t willing to admit more than that because he wants to be on the floor every minute of every game. The one instance when he sat for a long period of time during the Virginia Tech win last year was pure agony. It was the one time Beilein felt he had to send Schifino a message.
“I wasn’t used to that and it was a big game for us and I really didn’t like it,” said Schifino. “But I came back out, picked it up, and played strong because I had more energy.
“Coach said I wasn’t focused. I guess so because I was making some mistakes but I got my head back into the game,” Schifino added.
Now Schifino is hopeful of putting West Virginia back into the thick of things in the Big East.
“I think we’re going to surprise some people,” he said. “In a lot of the publications they’ve got us 10th, going to the NIT. That’s good but I think if we can keep our head on right I think we can go pretty far. I’m pretty excited.”
In order for West Virginia to do that, a lot is riding on the broad shoulders of Drew Schifino. Along with Tyrone Sally, those two are the most experienced players on the team.
“I’ve got to be more vocal and also lead by example,” Schifino said.
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Making it easier is the fact that everyone on the team gets along so well and respects each other.
“That’s where it starts: you’ve got to get along off the court to be successful on the court,” Schifino says.
Schifino says that cohesiveness is starting to show up in games, too.
“When I drive to the hoop I know all I have to do is turn to my left and I know Kevin (Pittsnogle) is spotting up for a three; same thing for the guards,” he said. “I score my points off of (Kevin) and he scores his points off of me. I guess the one-two punch worked last year and if we want to be successful it’s going to have to work again.”
Schifino is also confident West Virginia coaches will develop a third scorer this year.
“We’ve got a lot of players who can step up and do it,” he said.
As Drew Schifino begins his third season at WVU, he couldn’t be happier with his situation. He likes the coaches, he likes the players and he’s had a great time living in Morgantown.
“I love this University. I’m happy that I’m going to wear the Gold and Blue for four years,” he said.
“Now, if we can just beat Pitt.”
A reminder, basketball fans can catch Drew and his teammates tonight as part of Mountaineer Basketball's Midnight Mania at the WVU Coliseum. Admission is free.
