Monday, November 21, 2011
Opening Week Wrap Up
There were definitely ups and downs while going 2-1 in the opening week of this 2011-12 season. On Wednesday we traveled to Kerrville, TX and won a very exciting game against Schreiner University. Overcoming some mistakes down the stretch, two major plays were made by the Tigers within the final minute - John Boxberger '13 took a charge with 38 seconds left and the score tied, then Robert Kitzinger '14 knocked down a three-pointer with a few seconds left to give the Tigers the victory (as seen in the above clip). It was encouraging to see our guys regroup in the clutch moments at the end of a close and hard-fought game. On Friday, the team headed up to Georgetown, TX to take on Concordia University. We rarely face an opponent like Concordia in conference play, with their up-tempo style of play, full court pressure defense and tremendous athleticism. The guys really held their composure and handled Concordia's waves and offensive spurts through out the game, which resulted in a solid 14 point victory. On Saturday, we took on a very good Claremont McKenna and just didn't match the effort and energy of the opponent.
Overall, it was a good first week of the season and we have plenty to learn from - not only from the loss, but also from the wins. This upcoming week won't be any easier as the Tigers are on the road for three more games - Tuesday in Seguin, TX against Texas Lutheran, and Friday/Saturday in Ashland, VA for the ODAC/SCAC Classic against preseason #1 Virginia Wesleyan and host Randolph-Macon. These should be great games to prepare us for the following week's opening play of conference games against Hendrix College and Colorado College.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
King of the Court - Fall 2011
Usually King of the Court takes place on the first day of practice (Oct. 15) to kick off the new season. With gym availability conflicts, this year's KOTC was pushed back a day to this past Sunday, Oct. 16. There could have been concern for tired legs for the testing, but after the results were compiled, the 2011 Trinity Tigers proved to have come back in spectacular physical condition this season. Team averages improved in every test! The personal and team dedication to working hard in the offseason is apparent, as every returning player made improvements from last year's KOTC. We couldn't be more excited!
While everyone gave a great effort and performance, only one individual can be crowned as the King of the Court. This year's champion is sophomore forward Jonathan Wilt. Jonathan placed in the top five in four of the five tests (1st in the sprint and 2nd in conditioning!), as well as recording high improvements in all but one test. It was a very close competition that was only determined by a few points, but in the end, Jonathan's consistency carried him to the crown!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Coach Taylor Takes Head Coaching Job
It is bittersweet to announce that Assistant Coach Hunter Taylor has taken the head coaching position at Spring Hill High School in Longview, TX. Coach Taylor is excited about the transition, as he will be taking over a talented Panther team that went 23-9 last season and was crowned the District 16-3A champion. Having gone to rival high school, White Oak, Spring Hill is a familiar school for Coach and he will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact. In fact, he will be putting his multiple talents to good use also serving as an assistant football and track coach, as well as teaching geometry.
His experience, enthusiasm and genuine interest in his players will ensure that Coach Taylor enjoys a great amount of success at the high school level. He was a tremendous influence on our team and we wish him nothing but the best.
Congratulations Coach Taylor!
His experience, enthusiasm and genuine interest in his players will ensure that Coach Taylor enjoys a great amount of success at the high school level. He was a tremendous influence on our team and we wish him nothing but the best.
Congratulations Coach Taylor!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Alumni Perspective
D3Hoops.com began a terrific conversation via twitter raising the question of why student-athletes and schools would choose to participate at the Division III level. This struck the interest of one of our Trinity Basketball Alums and spurred him to submit an insightful recollection in our latest Alumni Perspective.
MY TIME AT A DIVISION III SCHOOL
Sometimes people ask me what I would do if I could go back and do it all over. To be honest, I’ve asked myself the same question. If I put in more work in high school, could I have played at a big-time D-I program? What would it be like to play college ball in front of 30,000 fans or in an arena like Cameron Indoor? Even though I can’t answer those questions, as I look back at the time I spent at Trinity – the experiences, the games, the friends – I find myself wondering, if I could change things, would I even want to?
It’s going to sound cliché, but attending Trinity allowed me to be a true student-athlete and still have time to be a normal college kid. I went to all my classes, made friends, had fun, goofed off – and played a very high level of basketball. I truly believe Division III schools hold this unique advantage over D-I and D-II institutions. You are expected to be a student first, an athlete second. Please don’t get me wrong, we took basketball very seriously. During my time at TU, we won conference championships, competed for national championships, finished the season ranked in the top 5 nationally, took a Big 12 team with two future NBA lottery picks down to the wire, and won more games than any other stretch in school history. If you really wanted to get Coach upset though, you didn’t mess up on the court, you messed up off it. We were expected to be model students and model citizens. I’m not sure this sentiment exists at higher levels of the NCAA.
