Reynolds Gains Notice with 'Cat Cagers
1/22/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
he saw Casey Reynolds play.
Actually, he doesn’t remember it at all. "We finished the year at Portland State two years ago,and I stayed there to watch (current MSU guard) James Clark play in their conferencetournament (for Olympic Junior College)," Durham says. "James was really good that day, butafterwards one of the parents asked me what I thought of the Reynolds kid." Durham laughs."I had to try to remember which one he was."
Big Sky opponents won’t have trouble remembering Reynolds’ name. All the 6-6 junior fromOlympic Junior College near his hometown of Belfair, Wash., has accomplished since joiningthe starting lineup eight games ago is earn two Big Sky Conference Player of the Week
honors, shoot over 60% from the field, and lead the Bobcats on a winning streak that has
encompassed the team’s first five league games of the season. MSU currently stands 5-0 and
in first place in the Big Sky. "Casey’s been a big part of our success," Durham said.
A couple of months after Durham was exposed to Reynolds for the first time, Bobcat assistant
coach Scott Carson watched him play in a tournament in California against Mike Mackell, now
with San Diego State, who was the California Junior College Player of the Year. "He held his
own," Carson says. "He really played hard, and he did well."
Several months later, back on the Olympic campus in Bellingham, Wash., watching Reynolds
play at the behest of his team’s coach, Barry Janusch, a former Idaho State assistant coach.
"Barry had told us about this forward he had who he thought could help us," Durham said.
"They were doing some toughness drills the day in practice when Scott was watching, and
Casey jumped out at Scott right away."
"He was a warrior," Carson remembers. "He competed so hard. He was just relentless."
Reynolds has been a key figure in Montana State’s rise to the top of the Big Sky standings.
Reynolds has averaged 8.6 points and 5.1 rebounds a game this year, but in the team’s five
conference games he is getting 14.2 points and 6.6 rebounds a game, shooting 72% from the
field, 56% from three-point range and 87% from the line. Reynolds, who has been the Big
Sky’s Player of the Week for the past two weeks, is taking his success in stride. "It’s a pretty
big honor, but a lot of it is a team thing," he says of the conference kudos. "It has a lot to do
with the other guys and us getting the two wins. The important thing is that we keep winning."
Reynolds’ shining moment of the season so far was a shocking performance in consecutive
games against Eastern Washington on the road and Idaho State at home. MSU’s starting
center was 10-for-10 from the field and 12-for-12 from the line in those games. Typically, his
sterling individual effort was lost on Reynolds until pointed out by his teammates. "After the
first game they told me that I hadn’t (missed a shot), and I had to think about it for a second,"
he laughs. "After the second game they didn’t say anything, and I had to think about it. I
thought I missed one, but I got fouled (on the miss, rendering it not a field goal attempt). Then
in the third game I missed the first one, and I was like, ‘Alright!’ I had to get (a missed shot)
out of the way."
If Reynolds became familiar with his new team in a hurry this fall, it was likely due to the
presence of Clark, his former Olympic teammate. "We were friends back in junior college. It
was a blast playing with James," Reynolds says of Clark, who last spring told anyone who
would listen that Reynolds would be an effective player for the Bobcats. "He knew I was a
hard worker, and he was telling people a lot of good things about me."
Clark and Reynolds spent hours in Olympic’s gym alone, shooting, and can often be found in
Worthington Arena holding to the same routine. "Those are two really good kids," Durham
says. "With those two, and Jason (Erickson), and Damir (Latovic), you know that this will be a
hard-working team. No one will outwork those guys."
Reynolds has been asked to play inside for the Bobcats, starting the last seven games at
center, with another versatile player, the 6-8 Latovic, manning the power forward spot. The
two have caused matchup problems with their ability to play inside and out, and have not
suffered by having to match up with bigger players on the defensive end. "We played against a
6-10 guy from Eastern Washington and a 6-10 guy from Idaho State, and we had pretty good
games," Reynolds says of he and Latovic. "We’re definitely not scared to get in there and bang
with them and rebound a little bit."
That willingness to do the dirty work defensively and on the boards has transformed a team
that last year struggled in those areas. The Bobcats have averaged three rebounds a game
more than its league opponents this year, after being outrebounded by that many per game a
year ago. "There’s no question that this team has a different mindset," Durham says. "There is
a toughness to this team, and we’ve done much better on the boards. Casey has a lot to do
with that."
In addition to playing center for the Bobcats, Reynolds has handled the ball in the backcourt
against teams that press, and has been effective shooting outside and handling the ball away
from the hoop. "In both JC and high school I played a little bit of everything," Reynolds said. "I
played one through five, just about every poisition. I can use my quickness in the post, and I’m
trying to get free buckets, run the court, going just as fast as I can."
Reynolds’ athleticism can be deceiving. "Casey jumps really well," Durham said. "How often
do you see a guy his size win as many jump balls as he does." As he’s done for four other Big
Sky coaches this year, Reynolds’ emergence has provided something of a problem for
Durham. "We used to run a set play at the start of the second half," MSU’s 12th-year head
coach laughs, "because we figured we’d have the ball. Now, we have to scrap that."
Reynolds has a simple formula for maintaining his success, and that of the Bobcats. "I just want
to come into every game, every practice, and play as hard as I can. If I do that, good things
will happen."
The Bobcats will look for more good things this weekend, as the team travels to Sacramento
State for a Friday night game (8 pm MST). The ‘Cats will play at NAU on Saturday at 7 pm.
