SLIPPERY ROCK — Give him a clear path to the hoop and get ready for the show.

Denell Stephens can do the windmill dunk, the throwdown, a reverse jam, alley-oop — anything you want.

More importantly, the Slippery Rock University senior guard does one thing more consistently: Win.

"He's the most productive 6-foot-2 player in the country," SRU men's basketball coach Kevin Reynolds said. "We play him at the 4-spot, but he can play just about anywhere on the court at any level."

During his two seasons at Cecil Community College in Maryland, Stephens averaged 15.3 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. The Seahawks compiled won-loss records of 31-3 and 33-3, respectively.

From there, he headed for Angelo State, a Division II program that plays in the Lone Star Conference in Texas. Stephens averaged 17 points and 12 rebounds per game and the team reached the conference tournament for the first time in 12 years.

"We made quite a turnaround there, too," Stephens said, comparing his stint in Texas to the success of this year's Rock basketball team.

But Stephens came to SRU because something was missing at Angelo State.

"The coach and I didn't get along so great," Stephens admitted. "Playing down there was OK, but I didn't feel like I could thrive in that system."

Jareem Dowling, a first-year SRU assistant coach, was on the staff at Cecil Community College when Stephens played there. Dowling was at CCC when Rock point guard Kyle Camper was there as well.

"Kyle and I were there at the same time, but never played together," Stephens said. "I redshirted a year he played, he redshirted a year I played.

"But he left an impression on me. The guy is an amazing point guard and I always wondered what it'd be like playing on the same court with him."

He came to The Rock to find out.

"When Coach Dowling told me Camp was coming here, that was all it took," Stephens said. "Coach wasn't going to steer me wrong."

And The Rock had its two biggest transfers in place, setting the stage for a 21-7 season — tripling the win total from last year — and a berth in the PSAC semifinals against Kutztown (25-3) at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Gannon University.

"Recruiting is a tricky game," Reynolds said. "Sometimes you hit it big. Sometimes you strike out."

In this case, Reynolds delivered a tape-measure shot.

Camper has a nation-leading 300 assists this season, a number of those are on alley-oop passes to Stephens for dunks, some off inbounds plays, others coming from the perimeter on timed leaps.

"Even though we didn't play together at Cecil, we became familiar with the way each other played," Stephens said. "I knew we'd be a good fit. We play to each other's strengths.

"When I slam one through, I can feel the energy in the whole place. Big-time dunks pump us up to play defense."

The chemistry between the two on the floor this year was almost instant.

"I don't even know if I'd call it chemistry," Reynolds said. "Great players find a way to play well together."

Stephens enters Friday's PSAC semifinal with 556 points this season. Only four other players in Rock history — Myron Brown, Bill Rausch, Bill Johnson and Troy Wild — have scored more in a single campaign.

Stephens needs 28 points to pass Wild on that list.

Having posted double-doubles in exactly half of SRU's 28 games, Stephens ranks among the PSAC's top five in scoring, shooting percentage, rebounding and steals.

SRU boasts a nine-game winning streak. Kutztown has won 14 in a row.

The Golden Bears and the Rock are the top coring teams in the conference, averaging 87 and 82 points per game.

When The Rock's season does end, Stephens isn't planning to end his playing career.

"I'll play overseas, in a minor league, anywhere," he said. "I want to be able to keep playing basketball until my legs fall off."

Here's where Slippery Rock University senior Denell Stephens ranks in various PSAC basketball categories:<B>Category Stat RankPoints per game </B>9.9 fourth<B>Field goal percentage </B>578 fourth<B>Rebounds per game </B>9.6 second<B>Steals per game </B>2.0 fifth<B>Offensive rebounds </B>104 first<B>Defensive rebounds </B>166 fourth