Wilson Nears 1000-Point Plateau

In a game that has become littered with selfish players who care more for their statistical achievements than what their respective teams accomplish, the humble player has become a rare breed in basketball these days. With five games remaining on the schedule before the Region 19 tournament gets underway on Feb. 20, Colts forward Arman Wilson, perhaps the most humble player I have ever covered, sits 127 points away from reaching the prestigious 1000-point plateau. Wilson would become only the second player in program history to accomplish the feat, former Colt Rodney Freeney reached the milestone two seasons ago. Dubbed as "The Silent Assassin," by some of the Colts' faithful fans, Wilson will very rarely make himself heard from on or off the court; he simply allows his game to do all of the talking for him. Though his words are few and far between, his game is absolutely stifling to opponents. As the teams' leading scorer, Wilson is the most versatile offensive weapon in the Colts arsenal; he has the ability to drive the lane at ease just as well as shooting from long range. "Arman is a very consistent player," said Colts Assistant Coach Chris Tarver. "He leads by his play even though he isn't vocal, his game speaks for him." Former Colts guard Jason Morris has been on hand for many of the teams' home games this season, having been on the court with him in crunch time and having watched him from the stands this season; Morris definitely has seen Wilson come full-circle. "Arman has very much improved as an all around leader not just with his game but mentally as well," said Morris. "He has made sacrifices this year to try and make MCC a winning team. Watching him from a distance this season, he really is like a silent assassin; he's really quiet but gets the job done." As one of the returning players from last season's GSAC championship team along with guards Shamai Santiago and Quinton Crawford and forward Ramadan Shabazz, Wilson has had to step up and become the team's offensive cornerstone all while assisting in the efforts to develop young players like freshmen Yusuf Leary, JJ D'Amico and Edwin Guerra. Guerra, a first-year center from Perth Amboy High School has formed a great admiration for Wilson and the things he has been able to accomplish. "Arman is just the type of guy who doesn't talk much on the court," said Guerra. "At the same time we all know how to work with him and vice versa. As a big man I know when he needs a screen or when he is going to go back door to the basket. When it's crunch time, he just steps up. All in all he is a quiet player but doesn't let it change his game. " Guerra added, "I used to play against him in high school, I was at Perth Amboy and he was at South Brunswick. They used to kill us; we both would have good games but let's just say I'm glad to be on his side this time around." Wilson has averaged 21 points per game in his sophomore campaign while shooting a staggering 52 percent from the floor after averaging 17 points per contest as a freshman last season. In his previous three games against Brookdale, Passaic and Cumberland, Wilson is averaging nearly 32 points per game as he inches closer to history, but Wilson has only one goal on his mind, and it is not reaching 1000 points. "The possibility of reaching 1000 points is a great feeling," said Wilson. "I like to keep it in the back of my mind; my ultimate goal at MCC is to win. Getting to 1000 points would be great but a Region 19 championship is my main focus." The Colts have games remaining on the schedule against Ocean County College, Gloucester County College, Cumberland County Community College, Burlington County College and Essex County College. That leaves five regular season games plus a first round playoff game in the Region 19 tournament at the very minimum for Wilson to reach 1000; he will have to average 21.2 points in each of those games to reach the feat. Reflecting on how difficult it is to attain 1000 points, high schools around the country honor players who reach the feat, and they have four seasons to do it and against less talented competition. In the case of Wilson, he has had only two seasons in which to accomplish it, the first of which he did not even average 20 points per game. It is a truly remarkable achievement if Wilson does indeed reach it. In the year and a half that I have been the sports editor here at Quo Vadis, I have not covered an athlete that has been quiet and under control while still possessing the talent that Wilson has been blessed with. He is as cool as a cucumber under pressure, his game is smooth and in rhythm and he is never shaken by a situation. Wilson has been the ultimate professional in all of his basketball endeavors at Middlesex and he is certainly deserving of a place in the Middlesex history book as one of the most elite players to ever grace the floor for the Colts basketball program. "Arman is simply a fantastic player and an even better young man," Tarver said. "I think whatever college he plays for after his time at MCC, he will do well. I feel very fortunate to have been able to coach him and get to know him, as for 1000 points, I think it is fitting that Arman will be the second player in MCC history to do it in my four years here. He has worked very hard and it is a huge honor that we are all happy to be a part of."