Small Roots, Big Game
Nov 22, 2004 | Men's Basketball
November 22, 2004
| They duck anytime they pass under a doorway. To them, medium size shirts are as foreign as Uzbekistan. If the Aggie basketball roster was sorted by height, they would sit atop it. In fact, the only things small in the lives of 6'9" Texas A&M freshmen Joseph Jones and Slade Weishuhn are the high schools they attended. But even the stereotypes and lack of exposure typical of those could not stop these two young men from attaining their fittingly 'big' ambitions. "There are some players in small school ball," Jones, a 1A Normangee native, said. "Honestly, the reason they are in small school ball is probably because they can't leave their town because that is where they grew up their whole life, but there are some players there." Evidently so, as both Jones and Weishuhn were able to display the necessary skills and talent to bring some of the region's best college coaches to towns without McDonald's and streets without stoplights. "Everyone knew when one of the coaches came up to the school because they were like, ah, Coach Roy Williams is up here, we got to see him and take pictures and everything," Jones said. "Everyone was real excited when they saw the coaches in the stands. It was pretty fun."
Weishuhn's recruitment sent his 2A town of Wall into a frenzy. "Everybody was going nuts," he said. "We had never had anyone go Division I from our town. Everybody was just going nuts, so it was pretty cool." For many small town athletes, going to the gym is often the only option for Friday night entertainment. The result is the typical small school prototype basketball player-fundamentally superior with outstanding shooting skills. "In small schools, everybody is fundamentally sound," Weishuhn said. "I really think that we shoot a lot better. I mean we're not as athletic as the big 5A schools who drive to the basket and dunk or whatever, but we just have a shot that's real sound." Both players were powerhouses in their respective classifications. Jones was a three-time all-state player, two-time district MVP, and state tournament MVP his senior year when Normangee won the Class A Division I championship and the Class A Texas Cup. "First thing, it was fun," Jones said. "In high school, I didn't have to jump that high or play that hard. No one could stop me and I wouldn't get too tired. I'd play and score my points and we would blow them out and then I'd just come out." Meanwhile, Weishuhn was an all-state selection and district MVP. He also led his team deep into the playoffs with an upset victory over No. 2 Sundown his junior year and a trip to the Class AA regional quarterfinals his senior year. "It was a lot easier," Weishuhn said. "I could get a shot anytime I wanted a shot. In this league, you can't do that because everyone is this tall." They are also realizing everyone is just as strong, fast and athletic as well. "The pace and how everybody does the same thing [is the biggest difference in college ball]," Jones said. "It's just a matter of who wants it more and who's tougher. I've got to play hard and jump high-everything has to be up to par. I can't be lazy or take plays off. You just have to be tough." Coach Gillispie feels that increased competition has already begun having a positive affect on the two freshmen. "They've really improved," Gillispie said. "Joseph has improved more than anyone on our team and Slade has improved as well. It has really helped them playing against great competition so I think they are really going to continue to develop. Those guys aren't afraid of anybody so I don't worry about those guys having troubles."
Nor did Gillispie worry about recruiting Jones and Weishuhn from schools that may have not faced the most elite competition. Gillispie grew up in the tiny Texas town of Graford, whose population of 578 is smaller than both Normangee and Wall, and believes there are good players everywhere. "I don't care where they came from," Gillispie said. "We've had guys from big schools, small schools, foreign places, junior colleges-we've had them all. If a guy has the character qualities we want and has the ability to play, it makes us no difference." Weishuhn was originally planning to attend a junior college for two years before transferring to a Division I team. But because his high school coach was diligent in sending out tapes, Weishuhn attained an opportunity many small town players never do. "You have to represent for the small schools," Weishuhn said. "Being in a small school, you don't get very many looks. I was fortunate to get [the exposure] and get to come play at A&M." Although College Station's population may be over 60 times the size of their hometown populations combined, Jones and Weishuhn are determined to bring some big game to the big city and the Big 12. In addition to donning maroon and white jerseys this season, these two freshmen giants will also be wearing the dreams of many fellow athletes who share their ironically small roots. "Every time I step on the court, they are like, 'he's from Normangee'," Jones said. "I am from Normangee. I represent Texas A&M and Normangee. I'm representing all small schools and letting people know that there are some players out there from small schools that can hoop." |
