A great read on recruiting

This is the most educational read about the realities of mid-major recruiting ever. A strong statement, yes, but take a read and see what you learn.

In Their Words: Life at the Mid-Major Level
Andrew Murawa
Rush The Court

Part One: RECRUITING

Over the summer, we’ve spent time hearing about some of the next big-name recruits on their way to college basketball: Jared Sullinger and Harrison Barnes, Anthony Davis and Michael Gilchrist. We’ve heard the big-time schools announce their high profile games on their upcoming schedules: Kentucky going to the Maui Invitational and visiting North Carolina, Michigan State hosting Texas and going to Duke. But for the vast majority of Division I programs, they’ve been flying under the radar. There are at present 73 teams that participate in basketball in the six BCS conferences, but there are 347 total programs in Division I. Of those other 274 programs, there are certainly quite a few big-name programs: last year’s national runner-up Butler comes to mind immediately, as does Gonzaga, Memphis and a handful of other schools in conferences like the Atlantic 10 and the Mountain West. But, we were also interested in how the other half (or really, how the other three-quarters) lives, so we spent some time talking to coaches, athletic directors and other people around the country affiliated with some of those other schools — those non-BCS schools, those “mid-majors” — and we asked them about how they recruit, how they create a schedule, how they market their programs, and quite a few other things. Over the next eight weeks, we’ll let them tell you their story, in their own words.

To begin, let me introduce and thank this week’s cast of characters:

Go here for the remainder.

Remember Andy Borman?

This comes off as if written by Andy's agent (if he has one) but it's great to learn where he is now positioned:

IMG Is Everything
How Andy Borman plans to transform IMG Academy into a hoops powerhouse.
Bryan Crawford
SLAM
September 17, 2010

When Andy Borman took over as Director of Basketball at IMG Academies this past spring, there was little doubt that he was prepared for the task of turning one of America’s premier basketball training programs into an elite and competitive prep contender on the national stage.

You see, Borman knows a thing or two about coaching, development, and elite basketball programs.

Borman played basketball at Duke University (as a walk-on) and was a member of their 2001 NCAA Championship squad. While his name may not be one that you’ll remember from those Duke teams and his face may not be one that you’d recognize if he walked past you on the street, you may be more familiar with his uncle who’s pretty famous and a pretty good basketball coach in his own right, Duke Head Coach, Mike Krzyzewski.

Familial ties aside, Borman has constructed a pretty impressive list of accomplishments all his own.

He was a dual-sport athlete at Duke playing both basketball and soccer. In his collegiate career, between the two sports he’s made 7 NCAA Tournament appearances, won 4 ACC Tournament championships, 3 regular season ACC Championships, and has gone to 2 Final Fours to go with the aforementioned NCAA title in basketball.

He also holds a bachelor’s degree in History from Duke, was the Director of Player Development at Cal-Berkeley, and the Director of Basketball Operations at San Jose State University...

Go here for the remainder.

A few minutes with Calvin Douglas

6-foot-3 Calvin Douglas signed in May with San Jose State, making the move from a very successful stint at City College of San Francisco. SpartanHoops recently did an interview with him:

SH -- What did you do basketball-wise this summer? Were you working individually or with a trainer? Any specific areas you were working on?

CD - Throughout the spring and summer, I was able to get in the gym with Phil Handy three times a week. Some of the things we worked on were my ball handling, spot-up shooting, shooting off the dribble, conditioning and just understanding the game better. Phil also had me work out with college and professional players to adjust to the speed and intensity and just to get an overall understanding of what the game will be like for me now.

Also, I was able to get a lot of shots up Saturday mornings at my old high school. Coach John Woolery would open up the gym and let me get a hour worth of shots up on the shooting machine before we did some skill work also. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I would go to Los Medanos College open gyms and get some run in. I would also come down to San Jose and get some open run in with some of my teammates, just to get know everybody and become more comfortable with them. Besides being in the gym, me and some close friends would go for a 8 a.m. workout which consisted of running hills and running on the track twice a week.


SH - What is happening right now for you with Spartan basketball? Are players able to practice as yet?

