The University of Tampa men’s basketball team is not off to the ideal start. Right now, they’re 4-13, and winless in the conference. The Spartans lost their most recent game on Saturday against non-conference opponent Palm Beach Atlantic.
The start for this season is unexpected. Going in, Coach Schmidt thought the team would be bringing in four new players, two of which were transfer and a few freshmen. However, things fell through with the transfer students, one of whom was over seven feet tall.
“Two of our transfers never made it to the court,” Schmidt said. “One of them was a seven-footer from Mississippi State, but due to an eligibility mix-up he took two years in junior college rather than one in D2. The other guy just decided to head to junior college as well, but it was a week before school started.”
It was a big blow to Schmidt and the team losing out on those two transfers. Now, the team needs to rely on its very young core to provide the spark.
“We signed two freshmen in the offseason and had a few more walk on,” Schmidt said. “One of them was Jon Riles. He starts at point guard now. We’ve also got Terrell [Pritchett] and Jason [Brown], and they both have a good future ahead of them.”
Of all of the offseason changes that Schmidt has made, few seem as savvy as having last year’s leading scorer take up a spot on the bench. Rashad Callaway, now a senior but no longer basketball eligible, has been helping the back court players out in practice and dropping knowledge on them during games, bus rides, and wherever he can get them to listen.
“I help out everyone,” Rashad said. “I just tell them to go out there and play with confidence and toughness. You can practice how to shoot, pass, and handle the ball, but hustling and playing defense are pure heart and desire.”
Sometimes it helps to have an emotional leader with an objective point of view. Granted, Callaway can no longer quarterback the Spartans on the court, but the best players usually end up coaching. Callaway is no exception.
He was first team all-SSC last season and led the team in points and assists. He was more valuable than his impressive statistics illustrate.
“Rashad is a smart guy,” Schmidt said. “When he played he was a coach on the floor, so it only makes sense that he can really get through to the players.”
One player in particular that Callaway has been working with is true freshman Jon Riles; the team’s new starting point guard. Riles came from a small school on the fringes of Philadelphia. Throughout his high-school career he’s played with McDonald’s All-Americans and a bevy of current D1 starters; Samme Givens (Drexel), Larry Loughery (Penn), Malcolm Gilbert (Pitt), and Rakeem Christmas (Syracuse). According to Callaway, Riles’ role has changed dramatically from high school to college.
“All fairness to Jon, he’s coming into college as true freshman and is being asked to do a lot. He never really had to create and set up the offense for those guys [he played with before] because of their talent level and how good they were individually,” Callaway said. “Now he’s on a bigger level. But I think he understands his role now and as time goes on he will continue to get better.”
With Callaway helping him learn the ins and outs of the SSC, the sky’s the limit for Riles. He appreciates the insight.
“He compares us a lot,” Riles said. “He’s helping me handle the pressure and the expectations.
“This is a much different level, but I’m growing. Rashad’s helping me stay patient and to not be afraid – to be a leader. ‘The game will come to me,’ he always says.”
Greg Spracklin can be reached at gspracklin@spartans.ut.edu.