AMHERST — It all starts for Dibaji Walker with the music he listens to when he enters an arena before a game.
The music blaring in his headphones combine with the positive affirmations he has for himself, get him mentally prepared for any game. And while Walker came out strong for UMass in Tuesday’s 67-63 win over Saint Louis, it was a moment with junior captain Carl Pierre that really got him going.
“I started out the game a little flat energy-wise and Carl stopped me and said ‘I’m not hearing you, what’s up with your energy,’” Walker said. “I wasn’t talking – I was playing hard but I wasn’t fully engaged into it, almost going through the motions. He said that to me and right then and there he said ‘when you get the ball go to work, lock something down, I need to hear you talk your stuff.’ He got me going from an energy perspective.”
Walker scored nine of his 14 points in the first half, helping to carry the load for the Minutemen as they struggled in most facets of their offensive game. He found some consistency with his jump shot while showcasing his mid-range skills and the confidence started to grow within him.
In one crucial stretch late in the first half, he scored seven points and grabbed two of his three rebounds to help trim a 16-point deficit down to seven at halftime. In the second half, he continued to make critical energy plays and had two blocks, nearly matching his total from his first 13 games of the season.
“I had some crucial rebounds and some crucial blocks,” Walker said. “I’m so hard on myself because I want to be a big-time shot blocker … and I put a lot of pressure on myself to sort of be a last resort, but I need to try to stay disciplined and not be reckless.”
Although it seemed like Walker was more energetic and locked in than normal, coach Matt McCall said it was the same energy and effort Walker brings to most games. Perhaps with his extended playing time, Walker was able to be more vocal during plays, expressing the joys and frustrations of rebounds grabbed or missed.
Walker’s 14 points were just the third time in 14 games that he has scored in double figures, something McCall said he blames on himself. The coach said he needs to find more ways to put Walker in positions to succeed on offense without installing more plays that will complicate the offense for the Minutemen.
“I’ve got to do a better job at getting him the ball in spots where he’s really good,” McCall said. “We’ve got to find a way to get him in the long post because he’s good down there, get him at the elbow, he’s good there, too.”
GLASS ATTACK — It didn’t seem like Tuesday was going to be Samba Diallo’s night.
The sophomore forward seemed to struggle early rebounding after collecting an offensive rebound on the opening possession, and he was less than his lockdown self on defense, too. Yet he quietly finished with a team-best eight rebounds – one more than his average in A10 play – and sealed the game with two athletic defensive rebounds off missed shots.
“He needs to continue to embrace that,” McCall said. “He’ll have games where he gets 10-14 points, but some of those rebounds, he went up there and got. Even the offensive ones, he was above the square. He’s got to continue to do that for us, he’s our glue guy.”
JOYFUL EAST — Sean East II had seven assists in the victory, the most he’s dished out since he had seven against Saint Joseph’s three weeks ago. McCall said he knew early on Tuesday that his freshman point guard would play well, and that came to fruition when East made a perfect pass to Tre Mitchell on a pick-and-roll in the final minute to seal the win.
“Sean got his joy back (Tuesday), I could see it in his face in shootaround,” McCall said. “With Sean, it hasn’t necessarily the basketball piece, it’s been more the mental piece. When Sean is good is when Sean’s got his joy. Sometimes that can get taken from you whether it’s a bad game or a bad practice or whatever, and he got it back (Tuesday) and that’s what this team needs.”
ANOTHER ONE DOWN — The list of Atlantic 10 teams McCall has not beaten at UMass grew smaller with the win over the Billikens. As his third season at the helm of the Minutemen comes to a close, McCall is now winless against just four teams – Fordham, George Washington, St. Bonaventure and VCU. He’ll get a chance to knock two of those teams off the list in UMass’ next two games, Saturday at Fordham then a week from Wednesday at home against VCU.