Fresno State Athletics
Home Sweet Home
1/12/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 23, 2000
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State sophomore Chris Jefferies is back home. After a year in Arkansas and a season on the sidelines fulfilling NCAA transfer requirements, Jefferies is wearing a Bulldog uniform, much to the pleasure of Fresno State basketball fans.
Jefferies talent is rare. He is 6-foot-8 and 220 pounds with the ability to play many positions. He has a silk smooth jump shot and solid ball handling skills for his size. He is quick on the perimeter and plays with tenacity in the paint.
"I'm very happy here," Jefferies said. "Last year I got a chance to just focus on working on my game and improving myself as a whole. I think I'm ten times better than I was at Arkansas."
A native of Fresno, Jefferies attended Washington Union High School where he played with current teammate Demetrius Porter. In his three seasons on the varsity squad, Jefferies and the Panthers compiled an 88-9 record. He averaged 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists per game as a senior. He was selected league MVP following his final campaign and was a California all-state selection. With numbers like these, it is no wonder he was recruited by the likes of Arkansas, Syracuse, Cal and Connecticut.
At Arkansas, Jefferies played in all 34 of the Razorbacks games, starting in 21 contests. He averaged 7.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game as a freshman, with his season-high of 23 points coming against Mississippi State. Arkansas finished that season with a 23-11 overall record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Although Jefferies is focused on playing basketball at Fresno State now, he is thankful for the opportunity to play at Arkansas. Playing in the SEC as a freshmen gave Jefferies a priceless experience.
"I think playing one season at Arkansas helped a great deal," Jefferies said. "Every game was a tough game. Never a cakewalk. I enjoyed that experience and it reminds me of how much I want to get back to the tournament."
Now Jefferies wants to lead the Bulldogs to their second consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament. For Arkansas head coach Nolan Richardson, winning national championships and causing havoc at the big dance is tradition, similar to Fresno State head coach Jerry Tarkanian's coaching career. The two coaches also share the same desire to play suffocating defense, and Jefferies has learned those tactics.
"Coach Richardson focused on defense," Jefferies said. "Coach Tarkanian is the same way, but maybe more emphasis on offense than Richardson. But playing at Arkansas really helped me with my defense."
Jefferies is thrilled to be back on the basketball court. Last season he had to sit out because of NCAA transfer regulations. However, the time was used wisely.
"I worked a lot on my jumper," Jefferies said. "I worked on ball handling skills and got a lot of work with the coaching staff. I also did some work in the weight room. But overall, I just mainly wanted to improve my quickness and jump shot, and I think I achieved that."
The sophomore swingman has already proven that. Early on this season, Jefferies has shown flashes of brilliance. Through the team's first six games, he is averaging more than 16 points and three rebounds per game. He scored a season-high 24 points in a loss to San Francisco.
Jefferies has been effective from beyond the three-point arc, a menace on defense, and a crowd-pleaser in the open floor. Many of his thunderous dunks have brought fans to their feet, and some have nearly blown the roof off of Selland Arena. However, with seniors Porter and Melvin Ely already being great offensive threats, Jefferies knows his defensive prowess is crucial to the team's success.
"I'm confident in my abilities and I think I bring a lot to this team," Jefferies said. "I do feel like I need to be more of a contributor when it comes to rebounding, steals and blocks. I think those aspects are most important right now."
Jefferies missed out on last season's NCAA tournament experience, but because he knows how sweet it tastes, he will be working even harder to get back for more.
"I think we're capable of doing a lot of damage this season," Jefferies said. "With Tito Maddox in the lineup, I don't think there's a team that can run with us. When we're all playing together, we're tough to beat. I think we can definitely take the WAC and make an impact in the NCAA Tournament."
