BOULDER, Colo.- Four games into the 2012 season, it looks like the Colorado basketball team has found their go-to scorer in sophomore guard Askia Booker.

Booker is averaging 17.8 points per game and scored 23 points against Murray State in the Charleston Classic championship game. That result pushed the Buffs into the Associated Press Top 25 at number 23.

"Our play is going to speak for itself," he said of the ranking. "We're not the hunting anymore…we are the hunted. We beat three great teams without being ranked. There's no difference…in play and no difference in defense or rebounding."

The fiery personality of "Ski" was a vital role in the Buffs' run to the third round of the NCAA tournament a year ago. However it might be his role in the starting lineup that takes this year's group even farther.

Booker has increased his scoring by 8.7 points per game and his minutes played by 12.3 per game. That puts him at nearly 21.1 points per forty-minutes of game time.

"I really wanted to be a shooter," he said. "(I worked) on coming off of screens and that kind of stuff. Also coming off of the dribble, breaking my man down. I wanted to be the guy that if there is only a few seconds left on the shot clock, I can go get it."

According to him, the emergence of him as such a scoring threat wasn't a surprise. Rather, he was surprised by how quick he was able to get going.

"That's what I wanted to be but I didn't know if it was going to happen instantly," Booker said. "We have Spencer (Dinwiddie), Andre (Roberson) and some great guys that can score the ball just as well as me. I think the amount of time that I put in over the summer is starting to show and coming into the light. It's working out perfectly from my end."

He also said that the coaches knew what kind of impact he could have and worked hard to push him towards that production.

"I just knew I had to be aggressive," he said. "That's exactly what I'm doing and I'm feeling confident."

Colorado has to wait until Sunday to get back on the court against Air Force. Booker wasn't concerned about maintaining his hot streak, rather the team's momentum.

"I was a little intense and frustrated," he said of Tuesday's practice, the first since Charleston. "I don't want us to lose that spark and I want to play on Sunday so bad already. We just have to stay humble and stay hungry."

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