Jan. 14, 2008
The following story appears in the January edition of KnightVision. Produced 10 times per year, KnightVision is the official publication of the UCF Athletics Asssociation. Each issue includes stories about UCF teams, student-athletes and coaches. To order 10 exciting issues from August through June, call 1-888-877-4373 (ext. 121) or 336-768-3400 (ext. 121).
In 2005-06 during his first campaign with the Knights, Jermaine Taylor was given a simple nickname by the UCF coaching staff: freshie.
The moniker not only signified Taylor's academic class, but also his inexperience on the court. When the shooting guard arrived at UCF, he was a raw talent. Taylor was a great athlete who dominated the competition at Tavares High School in Lake County, but by his own account, he was not yet a great basketball player.
As a senior at Tavares, Taylor used his athletic ability to averaged 25 points, 11 rebounds and five assists per game. He earned a spot on the Florida Class 3A All-State First Team and was tabbed as the Orlando Sentinel Lake/Sumter Player of the Year.
Despite his high school accolades, Taylor arrived at UCF as a basketball neophyte. At the prep level, he did not think, he simply played. His offensive repoitoire in high school consisted of dunks, 3-point shots, dunks and more dunks. Taylor had no mid-range game.
"I was always driving because nobody could stop me from getting to the hole. I would either shoot the three or get to the hole," Taylor said.
Taylor brought that game to UCF as a freshman, resulting in the nickname. He had trouble grasping basic offensive and defensive techniques, receiving the ire of the Knights' coaching staff.
Three years later, Taylor is no longer the raw freshie.
Starting for the first time as a Knight, he has developed into one of Conference USA's top players, capable of scoring 20 points any given night.
How did he go from a raw talent who averaged 4.3 points on 39.5 percent shooting as a rookie to one of C-USA's offensive stars?
He no longer thinks and plays like a freshie.
"I am not going as fast anymore. When I used to go to the hole, I used to go full speed," he said. "Now I have a little tempo to it. I can see what is going on. I can pull up if needed."
Taylor exhibited his now well-rounded game in late December against traditional power Connecticut. The junior scored a game-high 30 points against the Huskies and went 8-of-9 at the free-throw line.
As a freshman, he shot just 44 percent at the charity stripe.
UCF lost two of its top scorers from a year ago in Josh Peppers (14.3 points per game) and Lavell Payne (10.8), so head coach Kirk Speraw has asked Taylor to pick up the scoring slack.
Taylor is happy to be the Knights' go-to-guy on offense, despite the pressure that the role brings.
"I love it. I am able to be the scorer and I am shooting a lot more. It brings me back to my high school days. I know what I need to do. I am going to do whatever coach needs me to do to get the wins."
Speraw has been pleased with Taylor's development, especially his desire to get better.
"Jermaine is a great young man. He really has improved his game since he got here and still wants to get better. He is a great listener and takes coaching very well."
Despite the strides that he has made, Taylor sees room for improvement. In order to play under Speraw, a player must be sound defensively, and Taylor still wants to improve on that side of the floor. He also wants to keep developing his mid-range game.
Taylor has good reason to improve. As they did last season during C-USA play, UCF's opponents are focusing on Taylor when the Knights' are on offense. Not only is he drawing the opponent's top perimeter defender, but he is also garnering double teams.
Like his new role as UCF's go-to scorer, the extra attention from the team's foes also takes him back to his high school days.
"I am kind of used to it. It has been happening ever since I have been playing basketball. I just have to be patient and see what is there and try to make the right play. I cannot force anything."
Taylor has improved more than his game on the court. Working with the team's strength and conditioning coach, B.J. Faulk, Taylor has gained 30 pounds since arriving on campus. He also says that he is faster and can leap higher.
While at Tavares High School, it seemed like Taylor could not run any faster or any jump higher. In addition to starring for the basketball team, he also was a standout for the football and track and field squads.
As a wide receiver, he finished his senior season with 481 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He finished second in the state as a senior in both the triple jump and the high jump. As a result of his all-around efforts, he was named the 2004-05 Orlando Sentinel Athlete of the Year.
Taylor's exploits on the football field garnered him attention from several schools, including Florida, Florida State and Miami. Former Florida head coach Ron Zook even with visited the wideout in hopes of luring Taylor to Gainesville to play football.
Unfortunately for the football coaches, and thankfully for Speraw and all UCF basketball fans, Taylor never considered playing football on the collegiate level.
"I used to have fun playing football. I was not really serious with it," Taylor said. "I did it for fun and I was good at it."
One of the reasons Taylor elected to attend UCF was its proximity to Tavares, something that he is reminded of at every home contest.
"I love it (playing close to home). My mom is at every game. It is always good to have the family support. My friends can come and see me."
Taylor was already familiar with the UCF program before the recruiting process began in high school. His cousin, Darryl Davis, played at UCF from 1991-95. Davis was coached by Speraw for two years and is the school's fifth all-time leading scorer. He was a member of the Knights' 1994 NCAA Tournament squad.
According to UCF assistant coach Dwight Evans, who was on the Knights' staff in the early-1990s, Davis' game was similar to Taylor's. Evans notes that Taylor, with his driving and dunking ability, is a better athlete among the two relatives.
Since he arrived at UCF as a freshman, Taylor has been happy to show off his dunking skills. The 2007-08 campaign has been no different as he has recorded some impressive slams, most notably dunks over hapless defenders from Kansas State and Long Island.
Senior guard Dave Noel played with Taylor this past summer in the Orlando Pro-Am League, where Taylor excited the crowd with numerous slams.
"He had one of the best dunks I have ever seen in my life. It was on a fastbreak and he got the ball two steps inside the 3-point line and took off."
Despite being amazed at times by Taylor's athletic ability, Noel has also recognized the improvement and growth in the junior's game.
"His shooting ability has gotten better. When he first came in, he was real athletic and real dangerous in transition. The last couple of years, he has really been working on his shot," Noel said. "Last year he shot at a better percentage, but this year he is really knocking them down."
Taylor agrees with Noel's assessment. In his opinion, he is no longer the freshie who arrived on the UCF campus in 2005, looking to drive to the basket and shoot jumpers.
"I have grown a lot. I am more patient now. I try to see things before I do it."
- Doug Richards