CD - Yes, I am able to workout and right now I'm just learning the system, trying to adjust and become more comfortable with it daily.


SH - Any idea how many family members will be coming to see you play at Walt McPherson Court this season?

CD - Since I am close to home, a lot of family members and my close friends have told me they will attend a lot of games. That is something I am really looking forward to.


SH - You've experienced high school, community college and how university academics -- what differences, if any, do you see?

CD - The difference from high school to community college was that you have to become more responsible. No teacher is going to tell you to turn your work in or remind you when an assignment is due. You have to pay attention to your syllabus and keep up with the readings or you will get left behind. There's not much of a difference from community college to a university. You're an adult, and the professors are going to treat you like one so they expect you to act like one when it comes to handling school work.


SH - First, it was Robert Owens coming from City College of San Francisco, now yourself -- Coach Justin Labagh is turning out players. Why did you choose to attend CCSF and how did Coach Labagh help you with your game?

CD - I chose CCSF because the school is known as one of the best schools in the state in academics and athletics, and because of the competition I would go up against in practice and games. Coach Labagh helped me a lot with my game by teaching me and everyone on the team to never be satisfied with just doing good and he pushed us beyond our limits.

In practice, everything was a competition from shooting drills, free throws, sprints, to scrimmages. By doing this, he just brought out the competitive nature in everyone and that is something you need to be successful.

He also broke the game down to us daily. Before every practice, we would watch film on our previous day practice and go over the good and the bad. That was helpful because the tape does not lie and if we messed up again you would continuously hear it and eventually you will do it right because you got tired of hearing the same thing.

Coach Adam (D'Acquisto) was also key in my development also because he helped with my defense and also my shooting along with Coach Tom (McNichol) and Coach Derrick (Bradley).

Five minutes with Chris Jones

Continuing with our series, SpartanHoops is checking in with members of the San Jose State basketball team. Today, we visit with Chris Jones, a 6-foot-4 sophomore out of Newark Memorial High, just up I-880.

SH - What was your daily work out schedule like this summer?

CJ - During the summer, my day started with an early morning workout at 24 Hour Fitness. I would spend about an hour and a half working on shooting and dribbling. I would then take a lunch break and eat a good meal. That would be followed by an afternoon session of skill work. I would usually work on weights at night.

I also played in the San Francisco Pro Am this year and on the days we played I usually had an early morning light work out.

SH - Was there a specific trainer you worked out with this summer? If so, why did you choose him and what did you focus on?

CJ - I actually worked with more than one trainer over the summer.

Gus Armstead - I have been working out with him since my junior year in high school. I spent a week working on skill development and game development in controlled scrimmages with pros. I really enjoyed his workouts because the players pushed one another to et better. Coach Nessman wanted me to work on catch-and-shooting and on using my penetration to the basket. I used the scrimmages to develop that part of my game.

Phil Handy - I usually worked two to three times a day with Phil. The sessions focused on skills. We did a lot of station work combining dribbling and shooting. We had to work at game speed so it was good for conditioning too. Each session ended with a controlled scrimmage.

Willie Clark - Coach Clark spent individual time with me at least twice a week. He corrected my shot mechanics. We concentrated on shooting and dribbling

Mark McKelvy - Coach Mark knows my game very well because he was my AAU coach. He worked a lot on my off-the-dribble game.

SH - Although you are just entering your sophomore year, have you chosen a major as yet? If so, why did you chose it?

CJ - I am considering majoring in either Radio, Television & Video or African American Studies. I am taking classes this semester in each area and will probably decide after this semester.

SH - Any favorite class or instructor from your freshman year and why?

CJ - My Eco class was my favorite. The class helped me to better understand college life and how to set goals and make the most of my time here.

SH - What is the difference -- if any -- in high school academics versus college academics?

CJ - The academic support that I got from study hall, tutors and my coaches was very helpful. In high school , your day is full from the first period to the last. In college, you may have two classes one day, one the next, a day off and then two more classes. Our coaches really made sure that I was not taking time off. The time between classes and study hall helps to stay on top of my classes.

SH - You came into a brand new social setting at SJSU where you knew nobody except for some of the other guys on the basketball team. What does San Jose State do -- if anything -- for freshman in order to get them acquainted with other students and newcomers to the school?

