Helfaer Hoop Dreams

[Dr. Blackheart]

Saw this article and mix tape video the other day from Midwest Ballers.  Don't remember it being posted.  Any potential walk-ons from the Halfaer Lunch Hour League?  Great stuff

http://midwestballers.com/?p=1407

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96ReWpgmMUE
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Milwaukee - As the Marquette Golden Eagles are preparing for a second straight appearance to the Sweet 16, another group of Marquette basketball players have been continuing a tradition lasting for ages. They are the students of Marquette University and pickup basketball is their game.

Located on the corner of 16th and Clybourn Street , the Helfaer Recreation Center plays host to numerous pickup basketball games everyday. Its facility still gives students the opportunity to play the sport that they love on its five basketball courts.

I decided to take a trip to the Rec Center and see for myself some of the Marquette basketball diehards whom are flying under the radar. Walking through the doors on a Monday afternoon at approximately 2p.m. , I got my Marquette ID card swiped and walked through the double doors to the basketball courts. I took a seat on the bleachers on the near wall next to a group of kids lacing up their shoes, stretching and getting ready to jump in to play in the next game.

Upon watching from the baseline, I could immediately tell that the majority of kids whom were playing knew each other very well, were friends, and above all, shared a love for the game. Although there were no set plays, no jerseys with numbers on the back, and no operating scoreboard, it was still a game of basketball.

Kal Riebau, a sophomore student-manager on the Marquette men's basketball team, plays at the Rec Center nearly every day of week and enjoys the camaraderie that playing pickup basketball games has to offer.

"Love it," said Riebau. "It's a great place to be. It's a good way to get away from school, books, relax, workout and have some fun. It's a great workout and I've met so many people playing ball."

Colin Mayfield, a fifth-year senior and executive music video producer for BMB Entertainment founded by former Marquette men's basketball player Joe Fulce, Mayfield is one of the regulars at the Marquette Rec Center shooting hoops. He too has many positive memories and experiences from the long days at the gym upon moving from New Orleans here to Milwaukee .

"To be honest I wasn't a basketball fan when I started young, I was more of a football player. When I got here ( Marquette ), we didn't have football so basketball was everything. I had to learn the game and that's why I played everyday so I could get better. I've played almost every single day up here with the boys, met a lot of cool kids, and met a lot of good players."


While the talent at the Rec Center isn't quite as good as the talent on the Marquette men's basketball roster, the lack of a scholarship isn't keeping these students away from the game of basketball. They may go unnoticed by many, but the regulars at the Rec Center know that these kids can sure play ball too. Marquette is one of the most elite basketball powerhouses in the nation and people don't realize that the talent at the Rec Center here is still pretty strong too. Even a local high school basketball player from the Milwaukee area was having some impressive games as a guest of the Rec Center on Monday.

"There's a lot of talent," said Mayfield. "We got guys coming from AAU that come here to go to school because there not good enough to play Division I. The talent pool is as good as I've seen in a couple years. I'm excited, I love playing with the guys and I'm going to miss them when I graduate."

Riebau is in agreement too. "The level of talent is absolutely there on a day-to-day basis and I think that makes it a good spot to come play," said Riebau. "I think that's why there are always a lot of people here and that's what makes it the most fun."

People ask me all the time if the Marquette men's or women's basketball players ever workout at the Rec Center and/or scrimmage. On this particular day when I went to catch some of the action, the answer was yes. Junior captain Katherine Plouffe and freshman Margeaux Dupuy of the Marquette women's basketball team were scrimmaging Monday afternoon with the rest of the students at the Rec Center . Since the Marquette Golden Eagles Ladies failed to secure either a NCAA or WNIT postseason berth, their offseason had begun unfortunately earlier than the student-athletes had hoped. Mayfield also said that he played with Jake Thomas of the Marquette men's basketball team who is a three-point specialist having to sit out this season due to NCAA transfer rules coming from South Dakota University . This is a great way for these three student-athletes to improve their game going up against some new bodies instead of their teammates that they are so accustomed to playing against every day in practice.

So the question arises, do any students that play regularly at the Rec Center have any potential or possibility to walk-on with the Marquette Golden Eagles in the future?

Sophomore Dylan Flood was actually one player at the Rec Center Monday who tried out for the Marquette men's basketball team in mid-September. Despite Flood advancing to the final round of cuts, no player was selected by the Marquette men's basketball coaching staff for the upcoming season. However, Flood is staying motivated and determined to achieve his goal of making the roster one day and knows how special the players currently on the team are.

"Those players are god-given athletes," said Flood. "You don't really notice how big and good they are until you are right next to them. Just having a tryout and being around them made me realize how much harder I need to work to become a better player if I ever want to play on another level."

Flood still believes though that working on his game any time he can against good players at the Rec Center is preparing him well for whatever his basketball playing future holds.

