Q&A with Owls' freshman freshman point guard Dylan Ennis

Posted: October 30, 2011 - 8:45 p.m. CDT.

HRR chat w/ Rice Owls' Dylan Ennis

HRR: Rice is a long way from Ontario. How did the Owls get you to sign with them?

Dylan: The summer before my senior year I went back to Toronto for a camp my AAU team runs; and, I met Coach (Marco) Morcos there for the first time. After that, he saw me play a couple of games, and, he said he wanted to offer me a scholarship. My father talked with Coach Braun, Coach Morcos and all the coaches. They recruited me heavy on the phone So, when I came to Rice in August for a visit, I committed.

HRR: What other schools did you consider?

Dylan: TCU. Santa Clara. College of Charleston. Actually, I committed to Akron before my junior year; but, I de-committed from them. But, they stayed on my list as well. A whole bunch of other mid-major schools also.

HRR: Describe your basketball skills for me.

Dylan: I'm definitely a pass first point guard. I look to get everybody involved. I try to be a leader on the floor and be a floor general. I try to keep everybody on the same page. I can get to the basket. I love to use my speed to get into the lane and create open jump shots for my teammates.

HRR: Since you're from Canada, Houston's heat and humidity have got to be something different for you, right?

Dylan: (laughs) Yeah. You know it's definitely cold in Canada; but, all five of my final college choices were in hot climates. My father told me I'd probably end up at a school with a hot climate. My visits were all hot places; but, I like the heat.

HRR: How has practice gone for you?

Dylan: Practice has been great. I'm learning from the coaches and the veterans on the team. I'm getting a lot of tips from everyone. All the freshmen are talented; but, the experience that the coaches and the veterans have really helps you learn a lot more.

HRR: What have you learned from (junior point guard) Tamir (Jackson) so far?

Dylan: Tamir is a great player; but, he's a great leader. He's shown me different things that I can do rather than only use my athleticism to get by a defender. He shows me when I should slow it up or when I should push the fast break. He's a great player; and, we've learned a lot from him in practice.

HRR: How's school going for you?

Dylan: School's going great. We have a lot of support behind us academically. They speak with our professors and make sure we speak with our professors; so, it's not just us going to class. It's making sure we're communicating and getting help when we need it.

HRR: What has the coaching staff said they're expecting from you this season?

Dylan: They definitely want me to come in and be a leader. They're not looking for me to score a lot of points. They're just looking for me to get everybody involved and run the show.