Thursday, July 08, 2004
CU Recruit Peter Minchella: Is he Adonal Foyle or Neil Fingleton?
Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)
June 26, 2004 Saturday
SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12B
WELL VERSED
Brendan Murphy, Staff, bmurphy@journalandcourier.com
Minchella's talents extend beyond basketball court
INDIANAPOLIS - Juggling is a hobby Peter Minchella likes to spend his spare time perfecting. Over the next four years, the Harrison graduate will see just how adept he is at handling multiple tasks at the same time.
As Minchella concludes his high school career tonight when the Indiana All-Stars host the Kentucky All-Stars at Conseco Fieldhouse, the next stop for the 6-foot-10 center is the challenge of balancing basketball with academics at Colgate University.
Raiders coach Emmett Davis, who is bringing Minchella to the Hamilton, N.Y., school under a full athletic scholarship, said there will be a lot of eyes on this incoming group of freshmen.
"Peter is coming into a program where there will be a lot of scrutiny of the first class with recruiting scholarships," Davis said. "A lot of people will want to see how they perform in the classroom and on the court. Peter will do very well in both areas. But he needs to be patient."
This fall, Colgate is joining most of the other Patriot League schools by offering athletic funding for incoming freshmen. Minchella, as a member of the Raiders' class of 2008, was one of the first players Davis offered a scholarship.
Widely known as an extraordinarily intelligent person, the straight-A student doesn't believe the added pressure of playing for a Division I school - and all the extra requirements which come with that - will be a deterrent in his ability to continue to be a successful student.
"I've taken some difficult classes at Harrison and managed to balance athletics with academics," said Minchella, who has earned recognition from the University of Rochester in humanities and Manchester College in writing.
"I know both are going to be more challenging at Colgate, but I think I have prepared myself pretty well. Basketball comes on the side. You have to have the grades to stay on the team."
Away from the classroom and basketball court, people will find a side of Minchella they may not have known existed.
Most only see Minchella the basketball player, dunking and blocking shots in front of thousands of people. Not many get the opportunity to see the other side of the nearly 7-foot Minchella when he's being a regular 18-year-old kid playing ultimate Frisbee with his friends.
Or when he's tossing several objects in the air, trying to use his deft hand-eye coordination to keep them aloft. Or how about magic? While Minchella will never become the next David Blaine or David Copperfield, that's also an area in which he likes to dabble.
Reading is another passion. Throughout his Harrison career, Minchella passed the time on the bus turning pages in a novel. Then there's poetry. An advanced bard, Minchella would recite a self-written poem during the team's annual sectional dinner at a Pizza Hut.
The requirement was Minchella had to compose a poem from the items on the menu. According to Raiders coach Jeff VanArsdel, he did so with remarkable expertise.
"Peter is such a gifted writer," VanArsdel said. "He wrote poems for some people on the team after the season, and with him gone, I don't know what we are going to do now at the team dinner. There are a lot of different sides to him than just basketball.
"Peter is truly a success story in today's world. He had the likes of Harvard and Yale talking with him. A quiet person by nature, Peter has changed a lot in the last year. He is becoming more confident and more sure of who he is."
Without the benefit of a redshirt year available - the Patriot League does not allow an extra year for athletic purposes - Minchella will be tossed right into the mix this fall when Colgate convenes for its opening practice in October.
That means Davis expects Minchella, who is undecided on a major, to devote time to the Raiders' extensive weight and conditioning program as soon as he arrives on campus.
With a frame VanArsdel and Davis believe has room for growth, Minchella's body has the potential to add considerable muscle.
"Our program has done some great things for players in the past," Davis said. "Some of that is the commitment of the player. Peter has to commit himself to do that. We will provide the tools, but in the end, there has to be some self-motivation. You can't teach size, you can only help to enhance it.
"It won't happen overnight for him. We'll give him every opportunity to advance his skills and strength early in his career at Colgate."
Over the past two weeks Minchella, Harrison's first boys All-Star, has been treated like royalty as a member of the Indiana team.
Free meals. A bag full of basketball gear. New sneakers. All-expenses paid lodging. A trip to meet the governor of Indiana. Banquets. And, of course, the notoriety of being selected one of the best players in the state.
"It's been a great experience," said Minchella, who averaged 12.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.1 blocks as a senior despite being continually double- or triple-teamed. "To have the opportunity to play with the top players has been a learning experience, too."
Throughout the past 14 days, Indiana All-Stars coach Cliff Hawkins has had daily contact with Minchella. Hawkins, who while at DeKalb also coached former All-Stars Luke Recker and Adam Liddell, has seen Minchella improve drastically in those two weeks.
"I've seen Peter become much more assertive, both on offense and defense," Hawkins said. "Early last week, I felt like we never saw a shot blocked, but now he has become more intense and has more confidence. Peter is the type of guy who needs time to warm up to things.
"He is a young man with a lot of intelligence, and that is required to go to and play at a school like Colgate. With his size, he will continue to develop. He can become a very dominating player."
That's exactly what Davis hopes transpires. Minchella will be the tallest player the seven-year coach has had during his tenure and is looking to parlay that fact, along with the belief Minchella is only going to improve, into an impressive college career.
"Certainly, having someone who is 6-10 with his skill level is very exciting," Davis said. "My hope is that a day comes when he is double-teamed just like high school. That means other teams consider him a real threat."