Actually, he doesn’t remember it at all. "We finished the year at Portland State two years ago,and I stayed there to watch (current MSU guard) James Clark play in their conferencetournament (for Olympic Junior College)," Durham says. "James was really good that day, butafterwards one of the parents asked me what I thought of the Reynolds kid." Durham laughs."I had to try to remember which one he was."
Big Sky opponents won’t have trouble remembering Reynolds’ name. All the 6-6 junior fromOlympic Junior College near his hometown of Belfair, Wash., has accomplished since joiningthe starting lineup eight games ago is earn two Big Sky Conference Player of the Week
honors, shoot over 60% from the field, and lead the Bobcats on a winning streak that has
encompassed the team’s first five league games of the season. MSU currently stands 5-0 and
in first place in the Big Sky. "Casey’s been a big part of our success," Durham said.
A couple of months after Durham was exposed to Reynolds for the first time, Bobcat assistant
coach Scott Carson watched him play in a tournament in California against Mike Mackell, now
with San Diego State, who was the California Junior College Player of the Year. "He held his
own," Carson says. "He really played hard, and he did well."
Several months later, back on the Olympic campus in Bellingham, Wash., watching Reynolds
play at the behest of his team’s coach, Barry Janusch, a former Idaho State assistant coach.
"Barry had told us about this forward he had who he thought could help us," Durham said.
"They were doing some toughness drills the day in practice when Scott was watching, and
Casey jumped out at Scott right away."
"He was a warrior," Carson remembers. "He competed so hard. He was just relentless."
Reynolds has been a key figure in Montana State’s rise to the top of the Big Sky standings.
Reynolds has averaged 8.6 points and 5.1 rebounds a game this year, but in the team’s five
conference games he is getting 14.2 points and 6.6 rebounds a game, shooting 72% from the
field, 56% from three-point range and 87% from the line. Reynolds, who has been the Big
Sky’s Player of the Week for the past two weeks, is taking his success in stride. "It’s a pretty
big honor, but a lot of it is a team thing," he says of the conference kudos. "It has a lot to do
with the other guys and us getting the two wins. The important thing is that we keep winning."
Reynolds’ shining moment of the season so far was a shocking performance in consecutive
games against Eastern Washington on the road and Idaho State at home. MSU’s starting
center was 10-for-10 from the field and 12-for-12 from the line in those games. Typically, his
sterling individual effort was lost on Reynolds until pointed out by his teammates. "After the
first game they told me that I hadn’t (missed a shot), and I had to think about it for a second,"
he laughs. "After the second game they didn’t say anything, and I had to think about it. I
thought I missed one, but I got fouled (on the miss, rendering it not a field goal attempt). Then
in the third game I missed the first one, and I was like, ‘Alright!’ I had to get (a missed shot)
out of the way."
If Reynolds became familiar with his new team in a hurry this fall, it was likely due to the
presence of Clark, his former Olympic teammate. "We were friends back in junior college. It
was a blast playing with James," Reynolds says of Clark, who last spring told anyone who
would listen that Reynolds would be an effective player for the Bobcats. "He knew I was a
hard worker, and he was telling people a lot of good things about me."
Clark and Reynolds spent hours in Olympic’s gym alone, shooting, and can often be found in
Worthington Arena holding to the same routine. "Those are two really good kids," Durham
says. "With those two, and Jason (Erickson), and Damir (Latovic), you know that this will be a
hard-working team. No one will outwork those guys."
Reynolds has been asked to play inside for the Bobcats, starting the last seven games at
center, with another versatile player, the 6-8 Latovic, manning the power forward spot. The
two have caused matchup problems with their ability to play inside and out, and have not
suffered by having to match up with bigger players on the defensive end. "We played against a
6-10 guy from Eastern Washington and a 6-10 guy from Idaho State, and we had pretty good
games," Reynolds says of he and Latovic. "We’re definitely not scared to get in there and bang
with them and rebound a little bit."
That willingness to do the dirty work defensively and on the boards has transformed a team
that last year struggled in those areas. The Bobcats have averaged three rebounds a game
more than its league opponents this year, after being outrebounded by that many per game a
year ago. "There’s no question that this team has a different mindset," Durham says. "There is
a toughness to this team, and we’ve done much better on the boards. Casey has a lot to do
with that."
In addition to playing center for the Bobcats, Reynolds has handled the ball in the backcourt
against teams that press, and has been effective shooting outside and handling the ball away
from the hoop. "In both JC and high school I played a little bit of everything," Reynolds said. "I
played one through five, just about every poisition. I can use my quickness in the post, and I’m
trying to get free buckets, run the court, going just as fast as I can."
Reynolds’ athleticism can be deceiving. "Casey jumps really well," Durham said. "How often
do you see a guy his size win as many jump balls as he does." As he’s done for four other Big
Sky coaches this year, Reynolds’ emergence has provided something of a problem for
Durham. "We used to run a set play at the start of the second half," MSU’s 12th-year head
coach laughs, "because we figured we’d have the ball. Now, we have to scrap that."
Reynolds has a simple formula for maintaining his success, and that of the Bobcats. "I just want
to come into every game, every practice, and play as hard as I can. If I do that, good things
will happen."
The Bobcats will look for more good things this weekend, as the team travels to Sacramento
State for a Friday night game (8 pm MST). The ‘Cats will play at NAU on Saturday at 7 pm.
Wednesday, June 10
Friday, March 27
Monday, March 23
Friday, March 13
