DRC Sat: Simpson becomes factor on offense

[OldTimer]

UNT junior becomes a factor on offense

Simpson providing more than rebounding, blocked shots

06:48 PM CST on Saturday, February 12, 2005

By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle

When North Texas men's basketball coach Johnny Jones signed Jeffrey Simpson to a scholarship last year, he thought he was getting a shot-swatting center who could help the Mean Green on the defensive end of the floor.

It turns out Jones got much more than he bargained for.

Simpson has developed into a solid offensive player in addition to a defensive presence under the basket. The change became evident when the 6-8 junior scored in double figures in four of UNT's last seven games, including a career-high 18 points in the Mean Green's win over New Mexico State last Saturday .

Simpson's late-season surge has helped keep UNT (11-10, 4-6) in the hunt for a solid seed in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament.

"I was not sure if Jeffrey would be the impact player he has been," Jones said. "We knew he would be solid defensively. The surprise has been the outburst he has had offensively. ... He is really coming into his own."

When Simpson first arrived at UNT, he was expected to fill in as a defensive player behind starter Justin Barnett and help soften the blow the Mean Green felt after Shawnson Johnson completed his career last season.

Johnson played just one semester at UNT after transferring from LSU, but still finished with 69 blocked shots to go along with an average of 11.2 points a game.

Simpson's role expanded dramatically when Barnett injured his hand before Christmas and was forced to miss nine games.

Simpson moved into the starting lineup for a game against Arkansas State on Jan. 22 and scored 16 points to go with nine rebounds, a performance that reminded some of the shot-blocking Johnson.

That debut sparked Simpson's rapid rise that has seen him average 9.4 points and 6.8 rebounds a game in conference play. Simpson has also blocked 37 shots on the season, a total that ranks third in the Sun Belt.

"My confidence has grown a lot," Simpson said. "The coaches and my teammates keep me motivated. I try to come with my best effort every night. I feel a lot more comfortable on the offensive and defensive ends."

Simpson first made an impact on the defensive end of the floor by racking up blocked shots. The former Eastern Oklahoma State College standout blocked six shots in a win at New Mexico State on Jan. 8 and then matched that number in a win over New Orleans a few weeks later.

Simpson's six blocks in a game rank fourth in school history.

"Jeffrey picked right up where Shawnson left off," senior guard Leonard Hopkins said. "Players can't come into the lane for uncontested shots with Jeffrey in there."

As the season has progressed, Simpson has gradually added to his offensive repertoire. He has consistently hit short jump shots and hook shots in the lane in addition to scoring on offensive rebounds.

"It has helped me a lot to work with the post players here," Simpson said. "When I came to North Texas, I was just a run-and-gun player. I am starting to tap into my potential. I feel like I have a lot of room to grow."

Jones said Simpson's development is a product of the comfort zone he has found at UNT.

"Any time you make the transition from high school or junior college to Division I you have to get acclimated to a new system," Jones said. "The offense he ran in junior college is completely different than what we use here. He has adapted and continued to get better."

Added Simpson: "I am a team player Starting does not matter as long as I get a chance to play. It's about winning games."

E-mail: bvito@dentonrc.com