Because we were held to a higher standard, we worked harder than the average student. We did every bit of school work and found time to put in 3+ hours a day for basketball. We learned how to multi-task, how to juggle commitments, and how to manage our time most efficiently. We learned how to be grown men. We didn’t have notes handed to us – we learned class material and put in the hours to get good grades. We weren’t one-and-done players moving on – we became friends for life. We didn’t have a tutor doing the work for us – we juggled class, basketball, and a social life successfully. When we graduated, we could not only look back with pride on what we had accomplished at our time at Trinity, we could look forward to the future with confidence that those years had prepared us for what lie ahead.
In my mind, this is what makes Division III athletics so special. The expectation to succeed not only on the court but in the classroom forces you to become a well-rounded individual. Your time as an athlete will come to an end. Mine did, but I’m grateful every day for the lessons I learned as a Trinity University athlete and how ready I was for life after basketball.
Go Tigers.
Mike Gilb ‘08
MY TIME AT A DIVISION III SCHOOL
Sometimes people ask me what I would do if I could go back and do it all over. To be honest, I’ve asked myself the same question. If I put in more work in high school, could I have played at a big-time D-I program? What would it be like to play college ball in front of 30,000 fans or in an arena like Cameron Indoor? Even though I can’t answer those questions, as I look back at the time I spent at Trinity – the experiences, the games, the friends – I find myself wondering, if I could change things, would I even want to?
It’s going to sound cliché, but attending Trinity allowed me to be a true student-athlete and still have time to be a normal college kid. I went to all my classes, made friends, had fun, goofed off – and played a very high level of basketball. I truly believe Division III schools hold this unique advantage over D-I and D-II institutions. You are expected to be a student first, an athlete second. Please don’t get me wrong, we took basketball very seriously. During my time at TU, we won conference championships, competed for national championships, finished the season ranked in the top 5 nationally, took a Big 12 team with two future NBA lottery picks down to the wire, and won more games than any other stretch in school history. If you really wanted to get Coach upset though, you didn’t mess up on the court, you messed up off it. We were expected to be model students and model citizens. I’m not sure this sentiment exists at higher levels of the NCAA.
Because we were held to a higher standard, we worked harder than the average student. We did every bit of school work and found time to put in 3+ hours a day for basketball. We learned how to multi-task, how to juggle commitments, and how to manage our time most efficiently. We learned how to be grown men. We didn’t have notes handed to us – we learned class material and put in the hours to get good grades. We weren’t one-and-done players moving on – we became friends for life. We didn’t have a tutor doing the work for us – we juggled class, basketball, and a social life successfully. When we graduated, we could not only look back with pride on what we had accomplished at our time at Trinity, we could look forward to the future with confidence that those years had prepared us for what lie ahead.
In my mind, this is what makes Division III athletics so special. The expectation to succeed not only on the court but in the classroom forces you to become a well-rounded individual. Your time as an athlete will come to an end. Mine did, but I’m grateful every day for the lessons I learned as a Trinity University athlete and how ready I was for life after basketball.
Go Tigers.
Mike Gilb ‘08
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Nine Tigers Make Academic Honor Roll
We are extremely proud to acknowledge nine of our Trinity Tiger basketball players for making the SCAC Spring Academic Honor Roll. The athletes are:
Clarke Allan '14
Ryan Beall '12
John Boxberger '13
Sam Dworkin '11
Matt Feldman '14
Sam Harris '12
Gil Melchior '12
Joe Shotland '14
Joel Van Essen '13
These guys embody what Division III and being a student-athlete is all about. Not only did they dedicate themselves to their teammates and contributed to our successes, but they also were able to balance their time and excel in the classroom, earning over a 3.25GPA for the semester. There are no mandatory study hours. We do not have special "athletic department tutors" specifically assigned to overlook our players' grade point averages. These guys are able to figure out how to be successful on both an academic front, as well as athletic.
Congratulations gentlemen - keep up the good work!
Clarke Allan '14
Ryan Beall '12
John Boxberger '13
Sam Dworkin '11
Matt Feldman '14
Sam Harris '12
Gil Melchior '12
Joe Shotland '14
Joel Van Essen '13
These guys embody what Division III and being a student-athlete is all about. Not only did they dedicate themselves to their teammates and contributed to our successes, but they also were able to balance their time and excel in the classroom, earning over a 3.25GPA for the semester. There are no mandatory study hours. We do not have special "athletic department tutors" specifically assigned to overlook our players' grade point averages. These guys are able to figure out how to be successful on both an academic front, as well as athletic.
Congratulations gentlemen - keep up the good work!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Class of 2015 Commitments
Trinity Basketball has now received five commitments for next year’s incoming freshmen class. The following players will be wearing maroon come October 15:
Charles Allen 6’3 Guard – Second Baptist School, Houston, TX – Averaged 18 points and 6 rebounds for a Texas 4A TAPPS semifinalist. Voted First Team All-District and Second Team All-State. Charles is an athletic guard who rebounds/defends very well, while combining deep shooting range and the ability to score in various ways off the dribble.
