2014-15 Villanova Wildcats - Key reserves

31 - G - DYLAN ENNIS 

(6-2, 192 lbs, R-JR, #31, 5.1 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.6 apg, 16.2 mpg, .353 FG, .301 3PT, .786 FT, Lake Forest Academy/Brampton, Ontario). 

After transferring from Rice, Ennis — the older brother of former Syracuse star Tyler Ennis — was the most hyped newcomer on last year’s team and coach Jay Wright feared there would be too many expectations of him. Ellis missed the first four games with a broken bone in his right hand and marked his return with back-to-back 14-point games in wins over USC and Kansas in the Bahamas. 

Still, the transition to Wright’s way of playing basketball was a rocky one at times. 

“In the beginning, the way Dylan played pleased the crowd, but it wasn’t efficient for our team,” he said. “The second half of the year, he didn’t look good to the crowd, but he was really effective for our team, and we really improved through the year because of his play defensively.” 

The emphasis on defense “took him out of his comfort zone offensively,” Wright said. Of his 25 3-point baskets on the season, Ennis knocked down nine in his first four games but only one in his last nine. He scored just seven points in his final nine games. Wright was pleased with Ennis’ progress during the summer and said, “we expect a lot out of him this season.” 

2 - F - KRIS JENKINS 

(6-6, 240 lbs., SO, #2, 4.1 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 11.7 mpg, .373 FG, .370 3PT, .815 FT, Gonzaga College HS/Upper Marlboro, Md.). 

Like his fellow freshman Josh Hart (3), Jenkins impressed coaches right away with a strong basketball IQ and an ability to correct mistakes. He contributed early by scoring 12 points in a season-high 22 minutes in a win over Iowa in the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game, receiving extra time because the starters were spent from three games in three days. 

Jenkins showed a superb 3-point stroke; he made 30 on the season but averaged one every 13.3 minutes, which would project to three for a 40-minute game. He shot 50 percent from 3 (16 of 32) in his last 11 contests. 

“Whatever he got hit with as a freshman, you could just simply sit him down, intelligently explain it to him and then it was accepted and he moved one,” Wright said. “It was amazing.” 

Jenkins’ knowledge of the game comes naturally; his mother, Felicia, played college basketball and is currently the top assistant and recruiting coordinator for Jackson State’s women’s team. 

Jenkins also can muscle inside for points and rebounds, something he will have to do more of this season as his playing time increases. 

5 - G - PHIL BOOTH 

(6-3, 185 lbs., FR, #5, 19.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.0 apg., Mount St. Joseph HS/Baltimore, Md.). 

Booth led Mount St. Joseph’s to the Baltimore Catholic League championship last season and he was voted the league’s player of the year. He possesses a fine outside shot and also can drive to the hoop. 

Booth, whose father is a native Philadelphian and played his college ball at Coppin State, got a chance to show the coaches a lot during the summer. He was used at the point in those sessions where Arcidiacono was absent because he was playing with the Italian national B-squad. 

“I think he’s going to be able to play there for us,” Wright said. 

25 - G/F - MIKAL BRIDGES 

(6-7, 191 lbs, FR, #25, 18.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg, Great Valley/ HSMalvern, Pa.). 

Bridges was considered a late bloomer by most recruiting analysts, but his ratings were down because evaluators didn’t think he played in a very competitive high school league. But Wright loves the fact that Bridges is “versatile, plays bigger than his size, and [is] long and pretty athletic.” 

Wright said he and his staff are “pleasantly pleased” with both Bridges and Booth but added, “How we fit them in is really going to be up to them and how good they can get. But they’re playing with really good players, so they’ve got to get to a high level to take time away from those guys.” 

14 - PF - DARRYL REYNOLDS 

(6-8, 225 lbs., SO, #14, 0.3 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 3.1 mpg, 1.000 FG, .300 FT, Worcester Academy/Philadelphia). 

Reynolds provides the Wildcats with big-man depth. He played in 21 games, scoring seven points and pulling down 20 rebounds. He posted a season-high five boards against Mount St. Mary’s in his first collegiate game.

“Daryl is in a position where he is getting better and better and we love him,” Wright said. “But JayVaughn and Daniel are, too, and so is Kris. So how much he plays this year is really going to be based on those three.”