"I played at other schools and I've actually said Marquette 's level of competition at the Rec is better than other schools I've been to," said Flood. "I've been to Illinois and Missouri visiting my friends and brother and played at their Rec. So yes, there's pretty good competition here."

As we still search for an answer if the Marquette program would ever consider taking a walk-on again and what the criteria would be, current student-manager Riebau gave significant credit to the high quality of play at the Rec Center that shocked me.

"They're two completely different worlds, but there are absolutely a lot of people out here that can play on a daily basis," said Riebau. "It's great competition, a lot of good games, great players, kids who played in high school, kids who played upper level college ball, kids who could've played college ball but didn't. A lot of good athletes and great basketball players that make it fun."

Mayfield on the other hand took the more realistic approach, but gave hope that there is always a chance that the unthinkable could happen.

Not to knock any of the guys here, but they are not Division I players," said Mayfield. "Those ( Marquette ) guys workout every single day, they shoot every single day, they work harder than us on a day-to-day basis so I don't think anybody here can hang with them. But we can try! Those guys are special guys and god's gift to them was this ability. They are a blessing to the school and I hope that they win.

The winning that Mayfield is talking about is Marquette 's Sweet 16 chances in the 2012 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. You better believe that all the players who workout at the Rec Center keep close tabs to see how their fellow classmates are doing on the big stage. Basketball isn't all about skill, it's about having a basketball IQ too. Players who play the game are also some of the best analysts.

"It goes without saying that Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder are our two top players, but they're going to get tired throughout the rest of the tournament so we're going to have to have guys like Todd (Mayo), Vander (Blue), Davante (Gardner) step up," said Mayfield. "I think we really have a deep talent pool, but we'll see how far we can go without a really big center. We got Davante down there, but I think the boys will do great. We have some of the best guards in the nation."

In watching approximately an hour and a half of basketball at the Rec Center Monday afternoon in which one pickup game quickly formed to two as students were filing out of class and to the gym, there were noticeable differences in the style of the game.

Obviously the players weren't as athletic as the college basketball teams we are used to seeing on TV. The games still had a nice up-and-down pace but since the players at the Rec Center aren't on an official team, they didn't have the strength or conditioning workouts that all college basketball programs now have today. There was not a lot of offense being run, but the quality of basketball was still pretty good and the games overall were enjoyable to watch. Pickup games are typically played up to 13 or 15 points depending on if there is a crowd waiting to play and the scoring system used consists of 1-point and 2-point field goals as opposed to 2-point and 3-point field goals. Students are always welcomed to come play and join in the competitive fun.

The biggest piece of advice that Flood had to say for newcomers was having the mindset when walking into the Rec Center and stepping out onto the basketball court that "you don't want to lose because you're not going to play again." You win, you live to play another game. You lose, another team steps on and you are forced to wait to get another chance to play. And sometimes, even the best of them are defeated. Freshman Marquette women's basketball point guard Margeaux Dupuy after a loss to Flood's team walked off the court muttering "I hate losing." Players look forward to playing at the Rec Center and I'd be lying if I forgot to mention that the physicality and competitiveness in these games is high.

One person who has been around the Marquette pickup basketball scene longer than anyone is Johnny Miller, or better known as "The Godfather of the Rec Center ." If you were to ever look in the dictionary for a definition of a gym rat, Johnny Miller would be it. A Marquette graduate in 1974, Miller still stays in shape playing pickup basketball at the Marquette Rec Center and has been doing so for 36 years.

"I shouldn't even be playing anymore," Miller joked. "They're going to need take me out on a stretcher. Back in the day I used to be a baller, now I'm just a scrub."

His typical day starts at 11:30a.m. playing with the old guys and as the day wears on and students start finishing classes, he then starts playing with the younger group as well as offering coaching tips to the younger group. By 3p.m. on Monday, he had already played 15 pickup games that day and it looked like he was planning to play several more.

"The competition is pretty good," Miller said. "It's kind of raw. A lot of guys don't know about the pick and roll, the old plays that made the game what it is. It's all 1-on-1 now, but I like playing with the young guys because they have a high energy level that keeps me in shape. They are very competitive, smart, and that's why I have been able to play 62 years."

Back in his playing days, Miller overcame all obstacles to walk-on to the Marquette basketball team coached by Al McGuire and Hank Raymonds, but later quit the team due to a lack of playing time. These days though, Miller has a new commitment and this one he is never letting go. The interaction he has with students at the Rec Center is something special and he is always encouraging.

"I'm the educator. I like watching these kids when they come in as freshmen they can barely dribble the ball down court. When they get through, they'll pass it to you at that point. But once they develop their skills, they don't pass anymore. So, I hate when I develop them and they become real proficient players and they stop passing. They become greedy!"

Miller's support is vital and keeps the players coming back. In talking to the students, the first thing I discovered about nearly all of them was that within the first week they were on campus their freshman year, they were in the Rec Center playing ball.

