Jok steps forward on defense

WATERLOO - Peter Jok's stroke remains quick and smooth, just as it was the day he stepped on Iowa's campus.

The shooting guard still has silky touch, as demonstrated by his 3-point prowess in this summer's Prime Time League action. But the 6-foot-6 junior also has improved other areas of his game, something he's itchy to show this fall.

Jok has focused extensively at his defense and ball handling this year. That includes double workout sessions a day concentrating on both elements. He works daily at establishing his defensive base and staying low in position. Those improvements have translated to his mental approach in the PTL.

'I've been trying to guard the other teams' best players, and I've been trying to work on ball handling, too,” Jok said. 'I feel I can defend anybody.”

Jok started 21 games last year and averaged 7.0 points. He made obvious strides as a defender from the beginning of his freshman season through his sophomore year.

'I feel like my defense from last year has been way better to this year,” Jok said. 'I always knew defense was about how bad you want it. For me to stay on the court a lot, I need to defend and I need to work on all my game, not just shooting. So I took it as challenge to be a better defender, and I've been working on it.”

Jok will play small forward as well as shooting guard this year, which means he'll defend players of all sizes and abilities this year. In summer workouts, that means sticking with point guard Anthony Clemmons - who's 6-2 and quick - or small forward Jarrod Uthoff, who stands nearly 6-10.

'That's something he worked on,” Iowa senior guard Anthony Clemmons said of Jok's defense. 'I'll always applaud him. We tell each other, go at each other, to help each other on defense. He helps me. He's a bigger body.

'He shoots the heck out of the ball, too. He's a tough guard and with me being shifty, that helps him with his lateral quickness and being able to guard because not a lot of 6-5 guys are as shifty as me, quick as me.”

But Jok is best known for his offensive skills. Last year he sank 36 3-pointers - second-most on the team. He boosted his scoring average to 8.0 in Big Ten-only games, and seven times he scored double digits in league play.

He enters this year as a go-to scorer for Iowa, a role he relishes.

'Me and Jarrod will probably be the main two guys scoring,” Jok said. 'I'm good with that.

'My shot is really good right now. It's been real good. I've been going hard the last three weeks.”

Perhaps the most visible change with Jok is his body definition. He's always had length, but he's more sculpted. He said he's body fat is down and he's in the best shape of his Iowa career. Off-season conditioning drills are paying off.

'I've kind of been on a diet and just drinking water and juice and trying to eat better. I'm still working on eating better.

'I've gained two pounds. As a matter of fact, I'm not trying to gain weight or lose weight. I'm trying to maintain at 200. I'm at 202 right now. That's good with me.

'I'm ready for whatever challenge comes next season.”

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