Jan. 11, 2012
by Nikki Philpot
"Everybody's ready to play. Everybody's prepared. We have the same mindset. We will keep doing the same things we've been doing. Everybody is going to be after us in conference play because everybody knows each other, so we know that everybody is going to be out to get us." - Langston Galloway `14
Hear that, Hawks fans? The Atlantic 10 conference schedule has begun, and the Hawks are here to play.
The opening half of the 2011-2012 men's basketball season is over. Sporting an 11-5 overall record (1-1 Atlantic 10), the Hawks rang in the new year with a pair of conference games - an 84-82 overtime victory over Duquesne on January 4 and a 57-52 loss to Charlotte on January 7. The men will face Fordham on January 11 in a home conference matchup, having thus far been a near perfect 7-1 at Hagan Arena this season. One player in particular has helped lead the team to three crucial wins.
Seventeen points in a 65-47 win over Penn State in the Hawks' home opener.
Thirty points in a 75-68 win over Boston University.
Twenty points in a 74-58 win over Big 5 rival Villanova.
For his explosive performances during these home outings, Hawks fans can thank sophomore guard Langston Galloway.
Galloway leads the Hawks with 41 three-pointers, earning him a blistering .488 three-point field goal percentage. An offensive powerhouse, he ranks second on the team in total points scored (248) and points per game (15.5). After a standout freshman campaign in which he was named Philadelphia Big 5 Rookie of the Year and was selected for the A-10 All-Rookie Team, the 2010-11 conference leader in free throw percentage (88.7%) has come back more forceful and more experienced than last season.
"I'm more aggressive this year," explains Galloway, in reference to his playing style. "Last year, I was just trying to get a feel for everything, but this year, it's time to step up. It's time to step up for the team."
And step up he has. The 6-foot-2 guard has led the Hawks in scoring in six games this season. His 19 points against Western Kentucky in the season opener saw a 72-61 Hawk victory. Against Tulsa, the sophomore bucketed 23 points en route to a 79-75 victory, and the 84-82 win over Duquesne was impacted by Galloway's 19-point effort. Penn State, Boston and Villanova players and fans alike also felt his wrath.
Galloway enjoys this role, knowing that he is a leader of action on this young Hawk squad. However, he credits the talent of his teammates for the team's success as a whole.
"I know that I have to go into the games and be aggressive. It's my time to score, so I try to score," surmises Galloway. "Sometimes teams try to deny me, but knowing that we have other guys on this team that can score makes it tougher to deny me . . . I know my teammates can get me open even if I am being denied or I can get them open for easy buckets."
One particular teammate, junior guard Carl Jones, has been open for a majority of these buckets. Galloway and Jones have combined for 46% of the team's total points this season, reacting off of each other and "just playing basketball to try to win for the team."
Commenting on a statement that Jones made during the preseason, Galloway agrees that "the sky is the limit" for the two Hawk stars, explaining that the two players have been successful and need to build off of that success in order to improve every game.
Improvement is an evident part of Galloway's game. At this point last season, two conference games deep, Galloway had accumulated 192 points. This season, he has already reached 248 points, a 23% increase over last season's point total at this point in the season. He attributes this to his expanding basketball knowledge.
"I just try to keep learning, that's all," he says. "I just try to get easy points with lay ups and do the small things with the steals and the rebounds . . . little things."
Although Galloway is an obvious offensive threat for the Hawks, he currently ranks second on the team in steals (22) and third on the team in defensive rebounds (59). A true all-around player, he believes that basketball is about focusing on both sides of the ball, about playing offense and defense.
"Knowing that I have to score and that I have to play defense is a big thing. I know it's not just one side in the game; it's two sides," Galloway acknowledges. "Knowing that coach has faith in me to guard the best player or whoever I'm guarding and stop them is something that I take as a personal challenge.
"I try not to let them score and try to just pick at them, get steals and do all the little things to stop them and shut them down."
The little things. According to Galloway, it's the little things and the willingness to learn that transforms a team that only won 11 games last season to a team that has already hit that mark this season. The willingness to learn is what makes this young team so special.
"We are very young and everybody wants to learn. We all just try to be better each and every game, every practice," he says. "We know that we are all very athletic above the rim and that we can make a highlight reel any game, anytime."
Hawks fans have certainly appreciated the highlight reel-like plays that have accompanied the team's 7-1 run at Hagan Arena, and Galloway insists that the fan support does not go unnoticed.
"Our fans have been supporting us all year. Especially at home, they have been big contributors to the games and that lets us know that we have their support. They definitely make the gym louder and tougher for the other teams," chuckles Galloway.
The fans have enjoyed watching the sophomore guard fly down the court with the number 10 painted across his back as he has led the men's team to victory.
Curious about the number choice?
Galloway was number 11 at Christian Life Academy, where he played varsity basketball for five years, beginning in the eighth grade. When he arrived at Saint Joseph's, he considered either going one number up or one number down. Going one number up would have allowed him to wear number 12 like his uncle, Hawks assistant coach Geoff Arnold.
"I wanted to be number 12 like my uncle. It's special playing for him, knowing that he's there and watching me grow and get better, but I decided not to pick number 12 just to see if I could make my own status in college," Galloway explains. "Since 10 was one number down from 11, I just picked it."
Galloway's numbers last season earned him A-10 Rookie of the Week accolades five times and Big 5 Rookie of the Week honors twice. Additionally, he was awarded the John P. Hilferty award for being named Co-MVP of the squad . . . as a freshman. At this point this season, he ranks in numerous conference categories including PPG (15.5), three-point field goal percentage (.488), three-pointers made per game (2.6), and minutes per game (34.9). Galloway has undeniably begun to achieve an impressive status here as a Hawk . . . a status of his very own.