CJ - The school had a freshmen orientation, social events and other activities that helped us to meet new people.

Thank you for taking the time to interview me. I am expecting our team to have a big year.

We thank Chris for the interview.

A few minutes with Adrian Oliver

We recently reached out to Adrian Oliver in order to flesh out some of his summer posts and tweets (go here) and to learn more about how he got to where he is and what he was involved with this summer to maintain and add to his basketball excellence.

Q: Can you describe in detail (what it specifically consisted of) a typical workout day for you this summer, say when you were in San Jose?

AQ - Well that is hard to explain, reasoning being that i was not in San Jose too much this summer. I would travel to different places to workout with different trainers who have built reputations on working out some of the best in the sport. I wanted to work with the best and be challenged to my limit. After the year I had last year, I know that I now have a bulls-eye on my back and players are going to come at me every night. So in order to prepare for that, I wanted to manage my summer to the point that where everything I did was going to be harder than the actual games during the season. Typically, my home base as far as working out was in Berkeley, California. That is where I was at when I was in the Bay Area.


Q: This may be too similar to the question above but what did you do this summer to improve your ballhandling, quickness and speed and strength as you mentioned you were working on in an earlier post at the San Jose State athletics site?

AO - As I said previously, my home base was in Berkeley with trainer Ant Eggleton at Ant's Mind & Body. Working out with Ant was a really good experience because all of the workouts and techniques were all completely foreign to me. As you all know, I am a workout junkie, so I have pretty much seen it all when it comes down to working out. When it came to Ant's workouts, it was a completely different story. The way I built my speed and quickness and explosiveness was by building up key muscles in my hips, core, lower back and legs. Unique exercises that would isolate each one of these muscles and tear them down in order for them to build and maximize. Maybe one example I could give you guys would be that I would carry sand bags on my back while running up Strawberry Canyon above the Cal Football Stadium. This was crazy because the hill was so unbelievably steep that you had to stay strong and if you slipped or fell, it would basically be over for you. The canyon was one thing that I always looked forward to when I knew it was coming up.After I did my strength work, I would work with my ball handling coach, shooting coach and skills coach different days of the week. At the end of the week, I would usually finish it off with some yoga to increase my flexibility. Yoga is definitely something that I have come to love because just something as simple as stretching can be such a difference in my overall game. Sorry I can't give you guys my complete workouts this summer, but I have to keep some things a secret so my opponents won't find out -- haha.


Q: Can you also fill us in on what techniques, exercises, etc. you did when you were younger in order to become such a topnotch shooter?

AO - Man this one is simple. I simply just played the game. I learned to love the game at a very young age and from there just took off with it. Once I developed that love, it was easy for me to want to go out and practice all day to get better. The days that I did not want to go out and practice were the days that my Uncle Allen told me to get out there. He was such a vital key in the development of the player I am today. He was my first coach and one of my high school assistant coaches, so he was always around the game with me. He and I never had the intent of becoming a top notch shooter nor top notch in any one aspect. Our goal and still is to this day, is to be the most complete player I can be. To be able to do everything well, and do it well at a high level. So my shooting ability is just a God-given talent that has flourished with a lot of hard work. Since freshman year of high school, I've been trying to get up 700 to 1000 shots a day. The past two years, I have increased that number to 1000 to 1500 shots daily, either all at once or broken up throughout the day. I live by the quote, "Repetition is the father of learning." Especially with this sport.


Q: Once you complete your two remaining classes, what will you have your degree in?

AO - I will have my degree in Criminology. I don't necessarily want to go in that field because I want to be a college basketball coach after I am done playing basketball but I chose it because all the classes that I have taken have to do with understanding different kinds of people. Studying human behavior is something that intrigues me, so why not study something that I enjoy naturally. It has worked out perfect for me thus far.


Q: What is it about "Entourage" that makes it your favorite television show?

