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Godwin Making Strong Point For 9-6 PDS Boys' Basketball
By Bill Alden
Drew Godwin is a natural scorer from the perimeter
but the Princeton
Day School boys' basketball team has needed
the talented sophomore to
diversify his game.
This winter,
Godwin has been handed the keys to the PDS offense and
has
been instructed to take on the duties of a point guard.
While the ride hasn't always been smooth, Godwin is enjoying his
new
responsibilities. "I like to get other people scoring
opportunities," said
Godwin after PDS' 46-32 win over
visiting Princeton High last Wednesday. "I
want to get
the other people involved and make everybody better. I've really
worked
on my driving and I think I'm more effective handling the ball."
Godwin, though, can still pierce a defense with his shooting as
evidenced
by his team-high 16 points in the win over the Little Tigers and
his
scoring average of 12 points a game. "I take my shot when
I get it,"
said Godwin with a smile. "I'm still trying
to find my teammates but if I
have an open shot, I'll take
it."
Godwin's adjustment to his new role has been
eased by the fact that he
has an excellent teacher in PDS head
coach Ahmed El-Nokali, a former star
point guard for Princeton
University.
"I love it," said Godwin, referring
to El-Nokali's tutelage. "He's
a point guard and I've
learned a lot from him. He has taught me that a point
guard
has to make his players better and that's the only way we can
win. I
think I've learned a lot from him and I will continue
to learn from him.
He's a great coach."
El-Nokali,
for his part, believes that his star pupil has been
making
solid progress. "Drew Godwin has been a '2' guard all of
his life,"
said El-Nokali. "He's a really good scorer
but this team needs him to be
more of a point guard. He's still
a great shooter but he has to take more a
leadership role,
directing the team and running the offense. In the last two
weeks,
he has played some very good basketball for the team."
The first-year coach has been happy with his team's collective
thirst
to learn. "Drew and all of the kids have a willingness to
get
better," asserted El-Nokali, whose club is at 9-6
this season after dropping
a 40-38 nailbiter to WW/P-S last
Friday.
"They're looking for direction, it's a great
atmosphere. After a
tough practice, the kids will sit down
and get a drink and then say 'coach
what do you think I need
to work on?' I stay for an extra 40 minutes and I
think it
shows. I've always told the team that I don't mind the wins and
losses
if the effort is there. I feel we're getting better."
The team's work ethic has come in handy as it has played a tough
schedule
in preparation for next month's state Prep B tournament. "I've
always
been a fan of playing a difficult preseason schedule," said
El-Nokali,
whose club plays at WW/P-N on January 29 and at Rutgers Prep on
February
3. "It makes you game tested. I think it's going to help
come Prep
B tournament time where nothing we're going to see
is going to be a
surprise."
Godwin, for one, thinks
the team can spring some surprises down
the stretch. "We
have to keep playing as a team," asserted Godwin. "We
have
to play together, move around, fight. We're playing well
right now, we just
have to keep it up. If we play as a team,
I don't think anyone can stop us.
Particularly if Godwin
continues to excel in directing the show for
the Panthers.
