Kris Jenkins gives Villanova a shot

NEW YORK - Kris Jenkins is a shooter. So he shoots. It's what he does best. He just doesn't want it to be the only thing he's known for, even if that's sometimes the perception.

"When you have a good shot, people label you that way," said Villanova's 6-6 junior forward. "But I want to make myself a complete player."

It's been an ongoing process. When he was a freshman, coach Jay Wright kept saying he was the Wildcats' best three-point threat. Of course, there's more to it than that. Shedding some excess pounds was maybe the first step.

"He was kind of doing that to himself a little bit," said Wright, whose second-seeded Wildcats (29-5) will play UNC Asheville (22-11) on Friday afternoon in the opening round of the NCAA South Regional at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. "We talked about it a lot. That's the beauty of this team. We talked about it, and he changed it. He's a smart guy.

"Any of us that's struggled with losing weight, he had the habits of a heavy guy. Now he's gotten to play for a couple of seasons in a new body. And he's starting to learn how to use it."

Jenkins is starting for the first time. He's the second-leading scorer, averaging 13.3 points (more than double his sophomore number) and 3.8 rebounds, while shooting 37.1 percent from the arc and 83.7 at the foul line. Roughly 66 percent of his shots have been threes. In the last nine games, he hasn't scored fewer than 15. And he had 20 or more five times, including 31 against DePaul on March 1, when he made four straight triples in as many minutes midway through the first half to break things open.

In Saturday's two-point loss to Seton Hall in the Big East final, it was Jenkins who took a late three that could have put Villanova ahead. It missed. But that's the kind of trust everyone else on the team has in his talent.

"I felt good in that situation," said Jenkins, a South Carolina native who moved to Upper Marlboro, Md., as a teenager and went to Gonzaga College High in Washington, D.C. "I always think it's going in. Unfortunately, it didn't drop. I can live with that. Hopefully, I'll get another chance."

There were moments when some wondered whether he'd ever reach his potential. Especially when fellow junior Josh Hart - who came to the Main Line from the same metropolitan area with similar expectations - saw his career take off a lot sooner.

"Everybody has their own path," said Jenkins. "You can't worry about everybody else's path. I've always been supportive for my teammates. We're close. So we're happy for any success. In return, they do the same (for me).

"I've never second-guessed anything. When I came here, I knew I was coming to part of something that was bigger than one individual. That's why it's a great program.

"You have to keep working hard, listening, accepting coaching and being open to growth. It's not always easy to do that. But that's what makes our team really good. If our seniors can accept coaching, then it's no excuse for anyone else."

The Wildcats are a top-two seed for the third straight year. They're trying to make it to the second week for the first time since that Final Four run in 2009. They would get either Temple or Iowa on Sunday, should they advance. Whatever happens, Jenkins figures to be a pretty relevant part of it.

"In high school, he played inside the whole time, so we knew he was comfortable in there," Wright said. "The last couple of years, we really needed him (outside). This year, we needed him at both. He was getting comfortable just standing around the perimeter. But he can drive the ball, post up. I think this tournament and next year, the guy is going to really expand his game. It gives us the ability to look for mismatches with him. He can pass, too. He makes good decisions. He's just such a valuable weapon."

Was there a moment when it finally clicked?

"The game at Virginia (an 11-point loss on Dec. 19), when we started going to him on the big stage," said Wright. "He was mixing it up, doing a lot of things. He got a feel for it, against a great team. He had 23 points, and they were all the right way. He kept us in it . . .

"It's awesome. You call his number, just get it in his hands. With players like that, you know, when they get in the groove, it's going up. Don't worry, he'll get it there."

It's what he still does best.

"I've always had to work on my shot, to this day," Jenkins said. "Just the little fundamental things. Everybody has a phase where they figure, 'Am I doing enough?' But as long as you stay the course, keep building that trust, the sky's the limit. It shows that anything can happen to you.

"You have to be willing to accept the bumps and bruises that go along with it. It's just being aggressive, playing off your teammates. And if the right play is to catch and shoot and score, then that's what we all expect you to do. If it's to get someone else the open look, then we expect that as well.

"Everybody on our team has the freedom to be aggressive. Making the big play is a big thing with us. But you have to be playing defense and rebounding. Anybody on our team can score 30, and if we lose, nobody's happy. Nobody."

@mikekerndn