AO - Man, this might be one of the coolest questions that any media has ever asked me. Where do I begin with this show? I love everything about the show. I was a fan when it first came out a couple of years ago when it wasn't such a hit. My friend Spencer Hawes introduced me to it when i was Seattle and now I'm introducing people to it on a weekly basis. I think the reason that I like it so much because it is the life i want to live. Being Vince Chase and bringing your boys who have been with you from day one to Hollywood or wherever it is and just simply living the life. Giving the people close to me a better life or better said, a more secure life like the main character in this show is something that I want to do as well. Entourage is the best show ever created, hands down! One of my goals is to make it on the show if I ever get big enough to be on there. Man, now wouldn't that be cool ?


Q: How does your buddy Chuck Hayes do it? (it being standing just 6-foot-6 yet being recognized as one of the best NBA defenders and rebounders in the middle)

AO - I laughed when I read this because we were talking about this while I stayed with him in Vegas this summer, and he doesn't even know. He is just simply blessed and fell into a good situation where his special skill set is needed and he has shown the entire NBA he is capable of producing on that level. All it takes is one shot, and he took it and ran with it and now is living the dream. Having him at that level already really helps me because I have someone to talk to about everything that's going on with me because he has already been through it. This summer, I met a lot of players in the NBA and a lot of good people dealing with the league mostly through him and it motivated me 100% to keep working towards that dream.

We thank AO for taking the time to share his thoughts.

Chris Oakes to play overseas

Just saw this:

"Chris Oakes will start his career in Serbia. The 22-year-old American center and Radnicki have agreed to a one-year deal, though he will have to pass a ten-day try-out before signing the contract. Oakes arrives to Europe after playing during the last three seasons for the University of San Jose State averaging 10.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game during his senior year."

The first WAC basketball poll is out

Our eyes have been glassing over at any in-the-last-month mention or appearance of the word poll (we tolerate football but loooove basketball -- sorry, that's just how we roll). However, Chris Murray has a column today in the Reno Gazette-Journal, as does Jon Wilner in the Mercury News, about a WAC BASKETBALL POLL plus all-league selections, courtesy of the Sporting News.

Go here for the Chris Murray item and go here for the Jon Wilner one.

The coming WAC hoops season will be far more interesting than football due to the number of teams that have a legitimate chance of winning the tourney.

A little warmup to the coming basketball season

Here's a 3:13 clip on Adrian Oliver.

Here's a 1:39 clip on AO hosted by Vernon Glenn.

Here's a 4:21 clip with Mike Chisholm interviewing AO.

College athletics are business enterprises

As much as we may not like it or admit it, college football and basketball are now business enterprises/corporations. As fans and in the throes of fan-dom, we don't want to acknowledge such but the truth, as someone said speaking on another subject, is self-evident.

Yes, even though they are affiliated with an entity of higher learning, the heads of collegiate teams keep their jobs by winning, usually many more games than they lose. Doing so brings in television appearances and bowl game invites/Big Dance appearances and positive overall publicity, the trifecta that keeps the financial coffers full.

Achieve this troika and most personal peccadilloes or worse and/or those of the student-athletes are tsked at but generally overlooked. It's basic: win and you are a success in the world regardless of anything else.

The athletic directors -- call them the CEOs -- of these coaches keep their positions by maintaining and/or lengthening the plus side of the balance sheet.

The bigtime boosters (measured in financial contributions, not by mere loyalty) are the shareholders.

We're in the peanut gallery, offering opinions on this or that but having no real influence on personnel policy.

With that hopefully clarified, maybe such will help explain the past/present/future conduct of the various WAC members.

The WAC (nor do other leagues) doesn't function based upon any sort of sacred vows. The 'until death do you part' of certain marriage ceremonies has never and will never seep into any sort of conference bonds.

All is a business operation.

Similarly, corporations have agreements with others until such no longer provide the benefit wanted or desired. If a better (more profitable or beneficial) deal can be made elsewhere, it's value will be measured and an agreement possibly pursued.

That's the nature of the business beast and the very same financial model on which college athletics (football and basketball) function.

Human-like feelings -- empathy, family, loyalty and the sort -- do not apply. All is profit/success driven. The shareholders must be kept happy and satisfied. The product must be sale-able to enough of the masses.

Or heads roll.

