Jenkins likely to set Hofstra mark Saturday
Hofstra University guard #22 Charles Jenkins reacts after his team's 87-74 win over George Mason in a NCAA men's basketball game at Mack Sports Complex, located on Hofstra's campus. He scored a game-high 32 points, including 23 in the second half. (Jan. 5, 2011) Credit: James Escher
Charles Jenkins is too humble to dwell on the matter, but he admits his parents are excited enough for the whole family as he stands on the threshold of becoming Hofstra's all-time leading scorer.
It could happen Saturday afternoon when the Pride hosts Drexel. Jenkins, who has 2,261 career points and is averaging 23.5 points per game this season, needs only 16 to surpass former teammate Antoine Agudio's 2,276.
Agudio broke the record of 2,222 - held by Steve Nisenson since 1965 - at Delaware on Feb. 27, 2008. "Obviously, I was very excited for him that night,'' Jenkins said Friday. But he did not put too much effort into thinking he eventually could surpass his fellow guard. "I was never a guy to think about that,'' he said. "My mom and my dad, they knew about that since my sophomore year when I scored my thousandth point. They knew how far and how many points I had to average. They were worried about things like that. Me, I just try to come on the floor and win. My teammates do more praising of my accomplishments than I do.''
Senior Greg Washington said the team has been anticipating the record-setting moment. "With the crowd in the student section, his family and friends, I think it will be a special moment,'' he said. "Charles is a man among boys. When it's crunch time, I wouldn't rather the ball be in any other player's hand but his. He has that much of an effect.''
Hofstra is 14-7 overall and 8-2 in CAA play, and Jenkins has played a major role. "The coaches always tell me to be aggressive offensively,'' he said. "I think that results in the success of the team this year. I've turned up my aggressiveness and we've been winning.''
Jenkins, the reigning CAA player of the year and two-time winner of the Haggerty Award as the top player in the metropolitan area, has the highest career total of any active player in the nation. Andrew Goudelock of Charleston is 98 points behind.
Asked how he will feel when he does set the record, Jenkins said, "It's a great accomplishment and it makes things a lot more fun around here. Despite our loss [Thursday] night, people were talking about the chances of me breaking the record.''
