Nelson: the glue to SJU's early success

Everybody knew Jameer Nelson was good. That was no surprise. After one of the most successful freshman campaigns in Big 5 history during 2001 -- one that saw him recognized as the National Freshman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, ESPN.com's Dick Vitale, CBS.SportsLine.com and Collegeinsider.com -- his ability was not in question. But following an equally impressive sophomore season, his Saint Joseph's team said goodbye to a graduating class that accounted for more than 5,000 points and 2,200 rebounds. All signs on Hawk Hill pointed to a rocky season. Instead, Nelson has taken over the reins of a surprising Hawks' unit that is slowly putting together one of the program's more memorable seasons. Wednesday night's 79-46 rout of Fordham moved his Hawks (13-2, 1-0 Big 5) to 5-1 in the Atlantic 10 East. Some rebuilding year. In racing to a 12-1 start, the program's best in 38 years, St. Joe's has staked a claim for best team in the city. And the multitalented Nelson is the straw that stirs the drink. "It's been a challenge that I've accepted," Nelson said on replacing the departed seniors. "I realize that my coaches and my teammates are giving me the responsibility to be the leader of this team -- and it's good to know that they're behind me." Both on and off the court, Nelson's assumption of leadership has been seamless. "The first thing about him is that he's a nice kid," St. Joe's coach Phil Martelli said. "He's very humble about the attention he gets. He doesn't hold it over his teammates' heads, which, I think, isn't always the case with other teams." What's more, Nelson has backed up the hype with some of his most impressive play yet. He leads the team in both points and assists, and his totals are among the tops in the Atlantic 10. In St. Joe's 79-78 victory at Gonzaga's feared Kennel, Nelson poured in a career-high 34 points, including his 1000th career tally. His individual accolades are as numerous as they are impressive ---- including three-time Atlantic 10 Player of the Week and nominee for the Wooden Award. However, Nelson is first in line to share credit for St. Joe's resurgence with sophomore standout Delonte West. "We always knew he could do it," Nelson said of his backcourt complement. "He was playing behind two guys who had more experience than him last year, so he had to wait his turn. But he's making the most of it." Never was the backcourt's talent more evident than in a Jan. 14 tilt with city and conference rival Temple when the pair combined for 51 points, 16 rebounds and 13 assists in a 65-55 victory. West scored 16 of his career-high 26 points in the first half on 7-for-10 shooting. Nelson took over after the break, notching 17 points on 5-for-7 shooting to seal the win. The former understudy to star Marvin O'Conner has wasted no time making a name for himself in the Hawks' starting five, averaging 17.4 points and 4.1 assists per game. "Both are similar in their fierce desire to win," Martelli said. "They're both very aggressive. They respect each other's game enough that it gives them the opportunity to be successful." When the Hawks come to the Palestra on Saturday to face Penn, they will technically be playing as hosts. But both sides know that bragging rights in front of what should be a 50-50 crowd are at stake. "It's a Big 5 game," Nelson said. "It'll definitely be played at a higher level because of the atmosphere. Everybody's excited." None more than Nelson, the early frontrunner for Big 5 Player of the Year -- and perhaps even more prestigious honors. "We're going to have to try a couple different things to hopefully not let him affect the game as much as he can," Penn coach Fran Dunphy said. "Whether that's not letting him touch the ball quite as much as he typically does or double-teaming him, we'll try a couple different looks and see how effective it is. "He's a very, very good basketball player."

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