Jimmy Clark 6’3 Wing – Rockford Lutheran School, Rockford, IL – Averaged 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists his senior season. Voted to the Big Northern All-Conference Team, Illinois 1A/2A All-State Fourth Team, and a Rock River Senior Classic All-Star Game selection. Jimmy is a very physical perimeter player with the ability to score the ball in various ways and willing to do the dirty work for his team’s success.
Matt Hopper 6’4 Wing – Rock Canyon High School, Highlands Ranch, CO – Averaged 16 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 assists while shooting 40% from the three-point line. A three-time All-Continential League selection, while being named to the First Team his season year. Voted a Colorado 5A All-State Honorable Mention and Academic All-State selection. Matt brings tremendous athleticism to the wing position, with the ability to step out and make the deep three-point shot. He will also be playing on the Trinity Football team, where he was a First Team All-South Metro selection at the quarterback position.
Craig Saltarelli 5’11 Guard – Fairview High School, Boulder, CO – Averaged 14 points and 5 assists for a Colorado 5A State Runner Up. Named to the All Colorado State Tournament Team his junior season. Voted First Team All-Front Range League and Second Team All-Region, as well as, a two-time Academic All-State selection. Craig brings a great amount of versatility at the guard position, with the ability to score from anywhere on the court, along with a natural sense of finding open teammates.
William Young 5’10 Guard – St. John’s School, Houston, TX – William is transferring in from Arizona State where he was a redshirt freshman last season for the Sun Devils. In high school, he averaged 18 points, 8.5 assists, and 1.5 steals. A two-time TABC Large Private All-State and three-time All-Southwest Preparatory Conference selection. William is a gifted ball handler/passer and a true point guard with the ability to make big plays.
We are thrilled to bring in this athletic and skilled group of players, all of whom epitomize today’s “student-athlete.” Please join us in welcoming Trinity’s Class of 2015!
Charles Allen 6’3 Guard – Second Baptist School, Houston, TX – Averaged 18 points and 6 rebounds for a Texas 4A TAPPS semifinalist. Voted First Team All-District and Second Team All-State. Charles is an athletic guard who rebounds/defends very well, while combining deep shooting range and the ability to score in various ways off the dribble.
Jimmy Clark 6’3 Wing – Rockford Lutheran School, Rockford, IL – Averaged 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists his senior season. Voted to the Big Northern All-Conference Team, Illinois 1A/2A All-State Fourth Team, and a Rock River Senior Classic All-Star Game selection. Jimmy is a very physical perimeter player with the ability to score the ball in various ways and willing to do the dirty work for his team’s success.
Matt Hopper 6’4 Wing – Rock Canyon High School, Highlands Ranch, CO – Averaged 16 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 assists while shooting 40% from the three-point line. A three-time All-Continential League selection, while being named to the First Team his season year. Voted a Colorado 5A All-State Honorable Mention and Academic All-State selection. Matt brings tremendous athleticism to the wing position, with the ability to step out and make the deep three-point shot. He will also be playing on the Trinity Football team, where he was a First Team All-South Metro selection at the quarterback position.
Craig Saltarelli 5’11 Guard – Fairview High School, Boulder, CO – Averaged 14 points and 5 assists for a Colorado 5A State Runner Up. Named to the All Colorado State Tournament Team his junior season. Voted First Team All-Front Range League and Second Team All-Region, as well as, a two-time Academic All-State selection. Craig brings a great amount of versatility at the guard position, with the ability to score from anywhere on the court, along with a natural sense of finding open teammates.
William Young 5’10 Guard – St. John’s School, Houston, TX – William is transferring in from Arizona State where he was a redshirt freshman last season for the Sun Devils. In high school, he averaged 18 points, 8.5 assists, and 1.5 steals. A two-time TABC Large Private All-State and three-time All-Southwest Preparatory Conference selection. William is a gifted ball handler/passer and a true point guard with the ability to make big plays.
We are thrilled to bring in this athletic and skilled group of players, all of whom epitomize today’s “student-athlete.” Please join us in welcoming Trinity’s Class of 2015!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Guardian of the Game
Every year the National Association of Basketball Coaches holds their convention in conjunction with the NCAA Division I Men's Final Four. During the convention, the NABC hosts its annual awards show honoring many different levels of accomplishments throughout college basketball. This year, our own Coach Pat Cunningham received the "Guardian of the Game - Advocacy Award." This is quite the honor, as there are only four "Guardian of the Game" awards given each year - Leadership (Don Meyer, Northern State), Education (Charlie Coles, Miami, OH), Service (Bill Self, Kansas), and Advocacy (Pat Cunningham, Trinity), and recognizes Coach Cunningham for his years of hard-work serving the NCAA and NABC.
If you know Pat Cunningham, and haven't done so already, feel free in joining the Trinity Basketball Community in congratulating Coach for this tremendous (and most necessary) recognition.
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