When Ryan Cook transferred to theUniversity of Maryland, BaltimoreCountyfrom Division II Chestnut Hill College, in Philadelphia, in hopes of earning a roster spot as a walk-on, coach Randy Monroe was unaware of the St. Vincent Pallotti grad's skill level.
Monroe would soon learn that having a plentiful supply of Skittles candy and endless time on the basketball court were the keys to untapping Cook's hidden potential.
The Laurel native had already beaten the odds once by earning a starting spot as a walk-on at Chestnut Hill and planned to do the same thing at Division I mid-major UMBC.
But, walk-ons (non-scholarship athletes) are rarely talented enough to be welcomed on Division I squads — and almost never earn a starting slot.
After sitting out the entire 2010-11 season because of transfer rules and the first five games this season (for violation of team rules last season), the 6-foot-2 guard caught the coach's eye.
Cook spent countless hours shooting between 200 and 500 jump shots daily — sometimes more — during his transfer year, and that stellar work ethic paid off to the point where Cook is averaging a second-best 12.6 points per game for the Retrievers (2-14).
He's been the team's leading scorer five times this season and posted a career-high 26 points in a loss to 92-75 loss to Niagara.
"I had a feeling he was going to be an integral part of the team, just because of how hard he played and how energetic he was and how passionate he was about playing," Monroe said. "He really surprised me in terms of double-figure scoring."
Cook also leads the team in free throw percentage (.867) and is second in minutes played (28.3) and rebounds (4.2) per game.
His commitment to defense and his athleticism are his calling cards.
"He's stays disciplined in what he's doing from a defensive standpoint, and he's pretty good because he moves his feet," Monroe said. "Without a doubt, he's probably the best athlete. He can really jump and he can run forever. He's like a gazelle and he's got lateral quickness to stay in front of his man."
Nicknamed "Skittles" because of his ability to hustle all over the court and for craving the multi-colored candy, Cook has become a Monroe favorite.
"I think he gets a serious sugar rush from those Skittles, because he's all over the place during the course of the game," Monroe said.
Against Albany University, Cook started the America East Conference contest guarding Gerardo Suero, who entered the game as the fourth-leading scorer and overall leader in free throws attempted and made in the nation.
With "Skittles" shadowing him, Suero didn't shoot a free throw and was held to just six points in the first half.
In fact, Cook held Suero to just two points as the Retrievers built a 23-9 lead in the first seven minutes of the game.
However, when Cook picked up two fouls in 38 seconds and was relegated to the bench, the visitors rallied to beat UMBC.
And that showed just how much his presence was missed.
"He gives up his body, and he's playing the game the way I like it to be played," Monroe said. "He goes all out, and that has to be contagious."
For a team currently allowing 79.1 points per game, more of Cook's defensive contributions can only help.
"We need to buckle up on our defense," Cook said. "We need to put a seat belt under our basket."
In addition to defense, Cook can be a high-flyer on the offensive end.
He captured the last two UMBC season-opening Midnight Madness slam-dunk contests.
"I just tried to do something off the top of my head," he said. "I don't really practice dunks."
When he's not doing something off the top of his head, he relies on heart to start in the Retrievers' backcourt with fellow walk-on Quenton Jones, a Mount St. Joseph graduate — a first for a Monroe-coached squad.
"I had no idea I would be starting," Cook said. "I just wanted to come out and try my luck — and it turned out to be a blessing."
"To sit out a year and a half and come back is quite an accomplishment," Monroe said. "It says what type of person he is. There are not a lot of walk-ons who would be able to do what he did and is doing. Being a walk-on is a gift and a curse, depending how you look at the situation. Ryan is definitely a gift."