Matt Jenkins believes in thinking big. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be the boys basketball coach at Xavier today.

Jenkins was an assistant coach with the sophomore basketball team at Xavier two years ago when the varsity job came open. Remember, he was an assistant for the sophomore team, not even the boss of those 10th graders.

Fat chance, right? Fat chance of being promoted from assistant sophomore coach to head varsity coach, especially since he’d never been a head coach before and he was only 27 years old.

Naturally, Jenkins got the job and became Xavier’s rookie head coach last year for the 2009-2010 campaign.

“It was quite the jump,” he said.

Jenkins did not anticipate getting the job, but saw no harm in applying.

“I didn’t think it would happen this soon,” he said. “I wanted to help out the program any way I could, and once the interview process was over they came back and said the job was mine.

“I was overwhelmed. Really blessed by the situation,” he said. “And then after all the excitement left, the work began.”

The Saints went 7-14 last year in his first season as head coach, but Jenkins sees better days ahead.

“We definitely want to get above .500, or at .500,” he said. “I think we’re more than capable of doing that.

“We’ll have to work our butt off to reach that goal,” he said. “They’re welcoming that challenge.”

Jenkins, who turns 29 next Saturday, is accustomed to success. He played at Davenport Assumption from 1996-2000 and helped Assumption win state titles as a junior and senior, but the success did not end there.

He started at Indian Hills Community College and helped them reach the national junior college tournament as a sophomore, then transferred to Nebraska-Kearney and made trips to the Elite 8 and Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division II tournament.

Jenkins began his coaching career as a student assistant at Nebraska-Kearney and found a profession.

“I really fell in love with being part of the everyday practice, helping players out, helping them develop,” he said.

Jenkins works in the guidance study program at Xavier and is looking forward to the start of a new basketball season.

The Saints suffered some key losses to graduation, with Jon Keller (15.4 points) and Joe Sayre (14.0) gone, but Jenkins thinks he has the ingredients for a successful team.

“For the most part, I’m impressed with our work ethic and our energy level during practice,” he said. “I think we’re a better team, as far as chemistry is concerned.

“We’ve got some really good players that will compensate for what we miss,” he said. “Offensively, I think our hustle can make up for a lot of errors, offensively and defensively.”

Jenkins thinks Mitch McLaughlin, a 5-foot-10 senior, will be an important player after averaging 3.9 points last season. “We’re going to lean on his leadership,” he said.

Ryan Mains, a 6-5 senior, gives the Saints an inside presence. Carter Valentine is “a very explosive player,” according to Jenkins. And Mack Mattke is making strides as a post player.

“Mack does everything we ask him to do, and he does it with a high IQ,” Jenkins remarked.

Mattke led the Saints in scoring in the Jamboree at Kennedy on Monday, which was a surprise to Jenkins. “It was kind of an eye-opener,” he admitted. “It was kind of his coming-out party a little bit.”

Xavier hosts Mount Pleasant in the season opener Monday night.

“We’re ready to see where we’re at against a good 3A team,” Jenkins said.

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SCHEDULE

Monday, Nov. 29 — Mount Pleasant, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 4 — at Waverly-Shell Rock, 5 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 10 — at Kennedy, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 11 — West Des Moines Dowling, 4 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 14 — at Iowa City High, 6 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 17 — Iowa City West, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 21 — at Davenport Assumption, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 4 — at Cedar Falls, 6 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 7 — at Linn-Mar, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 8 — at Western Dubuque, 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 11 — Washington, 6 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 14 — Prairie, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 21 — Jefferson, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 25 – at Waterloo West, 6 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 28 — at Iowa City West, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 1 — at Dubuque Wahlert, 6 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 4 — Linn-Mar, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 8 — Dubuque Hempstead, 6 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 11 — at Prairie, 7:30 p.m.

Tuedsay, Feb. 15 — Waterloo East, 6 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 17 — Dubuque Senior, 6 p.m.

Feb. 21, 25, March 1 — Substate

March 7-12 — State, Des Moines