Which also would mean Minchella was able to meld basketball and academics throughout his college career. @ 10:23 AM
Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)
June 26, 2004 Saturday
SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 12B
WELL VERSED
Brendan Murphy, Staff, bmurphy@journalandcourier.com
Minchella's talents extend beyond basketball court
INDIANAPOLIS - Juggling is a hobby Peter Minchella likes to spend his spare time perfecting. Over the next four years, the Harrison graduate will see just how adept he is at handling multiple tasks at the same time.
As Minchella concludes his high school career tonight when the Indiana All-Stars host the Kentucky All-Stars at Conseco Fieldhouse, the next stop for the 6-foot-10 center is the challenge of balancing basketball with academics at Colgate University.
Raiders coach Emmett Davis, who is bringing Minchella to the Hamilton, N.Y., school under a full athletic scholarship, said there will be a lot of eyes on this incoming group of freshmen.
"Peter is coming into a program where there will be a lot of scrutiny of the first class with recruiting scholarships," Davis said. "A lot of people will want to see how they perform in the classroom and on the court. Peter will do very well in both areas. But he needs to be patient."
This fall, Colgate is joining most of the other Patriot League schools by offering athletic funding for incoming freshmen. Minchella, as a member of the Raiders' class of 2008, was one of the first players Davis offered a scholarship.
Widely known as an extraordinarily intelligent person, the straight-A student doesn't believe the added pressure of playing for a Division I school - and all the extra requirements which come with that - will be a deterrent in his ability to continue to be a successful student.
"I've taken some difficult classes at Harrison and managed to balance athletics with academics," said Minchella, who has earned recognition from the University of Rochester in humanities and Manchester College in writing.
"I know both are going to be more challenging at Colgate, but I think I have prepared myself pretty well. Basketball comes on the side. You have to have the grades to stay on the team."
Away from the classroom and basketball court, people will find a side of Minchella they may not have known existed.
Most only see Minchella the basketball player, dunking and blocking shots in front of thousands of people. Not many get the opportunity to see the other side of the nearly 7-foot Minchella when he's being a regular 18-year-old kid playing ultimate Frisbee with his friends.
Or when he's tossing several objects in the air, trying to use his deft hand-eye coordination to keep them aloft. Or how about magic? While Minchella will never become the next David Blaine or David Copperfield, that's also an area in which he likes to dabble.
Reading is another passion. Throughout his Harrison career, Minchella passed the time on the bus turning pages in a novel. Then there's poetry. An advanced bard, Minchella would recite a self-written poem during the team's annual sectional dinner at a Pizza Hut.
The requirement was Minchella had to compose a poem from the items on the menu. According to Raiders coach Jeff VanArsdel, he did so with remarkable expertise.
"Peter is such a gifted writer," VanArsdel said. "He wrote poems for some people on the team after the season, and with him gone, I don't know what we are going to do now at the team dinner. There are a lot of different sides to him than just basketball.
"Peter is truly a success story in today's world. He had the likes of Harvard and Yale talking with him. A quiet person by nature, Peter has changed a lot in the last year. He is becoming more confident and more sure of who he is."
Without the benefit of a redshirt year available - the Patriot League does not allow an extra year for athletic purposes - Minchella will be tossed right into the mix this fall when Colgate convenes for its opening practice in October.
That means Davis expects Minchella, who is undecided on a major, to devote time to the Raiders' extensive weight and conditioning program as soon as he arrives on campus.
With a frame VanArsdel and Davis believe has room for growth, Minchella's body has the potential to add considerable muscle.
"Our program has done some great things for players in the past," Davis said. "Some of that is the commitment of the player. Peter has to commit himself to do that. We will provide the tools, but in the end, there has to be some self-motivation. You can't teach size, you can only help to enhance it.
"It won't happen overnight for him. We'll give him every opportunity to advance his skills and strength early in his career at Colgate."
Over the past two weeks Minchella, Harrison's first boys All-Star, has been treated like royalty as a member of the Indiana team.
Free meals. A bag full of basketball gear. New sneakers. All-expenses paid lodging. A trip to meet the governor of Indiana. Banquets. And, of course, the notoriety of being selected one of the best players in the state.
"It's been a great experience," said Minchella, who averaged 12.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.1 blocks as a senior despite being continually double- or triple-teamed. "To have the opportunity to play with the top players has been a learning experience, too."
Throughout the past 14 days, Indiana All-Stars coach Cliff Hawkins has had daily contact with Minchella. Hawkins, who while at DeKalb also coached former All-Stars Luke Recker and Adam Liddell, has seen Minchella improve drastically in those two weeks.
"I've seen Peter become much more assertive, both on offense and defense," Hawkins said. "Early last week, I felt like we never saw a shot blocked, but now he has become more intense and has more confidence. Peter is the type of guy who needs time to warm up to things.
"He is a young man with a lot of intelligence, and that is required to go to and play at a school like Colgate. With his size, he will continue to develop. He can become a very dominating player."
That's exactly what Davis hopes transpires. Minchella will be the tallest player the seven-year coach has had during his tenure and is looking to parlay that fact, along with the belief Minchella is only going to improve, into an impressive college career.
"Certainly, having someone who is 6-10 with his skill level is very exciting," Davis said. "My hope is that a day comes when he is double-teamed just like high school. That means other teams consider him a real threat."
Which also would mean Minchella was able to meld basketball and academics throughout his college career. @ 10:23 AM
