And 1 with KJ & Joe: Arizona guard Dalen Terry ready for a breakout year
Dalen Terry and the Arizona Wildcats had a decent season last year, finishing 11-9 in the Pac-12 Conference.
Terry, a former top-50 recruit, came in with a lot of weight on his shoulders. Arizona lost guards Josh Green and Nico Mannion to the draft, and the Wildcats needed to re-up. The 6-foot-7 point guard was the highest-ranked recruit the Wildcats landed in the Class of 2020.
He talked about the pressure of being that heavily recruited on the And 1 with KJ & Joe podcast with On3 basketball experts KJ Smith and Joe Tipton. You can watch the full podcast in the video below or subscribe here to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Podcasts.
Terry chose the Arizona Wildcats over the “hometown” school and arch-rival, Arizona State. In Tuscon, Terry finished his freshman campaign averaging 4.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. In only 20 minutes game, Terry shot the ball 41% from the field. Most would call this a somewhat decent freshman showing, Terry himself graded it as a “C minus.”
Terry injured himself before the start of his freshman season, tearing his meniscus. A rough start led Terry to feel like he was “playing catchup.”
“I had high expectations for myself, and I didn’t get to show a lot,” Terry said.
Dalen Terry ready to roll for Arizona
Terry has been putting time in the gym this offseason, though. He said he’s been working on his body, increasing his strength and wants to increase his shooting percentage. Terry is confident for the upcoming season.
“I feel like this is my year,” he said.
Newly-appointed head coach Tommy Lloyd has helped Terry boost his confidence. Terry says “he put a 100% belief in me immediately. As soon as he did that, I put a 100% belief in him. Everything he says, I’m all in.”
With a new sense of self-esteem, Dalen Terry is ready to rock this season.
“I expect energy and leadership,” he said. “I’m going to do whatever it takes to put my team in the best position to win.”