This is the twelfth of our “Meet the Jays” segments featuring the 2009-2010 Creighton Bluejays men’s basketball players. Join us as we profile different scholarship players each day leading up to the season opener at Dayton on November 14.
Cavel Witter had to change his game last season. He has always played the point during his career. But with senior Josh Dotzler starting and freshman Antoine Young getting valuable minutes to prepare him to start at the position as a sophomore, Witter played both shooting guard and point guard all season. By the end of the season, you could tell he was frustrated and actually left the program over the summer.
However, Witter had a change of heart and came back to Dana Altman to see if there was a chance he could return to the program. Altman knows all too well what it means to act on an impulse and regret the decision. Witter spent the rest of the summer working hard to earn his way back on the team and gaining the trust of the coaching staff and his teammates. He is well aware that it is his last chance to make an impact.
“It’s my last opportunity and I just want to make the best of it. When you have a last chance like this, a last year, you just want to go out and put it all out on the floor. I’m pretty excited about our chances the team can have.”
Witter is in the position now where he is the only healthy senior out on the court to start the season. It is imperative he play well, both for his success and that of the team.
“Individually, I just want to improve game by game and day by day. Team wise, we just want to be the best we can be. We’re a very talented team and we really need to make the best of it.”
Fans may complain about Witter’s turnovers and his tendency to overdribble, but I’m sure those fans are the same folks who cheered him loudly during some of the key moments of his CU career, including:
- Scoring 42 points on Senior Night against Bradley two seasons ago
- Getting fouled on a 3-point attempt at the end of the Southern Illinois game at the Phone Booth last season and hitting all three shots from the charity stripe to send the game into overtime before the Jays pulled out the win
- Drilling the game-winning 3-pointer against Rhode Island in the first round of the NIT two seasons ago
It is easy to surmise the excitement Witter has for being able to spend one more season as a Bluejay. When asked what teams he is most looking forward to playing, his answer was simple.
“Every team. Every game. The first game, you have to start with at Dayton. Dayton will be tough. We get to go to Florida and play Michigan. The conference games — we get to play Illinois State, and you know they have had our number the last couple of games. I’m going to be excited for every game, no matter what. “
With so many injuries and illnesses taking their toll on Creighton’s roster early this season, the Bluejays will need veteran leadership from a guy like Witter, especially during the season opening trip to Dayton this weekend.