'Bama's Faulkner is a traveled warrior

Alabama forward Jamal Faulkner played high school ball with Brooklyn's best, got in trouble with the law out in the desert and now is at peace with himself in Tuscaloosa. Alabama forward Jamal Faulkner never figured to wind up in Tuscaloosa, and certainly no one could have imagined him playing his college basketball there. After all, he was a city kid. New York streets through and through, and no doubt about it. Just ask him about playing basketball while growing up in Brooklyn -- the answer sounds more like a script for an athletic footwear commercial than someone's actual experiences. "It's just like asking a kid from Alabama how much touch football he played growing up," Faulkner says. "Basketball is the game in New York, just like football is the game here in the South. We'd play all day and all night -- in Queens, in Manhattan, in the Bronx. It didn't matter. As long as we had a ball and a court, then it was all right." Faulkner played at perennial powerhouse Christ the King High School in Middle Village, N.Y. The competition was always fierce -- opponents included the likes of Kenny Anderson, Malik Sealy and Jamal Mashburn. In his senior year, Faulkner averaged 24 points and 15 rebounds, earning McDonald's All-America status and leading King to the state championship. After a year of prep school in Connecticut, Faulkner was heavily recruited by a number of big-time college programs. He decided to attend Pittsburgh, but soon found himself at the center of the controversy surrounding alleged Panthers recruiting violations. Determined to play near a major city, Faulkner chose to attend Arizona State. The 6-foot-7 forward flourished during his first year as a Sun Devil, leading the team in scoring under coach Bill Frieder. He averaged over 15 points and 6 rebounds per game and was named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. But by the end of his sophomore year, Faulkner was once again in trouble off the court. Amidst criminal allegations, he was dismissed by Frieder and had to evaluate his transfer options. Connecticut was interested. So was Cincinnati. Faulkner chose Alabama. "There were a lot of schools in contact with me that wanted me to come," he recalls. "I came to Alabama because it plays in a great conference, the SEC. The school has a winning tradition also, and that was just something that I really wanted to be a part of." Upon joining the Crimson Tide, Faulkner was faced with a pair of dramatic adjustments. On the court, he had to once again adjust his game to a new coach, new teammates and a new program. Off the court, he had to adjust to life in Western Alabama. The second task proved slightly more difficult. "At Arizona State, I was pretty close to a big city, with Phoenix nearby," Faulkner says. "When you come down here, it's not much of a metropolitan area. There's just not much to do in Tuscaloosa. Everything there is down here revolves around the university, so I guess it's pretty much your basic college town. It's a good place to relax." As for the on-court adjustment to Alabama basketball, there haven't been many problems. And Faulkner has been anything but relaxed. "Jamal is, without question, a very valuable member of our team," Alabama coach David Hobbs says. "He's had to make some sacrifices for the sake of the team, and he's been willing to do so. He is very consistent. He works hard every day in practice and sets a good example for the rest of the guys." Much of Faulkner's success may be attributed to the other two parts of 'Bama's frontcourt -- senior forward Jason Caffey and sophomore center Antonio McDyess. In leading the Tide to a 22-9 record this year, the threesome has combined to average 37.6 points and 23.4 rebounds. "They're both excellent players," Faulkner says of Caffey and McDyess. "I think we've helped each other. All three of us are different types of players, and we've been able to blend our talents together. I think you can see that in the wins and success that we've had." When Faulkner learned Sunday night he'll be putting that success on the line against 12th-seeded Penn in Baltimore, he knew right away the game will be no cakewalk. He watched the Quakers triumph at Michigan earlier this year and has no illusions about their potential. As one of four Tide seniors, he realizes tomorrow night's game could be his last. He is also aware that Penn starts five seniors who don't want to stop playing college basketball any more than he does. "You just have to take it one game at a time," Faulkner says. "It's not something you can think about, and it's not something you should speculate about. All we can do is hope and dream, and all Penn can do is hope and dream." When Jamal Faulkner's dream ends -- be it tomorrow against Penn or April 3 in Seattle -- he will have no regrets. He has managed to put the controversy and the problems behind him. He has finally found a home in Tuscaloosa. "I made some mistakes, and I've done some things I shouldn't have done," he says. "But I've come to terms with it and I'm happy with the person I am. Everything that happens in life happens for a reason. Maybe things didn't work out at Arizona State for a reason, and things did work out here for a reason. I've had two good years here, and I'm glad I came." So are plenty of people who know Jamal Faulkner, from the playgrounds of Brooklyn to the fields of Tuscaloosa.

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