By Kyle Jorrey
Sports Editor
If you ask West Coast Conference coaches about the emergence of Wave seniors Jimmy Miggins and Devin Montgomery as two of the WCC’s top performers, they would most likely say it came as a surprise. They’d say it’s not everyday that two junior college transfers come in and not only make an impact, but lead their team to a conference championship and an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.
But if you ask Miggins or Montgomery, you’ll get a very different answer.
“I knew it would work out like that,” Miggins said. “When I come in I bring offense and defense, I can impact both sides of the ball. I do things that make the players around me better.”
Montgomery, who beat out talented senior point guard Craig Lewis for the one-spot, said last year’s performance was anything but shocking.
“I wasn’t surprised, I knew as long as I got a chance to play that would happen,” Montgomery said. “I’m confident in my play and with what I could do.”
The two transfers took little time in solidifying themselves as the team’s most consist offensive weapons. Montgomery, the floor general, and Miggins, the finisher, combined to make the Waves’ offensive attack the most explosive in the conference.
Miggins biggest asset may be his speed and agility that allows him to get to the basket nearly every time he touches the ball. He is so quick and so skilled, in fact, that opposing teams have no choice but to bring the double team, Miggins said.
“I can just kill a player one-on-one, that’s just doom for the other team,” he said. “If any player, not just in the WCC, but anywhere in the country plays me one-on-one, they’re going to get dealt with.”
And if Miggins, a viscious trash-talker, “kills” you, you better expect to take a little heat.
“That’s part of my game, I’ll talk the whole game.” Miggins said. “If you get scored on you are going to hear my mouth all the way up the floor, and most time, if I don’t score, you’re going to hear me anyway.”
The forward said this kind of “park-ball mentality” is part of the entire team’s attitude.
“We all want the other guy to know that if he gets scored on he’s going to hear about it,” Miggins said. “It’s trash talk, but we’ve got to back it up.”
Montgomery, more of a silent assassin, said he lets his play on the floor do the talking. And it often does.
” I really don’t talk too much because I’m usually doing them so bad with my game, I don’t need to,” Montgomery said.
Despite his offensive success coming down the lane and sitting outside the arc, the point guard said his first responsibility is still to the pass. He hopes the new found respect his opponents have for his ability to score will make him an even bigger threat to pass.
“If they focus on me, that’s my job, and I’m going to hit the open man,” Montgomery said. “As long as we keep getting those wins, that’s all that matters.
A lot of their success, they say, has to do with each other. As roommates and fellow junior college transfers, the two are friends on and off the court.
“We know how each other play,” Miggins said. “He knows when to get me the ball and when not to.
“When (Montgomery) is on everyone else is on, and it gives our team another dimension,” he continued. “With him knocking down shorts we’re a hard team to beat. I’ll take him over anyone else we play against.”
As a playmaker, Montgomery said having a scorer like Miggins to go to makes his job easy.
“When he brings the ball up the court everyone focuses on him, so he can just pass me the ball for a wide-open shot,” Montgomery, who lead the team in 3-point percentage, said. “That’s what makes it easy for me and that’s what I like.”
After a year proving they could score and pass, the two players are ready to show they are equally dangerous on defense. Miggins said it’s up to the entire team to take a new approach to defense.
“That’s our main thing this year, that we have the same mentality on defense that we have on offense,” Miggins said. “That’s why this year I’m checking the best guy. No matter if he’ s on the perimeter or inside.”
The forward said he wants the responsibility of covering the opposing team’s top scorer, and is just as determined to excel in defense, as he is to score.
“I want to be the Player of the Year (in the WCC) and the Defensive Player of the Year,” Miggins said. “Every since day one, I wanted to be the best in everything I did, and that means offense and defense.”
Like Miggins, Montgomery said he has his sights set on the Sweet 16. Because they are both seniors, both are looking to give it their all before they possibly take their games to the next level. But the point guard has an extra drive this season.
“My grandmother just passed away,” Montgomery said. “She used to come to all my games, she never missed one. I’m pretty much dedicating this season to her.
“You’re going to see a whole new game … If you think we were good last year, just wait until this year,” he continued.
Each player agrees that this year, when it comes down to crunch time, they want the ball in their hands.
“If we are struggling as a team or we need a shot to go in, I want the ball in my hands,” Miggins said. “I want the big shot and I want to have the ball in my hands to make us win.”
October 31, 2002