The Front Row with MARK NELKE Dec. 6, 2012
Point guard Chris Sarbaugh was aware of the stigma of junior college basketball when he transferred to North Idaho College from Gonzaga late this past summer.
Especially after a few pickup games with his new teammates.
“The first couple pickups I was like, ‘What am I getting myself into,’” Sarbaugh said the other day.
“When I was coming out here (in the summer), I wasn’t too excited,” he added. “You hear about jucos and punks and everything.”
“I love these guys,” Sarbaugh says with a smile. “Honestly, I’m so surprised. I love playing with all these guys, we mesh so well. It’s crazy how well we mesh. We’ve really started to figure out how to play together. I’ve really enjoyed it here.”
NIC is 12-1, winners of 10 straight games, after Wednesday night’s victory at Columbia Basin College in Pasco, Wash.
The 6-foot-3 Sarbaugh is averaging 7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals, and last weekend was named MVP as the Cardinals won the Bigfoot/Cardinal Classic.
“He’s been great for us,” NIC coach Jared Phay said. “He’s not flashy, or anything like that, but he’s the ultimate team guy. He’s always thinking about his teammates. He’s just a proven winner.”
AS A senior at Gonzaga Prep, Sarbaugh was named tournament MVP in leading the Bullpups to the state 4A title. He walked on at Gonzaga in 2011, and redshirted.
But this summer, coming to the realization playing time might be an issue there, Sarbaugh made what he said was a tough decision to transfer.
“I loved it, I loved the people there,” said Sarbaugh, whose father teaches at GU. “But I wasn’t happy with basketball; I did not enjoy basketball. It was different; I don’t know if I was ready for the businesslike mentality. And redshirting, not playing at all, didn’t help. I realized I have five years to play, and I want to play as much as I can, and enjoy it.”
Only problem was, it was so late in the summer, his options with Division I schools were limited, as few still had scholarships available by that time.
“I asked (Gonzaga assistant) Tommy Lloyd, ‘What do you think I should do?’” Sarbaugh said. “He said the best choice is, go to a juco, try to get re-recruited and try to find the right place. He said NIC would be a good fit for me.”
Phay talked to the Gonzaga coaches about Sarbaugh, and offered him a scholarship.
Any reservations?
“No, he was a no-brainer,” Phay said. “We do that too (take a flyer on people), but he was one we felt really good about.”
SO DOES Sarbaugh — now, anyway. He can score if he wants to, displaying the ability to shoot from the outside, as well as beat defenders off the dribble and take it to the rim. But there’s plenty of scorers at NIC.
“I don’t have to score,” he says of his role with the Cardinals. “I love getting people open. I’ll do anything to help us win.”
If things go well, this will be Sarbaugh’s only season at NIC. He said he’s already talking with Montana, Denver and Cal Poly about playing there next season.
There have been some years when NIC might have been better than certain Division I teams in the area. How would this year’s NIC team fare against Gonzaga — currently ranked No. 10 in the NCAA — Sarbaugh was asked.
He laughed.
“We work hard, we wouldn’t back down,” Sarbaugh said. “Those guys are just so solid; they’re so good at what they do. ... ”
Well ...
“We’d compete,” he offered. “I don’t know if we’d win, but we’d compete.”
Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter at CdAPressSports.