SDW working on the “little things’ this summer

Sherron Dorsey-Walker is up to his old YMCA Capital City League tricks again this summer. Iowa State’s sharp-shooting sophomore scored 51-points for his Coca-Cola team on Wednesday night but gaudy box scores are the least of SDW’s worries over the next few months. 

“I’m working on the little things – the things that can separate me so I can play more this year,” Dorsey-Walker told CycloneFanatic.com after his 51-point outburst.

Everybody knows that Dorsey-Walker can fill it up. When it comes to pure shooting, he is probably one of the more impressive players on Iowa State’s deep roster but there is more to Big 12 basketball than the 3-point shot. Those aspects of the game are what held Dorsey-Walker back during his redshirt freshman campaign.

“Little things like rebounding,” Dorsey-Walker explained. “I’m trying to guard the best player on the other team. I’m trying to be more of a vocal leader and to give 110 percent every time out.”

The Michigan product is now listed at 200-pounds and still has work to do with his body but from the strength aspect of the game, he is improving.

“Little things” aside, if you can shoot the 3-point shot at an high rate, you can play for Fred Hoiberg. Dorsey-Walker has proven to be able to do this in summer league play consistently but only made three shots from long range in the 115 (an average 5.8 per game) of minutes that he played last season. The transition was non-existent. 

If you follow Iowa State basketball closely, you have no doubt heard Hoiberg talk about confidence and at the end of the day, this is where Dorsey-Walker needs to improve the most in order to see significant playing time in 2014-15. Offensively, the tools are there for the former 3-star recruit to be a contributor.

“Every time that you see the ball go through the hole you gain confidence,” Dorsey-Walker said.

From that standpoint, Dorsey-Walker scoring 51-points in a Capital City League game is encouraging.

“I am more consistent with my shot,” Dorsey-Walker said. “I’ve worked on my shot a lot so far this summer and it has helped my form. I looked at a lot of film from last year with my form. I just never kept it up so I’m trying to keep it up and stroke it.”

And of course, Hoiberg’s fingerprints are all over Dorsey-Walker’s game.

“Coach Hoiberg works with my shot a lot,” Dorsey-Walker said. “When I came in, I was always leaning back. I wasn’t keeping my form up and kicked my foot out. Now I work on going straight up and straight down. I’m just trying to stick my landing every time.”

The YMCA Capital City League will be back in action this evening at the Valley Southwoods Gymnasium in West Des Moines. Dorsey-Walker’s Coca-Cola (along with Dustin Hogue) team will face ADIO Chiropractic (Matt Thomas & Monte Morris) at 5:30. At 6:45, Renaissance Granite (Georges Niang & Kourtlin Jackson) will play Capital Orthopedics (Abdel Nader & Clayton Custer). To finish the evening off, Phoenix Renewable Resources (Naz Long & Daniel Edozie) will take on the Walnut Creek YMCA (Jameel McKay & Hallice Cooke) at 8.