October 25, 2007
Change of scenery pays off for Higgins
By Jeff Faraudo
STAFF WRITER
Cory Higgins understands that not everyone at Monte Vista High School appreciated his holiday gift to the Mustangs' basketball team last year.
Higgins, the son of ex-Warriors player and executive Rod Higgins, made the decision during the Christmas break to leave Monte Vista in favor of the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., where he took classes at the Pendleton School and polished his basketball acumen in a high-level setting.
"I'm sure they had some feelings," said Higgins, who already had started his season with Monte Vista when he defected to Florida. "They probably had the right to feel that way. At the same time, you've got to look at the bigger picture and you've got to look at it from my point of view."
Higgins said he made the decision, after consulting with his father, in order to maximize his opportunity to play college ball at the highest level. He said before the move he was being recruited primarily by West Coast Conference schools, but eventually he drew the attention of programs from the Big 12 and SEC.
Ultimately, the 6-foot-4 guard chose Colorado over Georgia.
"It was extremely difficult, but at the same time it was extremely important," Higgins said of his move from Danville. "(My dad) asked me how far I wanted to take my game. I didn't want to be an average player. I wanted to take my game to the next level. Without that decision, I don't think it would have turned out the way it did."
IMG gave Higgins the chance to hone his game against top-level players.
"The workouts were more intense, I changed my body and got to play with a lot of better competition," said Higgins, who added 20 pounds to reach his current weight of 185. He averaged 16 points per game on a team that lost only twice after he arrived.
Higgins is in the mix to see playing time at both point guard and shooting guard for the Buffaloes under first-year coach Jeff Bzdelik, who performed near miracles at Air Force, winning 50 games in two seasons.
"It's a perfect fit," Higgins said of his new home.
Here's a look at other local Division I players at schools outside the Bay Area:
# KENNETH ALEXANDER, Cal State Fullerton: A senior forward from Berkeley High, Alexander averaged 3.0 points and 2.7 rebounds per game last year.
# DOMINIC CALEGARI, UC Davis: A 6-9 sophomore forward from St. Mary's High, Calegari averaged 6.1 points per game last season, including 21 vs. UC Irvine.
# ADAM CARP, Nevada: Carp is a redshirt freshman walk-on from Clayton Valley High.
# LINCOLN GUNN, Princeton: A returning starter at guard, the De La Salle grad averaged 6.3 points per game a season ago.
# LARRY GURGANIOUS, Gonzaga: A back injury sidelined the 6-5 sophomore wing last season, but the St. Mary's High product is back this season.
# DeMARCUS HALL, Cal State Bakersfield: The 6-7 senior forward from Richmond High averaged 3.9 points per game a year ago.
# RICK HIGGINS, Cal Poly: The 6-1 sophomore walk-on and brother of Cory Higgins averaged 2.0 points per game last season.
# ELI HOLMAN, Indiana: A 6-9 freshman center, Holman averaged 24.7 points, 12 rebounds and 10 blocked shots per game last season at Richmond High.
# DEMARSHAY JOHNSON, Nevada: A standout at Oakland Tech and Diablo Valley College, Johnson is competing for a starting job. Now 25, the 6-9 forward was academically ineligible the first semester last year and redshirted after averaging 5.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in 2005-06.
# JUSTIN JOYNER, UC Santa Barbara: A sophomore point guard from De La Salle, Joyner won the starting job at midseason last year and averaged 4.8 points and 2.9 assists per game, earning a spot on the Big West all-freshman team.
# MARQUISE KATELY, Morgan State: A former starter at Cal, Kately resumes his career under former Bears coach Todd Bozeman. The 6-5 junior forward averaged just under 10 points per game in two seasons at Berkeley.
# BRETT LAUER, UC Irvine: A 6-1 junior guard from Clayton Valley, Lauer transferred from Mesa JC, where he averaged 18 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.
# WENDELL McKINES, New Mexico State: The 6-5 wing is awaiting word from the NCAA on his eligibility. He averaged an eye-popping 35 points and 15 rebounds per game last year at Richmond High.
# ETHAN NIEDERMEYER, Portland: As a freshman last season, the 6-6 forward from De La Salle got seven starting assignments and averaged 1.9 points and 1.7 rebounds per game.
# CHRIS REID, Purdue: Reid, a former all-league player at Castro Valley, is a 6-9 junior who will compete for playing time at the Big Ten school. He averaged 12.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season at Butte JC.
# KYLE ROEMER, Colgate: Voted team captain as a junior guard, Roemer missed all last season after undergoing ankle surgery. The former De La Salle star averaged 11.4 points per game for Colgate in 2005-06.
# PAUL ROEMER, UC Santa Barbara: The sophomore walk-on guard and brother of Kyle Roemer averaged 1.6 points per game last season.
# MARCUS SCHROEDER, Princeton: The other half of the Tigers' starting backcourt from De La Salle, Schroeder averaged 6.5 points and 38.8 minutes per game as a freshman.
# RYAN SILVA, UC Davis: The freshman guard averaged 15 points per game last season at De La Salle.
# THERIN TAYLOR, Cal State Northridge: A 6-5 sophomore wing from Kennedy High, Taylor transferred in this season after one season at Merritt College.