skip navigation

Stokes makes return to hoops at TBT

07/16/2016, 5:00pm EDT
By Daniel Hughes

Corey Stokes (above) sees a bit of himself in one of the heroes from Villanova's 2016 championship run. (Photo: Mark Jordan/CoBL)

Daniel Hughes (@dan1el_sun)
--

The Villanova Wildcats would not have been National Champions this past spring without big-time sharpshooter Kris Jenkins.

But before Kris Jenkins, there was Corey Stokes.

Seven years before Jenkins capped off the Wildcats outstanding season by hitting the now famous, title-clinching 3-point shot to defeat North Carolina, Stokes was making big shots for another Villanova team destined for the Final Four.

Stokes, a 6-foot-5 guard who played at Villanova from 2007-2011, is remembered fondly by fans as a clutch 3-point shooter, making 39 percent of his 600-plus attempts over four years. In his sophomore season, he played in all 38 games, starting 13, as the Wildcats made a run deep into the NCAA Tournament.

Against powerhouse Duke, the No. 2 seed, in the Sweet Sixteen, Stokes hit a game-sealing 3 that caused the crowd to begin chanting “we want Pitt,” the Wildcats’ Big East rival who they then downed in the Elite 8.

That 2009 team was eventually defeated by UNC in the Final Four. The Tar Heels went on to win it all that year.

But seven years later, Stokes finally watched his school get even.

“Kris Jenkins was like the little Stokes,” Stokes said. “It felt like I was watching myself when I was watching him play.”

Under head coach Jay Wright, Villanova remained competitive in the years after 2009, only missing the NCAA tournament once since then. But they never found the spark that had ignited them back in ‘09.

That was the case up until the 2015-16 season, when Stokes -- along with many others -- watched a special group of Wildcats take the floor, led by then- junior Josh Hart and seniors Ryan Arcidiacono and Daniel Ochefu.

“Josh Hart is great, Arch, Daniel” Stokes said, “I was talking to those guys the whole year giving them advice and stuff.”

It was like the same movie, but with a different ending.

“I knew it was good even before it left his hands,” Stokes said about Jenkins’ shot. “As soon as they let Arch dribble up the court and flip it back to him, I jumped up.”

“It was just great to get revenge against North Carolina since we lost to them in the final four.” he continued.

Three years removed from a professional career in Europe, Stokes is currently a schoolteacher working with autistic children at Bayonne High School.

Most recently he played in The Basketball Tournament (TBT), a nationwide tournament featuring many current and former pros with a $2 million cash prize. Though a team of mostly Villanova alums, called SuperNOVA, was participating, Stokes was playing with Team Fancy alongside former Division I stars Kevin Parrom (Arizona), Mike Glover (Iona) and more.

“I heard about it two years ago after the tournament was over from a couple of my teammates,” Stokes said. “[This year] Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher called me too late and I couldn’t play on their team because the roster was already done.

“I talk to them all the time,” Stokes added.

Though his team lost their first-round game, scoring 11 points and grabbing seven rebounds in an opening round loss to Talladega Knights.

But Stokes promises to return, and he will bring Wildcat-worthy aspirations with him.

“I’m definitely coming back next year,” Stokes said. “We’re going to win the whole thing.”


Recruiting News:

HS Coverage:

Tag(s): Home  Events  Division I  Villanova  Big 5