LaSalle will be vusy trying to contain Jed Ryan

Averaging 10 points per game, the sophomore swingman has come a long way since last year. The warning shouts go out from the opposing coaches as soon as the ball is passed to him. By the time Penn sophomore forward Jed Ryan catches the ball, the defenders have already heard the words "Shooter, shooter" and are preparing to prevent the inevitable. In just a few games, Ryan has emerged as the Quakers' newest marked man. On a team where no player averages more than 11 points a game, Ryan is the closest thing Penn has to a designated gunner. While Ryan's 10 points per game place him third on the team, he averages 14.4 shots per 40 minutes, almost two more shots than any other Quaker. La Salle (7-6) will be the next opponent trying to stop Ryan and Penn (5-7) at the CoreStates Spectrum at 7 p.m. tonight. "I try to make shots to help the team," Ryan said. "Sometimes that might mean taking two or three shots in a row." Ryan has scored in bunches a lot this year. He takes advantage of his scoring opportunities before the opposing coaches make the adjustments to counter his shooting. Not coincidentally, Ryan has also found himself playing a prominent role in most of Penn's important rallies this year. Against Brown, his two early three-pointers in the second half helped the Quakers pull away in what was a close game. "We would not have won without him in a few games this year," Penn coach Fran Dunphy said. Ryan's success this season is a far cry from the struggles he endured last year. While fellow freshmen Frank Brown and Paul Romanczuk were increasing their playing time as the season went on, Ryan battled through injuries and off-court problems to see action in only 19 games. His average of only 1.1 points per game were far bellow what was expected from Ryan after his stellar high school career at Erie (Pa.) High School. "A lot of things changed for me in college," Ryan said. "There was a big transition in getting used to the amount of shots I took. I also had to go from being a perimeter player to a post player, and then to both a perimeter and post player." The problems were most evident in practice, as Ryan tried to get used to the college game. He tried to do too much and often fell victim to steals and bad passes. "I didn't do the things coaches asked," Ryan said. "I think I was doing a little more than they wanted." Over the summer, Ryan dedicated himself to refining himself for his dual role. He worked on his dribbling and passing skills to help in the perimeter game. He also put on 20 pounds by lifting weights to help him defend his opponents in the low post. Ryan's training has helped him become the Quakers' second-leading rebounder, at 3.9 per game. "He is really focused on making this an outstanding season for himself," Dunphy said. Ryan has found his niche this year as one of the eight starters Dunphy has rotated in his lineups. Ryan can be called upon to guard anyone, ranging from quick guards to the biggest man on the floor. Yet sometimes being at a size disadvantage is to Ryan's benefit. "A lot of times, the guys I guard are not used to guarding someone as far away from the basket," Ryan said. By elevating his game and increasing his court time, Ryan has also forced himself into a leadership role for the Quakers. It is a sign of how inexperienced the team is that a sophomore with scarce playing time last year is now lending guidance to this year's freshmen. "We need everyone to step it up this year," Ryan said. "On a team this young you can't have just one leader. When no one tries to be a leader, that's when you run into problems." While Ryan has made a sudden turnaround from last year, the Quakers have yet to find the right chemistry. The team has been hurt by the inconsistency exhibited by almost all of the players in the eight-man rotation, including Ryan. "We are still searching for our identity as a team," Ryan said. "When we do, we'll be in good shape." If the first part of the season is any indication, Ryan's identity will soon be known by all of his opposition.