He was there, but he wasn't really there. His number two jersey was on his back as he ran up and down the court, but he would tell you himself that he wasn't really playing basketball.
Freshman guard J.R. Reynolds couldn't play his brand of basketball until less than a month ago. It wasn't until early January when the Roanoke, Va. native was able to put all injury and health concerns behind him and focus solely on basketball.
"My injury held me back from doing some of the things that I wanted to do," Reynolds said. "I'm just trying to come back and play hard."
An injury to his non-shooting hand was the first physical stumbling block in the young career of the 6' 2" off-guard.
"I had never been injured before, I never needed surgery before," Reynolds said. "So the thumb was holding me back a little bit."
Fully recovered, Reynolds said he no longer worries about his thumb, nor does he have to deal with the illness that kept him out of Virginia's games against Loyola Marymount and Costal Carolina. Now that he no longer has to hold back, Reynolds is letting the ACC know what type of talent he has.
A pure shooter, Reynolds boasts a smooth stroke which proved to be lethal from beyond the arc when his three three-point shots led Virginia to a home win over Clemson. Thus far in the conference season, Reynolds is second only to Devin Smith in three-point field goal percentage among Cavaliers, shooting 39.1 percent from long range.
Though a freshman, Reynolds has exhibited a work ethic and a composure which has endeared him to Virginia coach Pete Gillen.
"He has really good poise," Gillen said.
Reynolds was one of few Cavaliers to earn the coach's praise after a loss at North Carolina.
"I thought he did a really good job," Gillen said.
Reynolds is one Cavalier who has taken Gillen's message of defensive intensity to heart. His on-the-ball perimeter defense has been a steadying influence on a team whose defense is rocky at times. Reynolds has been called on to guard some of the premiere perimeter players in the ACC. From Tim Pickett to Rashad McCants, Reynolds relishes the challenge of shutting down an opposing team's top threat.
"I like all challenges," Reynolds said. "I just try and not let that player score as many points on me."
Reynolds is not one to back down from a challenge, whether he's faced with a standout guard or 20,000 people wearing powder blue. He showed no fear in his first appearance on the hallowed hardwood of the North Carolina Dean Dome. Reynolds played with an aggressiveness and composure that led him to shoot 5-9 from the floor, ending the game with 15 points and three rebounds.
Clearly Reynolds is hitting his stride as his role in the Cavalier lineup has increased. As he has played more minutes, Reynolds has responded by shooting better from the field, connecting on 46.7 percent of his field goals in the conference season. Reynolds has also shouldered more of his team's scoring load, totaling 34 points in last three games.
"I'm more relaxed now," Reynolds said. "I'm just letting the game come to me. I'm not forcing anything."
While he may not be forcing anything on the hardwood, Reynolds is forcing opponents to pay attention and realize that he is present on the court, sinking shot after shot.
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