Basketball + College = Help!

Punu · Post by **Punu** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 5:56 pm

My youngest brother is having a bit of an issue, he needs my help on making a pretty big decision for him, so I was open to suggestions/opinions and thoughts on the matter. He’s a senior in High School and quite the athlete. He has been offered a full scholarship to 3 division III Schools for basketball.

Lafeyette
Fairleigh Dickerson
Florida Memorial

Now he has also been approached by a Prep School in NC, Mount Zion.
They said they would like for him to not graduate this year and transfer to Mount Zion to be a “5th year senior”, in turn playing a year of ball with them.
He’s been kick’n butt this year, scoring 40+ points a game, so I see why they approached him.
So if he did well with them, they say they have better connections with schools and could
Put him a BETTER school in a possibly higher division with a better education.

My take on it is, if he does decent at Mount Zion, well then what can he expect? Anything different? Has anyone heard of Mount Zion? I’m gonna suggest just going to a DIII school unless he’s secured a deal from Mount Zion up front. What do you guys think? Cause in the end, it’s education that matters.

air_hog · Post by **air_hog** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 6:07 pm

Dude, if your cousin is dropping 40+ per night, he should try to be a walk on at a D 1 School.

But out of all the choices you gave, the only school I've heard of is Lafeyette, so I'd go there.

JansenFan · Post by **JansenFan** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 6:41 pm

Fairleigh Dickinson plays Maryland every year, for what it's worth.

As for Mt Zion, I don't think I;ve heard of them. Are they suggesting he fail this year? How can you not graduate from High School?

On another front, if he plays another year at a prep school, he could get injured and not get a full ride to any school.

Tough choice. Maybe he should make a highlight tape and send it to some bigger schools, or if he likes the prep idea, check for others. There's one in Virginia that Steve Blake and others went to called Oak Hill Academy. Again, I don't know anything about Mt Zion, but it would certainly be worth some research.

Punu · Post by **Punu** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 7:05 pm

Are they suggesting he fail this year? How can you not graduate from High School?

That's what I'm gonna look into this evening, because that doesnt make much sense to me.

As far as that school playing MD every year, that sounds interesting. But I will look into other schools for him as well. Maybe GMU.

patjam77 · Post by **patjam77** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 7:17 pm

Punu wrote:
Are they suggesting he fail this year? How can you not graduate from High School?

That's what I'm gonna look into this evening, because that doesnt make much sense to me.

As far as that school playing MD every year, that sounds interesting. But I will look into other schools for him as well. Maybe GMU.

If i'm not mistaken the Lafayette leopards play in the patriot league... which is Division 1 basketball... i'd send him to a division 1 school if at all possible...

1niksder · Post by **1niksder** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 11:18 pm

Mount Zion Christian Academy is in Durham, N.C.
B-Ball is king in this area and Mt Zion Prep is one of the top college Prep Schools in the nation. A good showing there could bump him from D-III to D-I.
I'd look into it but remember a bird in the hand beats 2 in the bush.

Sir_Monk · Post by **Sir_Monk** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 1:06 am

Fairleigh Dickerson also plays Div 1 ball in the Northeastern Conference...While their campus is not so big, it is a stones throw away from New York City. It's also not a bad school from what I hear. A bunch of friends of mine went there and had pretty decent experiences.

welch · Post by **welch** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 1:39 am

I don't know Lafayette as a college, but Fairleigh Dickenson is a pretty good school. Ultimately, he has to think that he's going to college for the education.

Consider the simple arithemetic: (a) how many kids play play basketball in colleges? (b) Figure an NBA career averages five years, to be conservative. How many jobs open up each year? Two per team?

What, then, are the odds of playing pro basketball? Therefore, he has to support himself, for the rest of his life, on what he gets from college.

Pick a good one.

Punu · Post by **Punu** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 4:02 am

so far i'm leaning towards Fairleigh.
mount zion if I we think he persues the NBA.
i'm torn. will continue to think about it.

skinsfano28 · Post by **skinsfano28** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 3:31 pm

mt zion is where tracy mcgrady came out of right into the nba.

DIII schools can't give out full ride scholarships for athletics per NCAA rules, so is it a grant they are giving him to go there or waht? im pretty sure that those schools are D-I, just not very high profile.

One place i would send a tape to is Tulane University, they need a lot of students there and I thnk they would give him a shot. If they were thinking of giving me a full ride for leadership, im sure your bro can get some money to go play ball for them.

thaiphoon · Post by **thaiphoon** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 3:51 pm

I'd say either Fairleigh or Lafayette. Both are decent D-1 schools but by no means powerhouses. Your brother has a better chance of starting at these schools, which is important.

Punu · Post by **Punu** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 8:55 pm

mt zion is where tracy mcgrady came out of right into the nba.

DIII schools can't give out full ride scholarships for athletics per NCAA rules, so is it a grant they are giving him to go there or waht? im pretty sure that those schools are D-I, just not very high profile.

One place i would send a tape to is Tulane University, they need a lot of students there and I thnk they would give him a shot. If they were thinking of giving me a full ride for leadership, im sure your bro can get some money to go play ball for them.

This is very good to know. thanx

I'd say either Fairleigh or Lafayette. Both are decent D-1 schools but by no means powerhouses. Your brother has a better chance of starting at these schools, which is important.

I think he has a better chance here too.

Skinsfan55 · Post by **Skinsfan55** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 9:28 pm

Instead of a prep school, could he go to a JUCO?

Are JUCO's looked at the same way as in football?

I dunno, I agree that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush... I'd go with the sure thing and try to get elevated from there.