Freshman Marty Ordinans who plays both basketball pickup games and intramurals said, "I was in here the first day of school. The first thing that I was doing was playing basketball."

Each player's dedication to the sport is still strong as ever even though their future career as a basketball player is very slim. But walk into the Rec Center any day or time of the week, and I guarantee there will be athletes in there working on their game, honing their skills and getting in a good workout. Passion and pride have no limits. And for Johnny Miller, basketball at the Helfaer Recreation Center has become a way of life.

[GGGG]

The Sultan's typical weekend at MU:

--Go out Friday night.
--Get up and get a huge ass breakfast somewhere.
--Go play basketball for a few hours at Helfaer.
--Take a shower
--Take a nap.
--Go out Saturday night

[MerrittsMustache]

"While the talent at the Rec Center isn't quite as good as the talent on the Marquette men's basketball roster..."

Probably a bit of an understatement 

[MUBurrow]

The Sultan's typical weekend at MU:

--Go out Friday night.
--Get up and get a huge ass breakfast somewhere.
--Go play basketball for a few hours at Helfaer.
--Take a shower
--Take a nap.
--Go out Saturday night

This. Except we usually ventured to the Rec Plex instead (basement of Straz Tower). There was no chance of running into those pesky skilled players there.

[warriorchick]

If this guy thinks our pickup basketball in intense, he should check out the top-level intramurals.

I used to ref intramural basketball in the early eighties.  I wasn't all that great at it, but there weren't very many girls who applied, and I am sure my hiring was a total Affirmative Action move.  The guys apparently weren't used to it either, as I had to regularly give out T's for being called the B-word. 

Anyway, I was shocked at how serious it was taken.  Several of the teams had real, adult coaches who showed up to games wearing coats and ties and carrying a briefcase. And they has some real talent on some of those teams.  I don't think any of them would have ever been mistaken for a D-1 team, but it certainly seemed plausible hat a number of the players may have turned down schollies at lesser schools because they would rather have a Marquette education.

One exception: the Evans Scholars.  It appeared that they had combed the local high schools to get female fans for their games.  I hope they at least gave them bus fare for the ride home.

[CTWarrior]

Hey warriorchick, my pens, pencils and whiteboard markers rest proudly in my Marquette Intramural basketball official of the year mug from 1983 (you got a beer mug for most everything back then), and I'm pretty sure I remember you, because there was only one female ref back then.  Did you referee as early as 1983?  I played hoops at the Rec Center 4-5 times a week in those days, and reffed whenever I could because that was my beer money.   Refereeing the football games at Marquette stadium was much worse than refereeing the basketball, because it was a pain getting there and the players were much more serious and physical.  

[Lennys Tap]

Hey warriorchick, my pens, pencils and whiteboard markers rest proudly in my Marquette Intramural basketball official of the year mug from 1983 (you got a beer mug for most everything back then), and I'm pretty sure I remember you, because there was only one female ref back then.  Did you referee as early as 1983?  I played hoops at the Rec Center 4-5 times a week in those days, and reffed whenever I could because that was my beer money.   Refereeing the football games at Marquette stadium was much worse than refereeing the basketball, because it was a pain getting there and the players were much more serious and physical.  

CT - I also reffed intramural football and basketball for beer money, though in the late 60s - and while I agree getting to Marquette stadium was a pain, doing the football games (with a partner) was a cakewalk compared to doing the basketball games alone. To say I missed a few would be a huge understatement.

[warriorchick]

Hey warriorchick, my pens, pencils and whiteboard markers rest proudly in my Marquette Intramural basketball official of the year mug from 1983 (you got a beer mug for most everything back then), and I'm pretty sure I remember you, because there was only one female ref back then.  Did you referee as early as 1983?  I played hoops at the Rec Center 4-5 times a week in those days, and reffed whenever I could because that was my beer money.   Refereeing the football games at Marquette stadium was much worse than refereeing the basketball, because it was a pain getting there and the players were much more serious and physical.  

I believe I did ref in '83 (the years kind of blend together at this point), but I know there was more than one of this.  I didn't do a ton of 5-on-5 games.  I stuck mostly to the coed 2-on-2 -- same pay with much less abuse.

[CTWarrior]

CT - I also reffed intramural football and basketball for beer money, though in the late 60s - and while I agree getting to Marquette stadium was a pain, doing the football games (with a partner) was a cakewalk compared to doing the basketball games alone. To say I missed a few would be a huge understatement.

I often had a partner for the basketball games, and it never once snowed on me during the basketball games.

[Hards Alumni]

fights break out at johnny ball every day.

[brewcity77]

With Jake Thomas and Garrett Swanson both walking on this year, I would be floored if a non-preferred walk-on made the team. Nothing against any of the participants, but our roster is evolving to the point where our walk-one are legitimate D1 players. Maybe not stars, or even high-major players, but definitely good enough to play a role for some pretty decent low to mid-majors.