Any CEO is 'required' to look further into such if a new proposal/deal provides greater visibility and the possibility of larger income generation. This allows for the possibility of strengthening his or her products.

The same is also true for any athletics director.

In this atmosphere, any given word on any matter is truly only good for the very moment it is issued.

Constant re-evaluation carries the day.

It's hard (and probably unfair) to label any of the individual actors in the current WAC situation as good or bad, heroes or villains. They are simply doing what they are designated and situated to do.

We may want matters to be different, desiring collegiate athletics to be something with a positive purity quotient but that train has left the station -- if it ever was a reality to begin with.

Decision making based upon any sort of common good is incongruent thinking in the corporate world mindset as well as college athletics because neither apparatus is currently designed for such.

He who has the gold, rules and the maximization of profit carries the day.

Aalim Moor on his freshman year at SJSU

Aalim Moor III will soon be entering his second year at San Jose State. SpartanHoops recently caught up with him and posed a few questions on his college experience to date at San Jose State University. He went from four years at St. Mary's High School (Berkeley) into the Washington Square collegiate environment.

This summer, Aalim's been working out with renowned basketball skills trainer Jeremy Russotti, SJSU assistant strength and conditioning coach Ben Cobian (more on this further down) while also working each of the various Spartan men's basketball summer camps, plus all the Golden State Warrior kid camps held throughout the Bay Area.

His vow is to be 'ready' for Spartan basketball 2.0 come the beginning of October's practices.

SH: After completing your freshman year, what do you see as the differences to date in the level of academics between high school and college?

AM: The differences in academics between high school and college is the workload! In high school, teachers seemed to care more (well at St. Marys) while in college it's all on your shoulders as a student. Also, the college structure of classrooms differ. There are no attendance checks in college, so if you don't go to class, the professor, most of the time, will not notice because there can be 70 or 80 students she/he has to worry about.


SH: With no parents asking 'have you done your homework?' plus practices, games and road trips, how did you manage your coursework load?

AM: I think that the management of my workload was the hardest thing to adjust to. I think growing up, we depend on and at times take for granted the importance our parents have on keeping us focused. I learned the hard way the first semester, by having to stay up late at nights and cramming for tests. Having had those experiences, I think now I'll be able to handle the road trips and workload with greater focus.


SH: Since you have completed your first year -- what was your favorite class so far and why?

AM: My favorite class was African American Studies because it taught me about my heritage and where my ancestors came from. Also the professors, Dr. Millner and Dr. Wilson, were very personable and I feel I learned the most from that class.

SH: What will you be majoring in and why did you decide on that?

AM: I'll be majoring in Communication and minoring in Business. I chose this because I feel that will set me up for my life after basketball.


SH: What was it like to enter a new social setting where you were surrounded by other young adults yet you knew next to no one? Are there any initial social activities planned by SJSU in order for new students to meet and get to know some of all these fellow students?

AM: Yes. The first week we moved in there were activities planned every day for a week encouraging us to get to know our school and fellow school mates. It was really fun and I feel like I made a lot of really good friends out of that experience.


SH: If there is such a thing as a typical workout day for you during this summer, can you describe it in detail so that the Rebounders can better understand what you have done to prepare yourself for your sophomore basketball season?

AM: Well for me, a typical work out week goes like this:

Monday: I work with my skills trainer Jeremy Russotti on my overall game -- ball handling, shooting, skill moves and quickness and awareness. Later that day, I go home and run the hill near my house on Golf Links Road and lift free weights I have in my room.

Tuesday: I am in the weight room with Coach Ben Cobian training my body to get stronger and better prepared for the season. Later that day, I go to the YUH and work on the drills I did Monday just to refine my skills.

(to offer some perspective, Aalim travels from Oakland to Santa Rosa to work with Russotti and then to San Jose to work with Cobian, then repeats the cycle)

Wednesday: same as Monday.

Thursday: same as Tuesday.

Friday: same as Monday and Wednesday.

Clearly, he does not subscribe to Robert M. Hutchins' school of thought: "Whenever I feel like exercise, I lie down until the feeling passes."

Many thanks to Aalim for the interview. We have no idea if he was ever a Boy Scout but he's certainly going to be prepared.