One of the most prolific scorers in Division II, Notre Dame College Guard, Jaedon Willis, just continues to get buckets. His 20.8 points per game is third in the Mountain East Conference. The junior from Baltimore is 21st in the country putting up those numbers. He is 11th in the country in total points (581) , 34th in the country and 3rd in the conference shooting 38.9 percent from the 3-point line as well as second in the MEC making three 3-pointers per night. He was sixth in the MEC in the regular season shooting 83.1 percent from the free throw line. He also leads the team in assists at three per night. Willis is 24th in all of Division II making 123 free throws in the regular season. He also was named first team All MEC.
It all started in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area he calls the DMV. According to Willis, "That area produces some of the best talent in the basketball world, so growing up around that is special. It gives you a certain type of grit and swagger you bring everywhere." Fellow junior Tyland Crawford and redshirt freshman John Godinez hale from the same area. Maybe that is why their games mesh so well. A serious work ethic and great focus and planning help too.
This is how Willis explained his journey to NDC and his keys to success:
"I chose NDC because it was the best fit for me. There were some other schools who were really interested in me but I didn't feel that it would be the best fit program-wise, even if I felt the campus was better or bigger. I knew NDC played in a really good conference that fits my game so that played a big part, and when I came on the visit the coaches were honest to both me and my father about what they were looking for. I also wanted to be close enough that my parents could make some more games than they could in prior years.
"In the offseason I work tirelessly with my trainer on different moves and ways to score, and ways to get my shot off. The offseason is when I do my real work, I work on my craft and gain new skills that I want to use for the upcoming year. Once I get to school and we get into the season I don't try to add skill I just continue to craft and make the work better than I did in the offseason. My routine is roughly the same. I start off with short shots near the rim to get my arm loose, I move to layups and floaters after that. Then I begin to work on the midrange, after that it's catch and shoot as well as off the dribble 3's. Mainly just all the shots I will take in the game."
John Godinez talked about when he met Willis:
"The first time I met Jaedon he was a cool, chill dude. The first open gym I saw him, my first impression was man this guy can shoot the ball at an elite level and he can score whenever he wants."
Willis was about one or two years old when he picked up a basketball for the first time. He explained to me it was one of those baby basketballs. It's a famous picture in the Willis family of Jaedon holding a basketball in one hand and a football in the other while his dad, Robert, holds him on his shoulders.
"My father taught me to never quit and never give up, always fight to the end no matter what the situation is. He has really ingrained that in my head and I am thankful for that, "Willis said.
"From my mom I learned to be authentic and be myself. It really helps me playing basketball because I go out there and play the way I'm most comfortable playing. I don't feel worried or look over my shoulder all the time. I'm thankful for both of my parents because they have made me who I am today, nothing has ever been easy or handed to me but that's just the way I like it and that's a credit to them," Willis noted.
And then he talked about his high school experience:
"In high school (McDonough High School) in Maryland I played with some really good players that play at the highest level of D1. So I was accustomed to playing off the ball and getting shots off of them. I always worked on my own game with both my trainer and my father. That has helped me to score the basketball with the ball in my hands and also be comfortable with being set up to score. I'm conformable scoring in any way needed because of the time I put in working on my craft, and I always have the confidence that nobody that nobody can guard me. Early on at Limestone College I wasn't getting the minutes I wanted but I just continued to work. Later on in the season my numbers increased and minutes increased higher than my season averages so that really gave me the confidence that has led me to NDC."
Willis explained the difference between JUCO and Division II:
"The biggest difference I see is in JUCO it is really every man for himself, everyone is trying to get out of JUCO and move on to better things. It's less team oriented because guys are more concerned with their next move than the team."
He continued:
"Going to JUCO really brings out that fight and inner dog in you that nothing will stop from getting where you want to be. I really credit Hartford Community College for bringing the best out of me. Going to both Limestone and Chowan University showed me that fit and comfort are important in decisions. I would say I fit into both programs and I was 100 percent comfortable at Chowan. It just happened that some things made me change my mind on school. At Limestone I loved the school, my teammates, and everyone around the school but it wasn't a comfortable fit for me with the coaching staff.
Godinez told me that Willis is a very humble guy who is never satisfied. He also told me that every time he is shooting after practice Willis is there as well trying to get better.
Willis had this to say about the coaching staff at NDC:
"I think the coaching staff here at NDC has a better understanding of players than what I have seen at other schools. It is obviously difficult to keep every player happy because everyone wants to play but I think the coaches have done a good job of that and the overall NDC family is welcoming and supportive."
Willis talked about the talent level in the MEC:
"Here in the MEC the talent level is really good, every team has one or two guys who can explode and lead the team to victory. You really have to be prepared and ready to go. The talent is really good and teams have a variety of ways to play."
"My biggest improvement has been that I have grown up from just being a shooter to an overall scorer. Being able to score in different ways has helped me grow as a player and I think you will see those benefits for our team. The game has completely slowed down for me and I have a better understanding now of where to get my shots from, when to be aggressive, to score as opposed to when to get my teammates involved," Willis continued.
Crawford told me the best part about having Jaedon as a teammate is that he listens to you and is wiling to work with other guys and is always open to what other guys are saying. Willis explained to me that the best part of being on this seasons NDC team is just how close they are with each other. There is never a dull moment. He said that he has been on teams where guys don't click with each other but each guy on this team truly likes one another. It shows in games because we never quit no matter the situation.
Godinez agreed:
"This team has had its ups and downs this year but I feel like it has gotten us closer. I feel this team has good chemistry and feeds off of each other."
Crawford told me that Willis helps him out when creating offense by finding him on the break or in the corners to knock down shots and vice versa. Crawford told me he knows in the back of his mind where Willis is on the court and he knows when he passes it to him he will knock the shot down.
Godinez talked about the scoring prowess of Willis:
"He scores at all three levels and he does it so consistently that I am not surprised anymore. I expect him to score a lot every game."
Crawford talked about Willis on defense as well:
"When we press a lot Jaedon, Mike (Sampson) and DeAirius (Barker) come up with big steals all the time. They are a great three-headed snake."
Godinez heaped even more praise on his teammate:
"Jaedon is one of the leaders of this team. He proves it night in and nigh out. It makes the game easier for me having him on the floor because I don't have to score a lot and I can just do my role by getting a lot of assists because of his ability to score and shoot the ball. A lot of teams are so worried about Jaedon that they forget we have other good weapons on the floor. I feel like if we all keep doing out jobs and roles, we will make it far."
Crawford chimed in with the following: " Jaedon is a natural scorer and a big time shot maker, but he is a humble guy who is very calm as well. He makes shots! This allows the floor to open up for others to create on their own. He has made big plays for us all year and will continue down the stretch and I'm happy we have him."
NDC (15-12 12-10 MEC) will be the fifth seed in the MEC Tournament and will take on the fourth seed Fairmont State (22-6 16-6 MEC) in the MEC Quarterfinals on Friday March 4th at 8:30 PM at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia.
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