Bobcats Have High Hopes For Tennessee Transfer Winchester
by Zach Smart
HAMDEN, Conn. – At the opposite end of the Recreation Center on the campus of Quinnipiac University sits a bandbox gymnasium. Students are constantly walking by and peeping in on practices, as there is already mounting anticipation for the 2005-2006 season.
One of the primary reasons for such anticipation is the debut of junior John Winchester. Winchester, a highly-touted transfer from the University of Tennessee, is a time bomb – it’s just a matter of ticks before he explodes on the Northeast Conference.
A wiry 6-foot-4 inch guard/forward, Winchester was widely regarded as the top high school player in Connecticut as a sophomore. He then took his game to New Jersey, where he had a storied stay at Marist High. At Marist, Winchester’s 20 points and six rebounds per game earned him Parade All-America status while helping put the team on the map his junior year. He was also selected as a McDonald’s All-American finalist.
Winchester played one year at the prestigious Milford Academy, where he averaged 19 points, six rebounds, four dimes, and two steals per game and ranked among the nation’s elite. He evolved into one of the most sought-after guards on the recruiting marketplace, with major D-I programs drooling over him. He decided on Tennessee, where he would play for two years under the tutelage of head coach Buzz Peterson.
Possessing a common blend of athleticism and quickness, along with the ability to jump out of the gym, Winchester is likely to emerge as a scorer for the Bobcats. He has an aptitude for getting to the bucket, and he loves to take it to the rack on the big men. His mid-range jumper is also what the ‘Cats can rely on this season.
One of the many positives in landing a player like Winchester is that he can help cushion the loss of stud point guard Rob Monroe. Monroe, a candidate for the Bob Cousy award last season, graduated in May. Last season, Monroe averaged 22.7 points (fourth in the nation) and 6.5 assists per game. He finished his career as the school’s eighth all-time leading scorer and third all-time leader in assists with 1,685 and 541, respectively.
What attracted Winchester to Quinnipiac was the school’s proximity to his Stamford home. This of course presented him with the opportunity to perform in front of his family night in and night out.
“My family only got to see me play a couple of times and that was on ESPN,” said Winchester during a recent interview. “I just wanted to be closer to home so my family could see me play.”
Having played against a number of NBA players (Ronald Murray, Jarret Jack, and Francisco Garcia, to name a few), Winchester brings to the table a great deal of experience.
He’s versatile enough so that he can operate the offense or play as a two-guard/wing. Head Coach Joe DeSantis has already shown that he’s comfortable with Winchester anywhere from the one to the three. But it’s not a matter of where he is on the court-he’ll do whatever he can to help produce victories.
“I’m here to win,” he said. “I’m not here to participate or compete. I’m here to win.”
