New Bedford's Nick Pontes has his priorities in order
January 25, 2009 6:00 AM
SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Sometimes, you have to take a step back in order to go forward.
Former New Bedford High basketball star Nick Pontes and his Bryant College team are both finding that out first-hand this season.
In the middle of his college career, Pontes took an academic redshirt season, giving up basketball after his sophomore season for a year to work on his grades.
What he's returned to this season as a junior is a Bryant team that has gone from an excellent Division 2 program to the bottom of Division 1.
A 21-win team when Pontes was a sophomore reserve, the Bulldogs are now a 3-16 squad - but Pontes' growth has been clear even as the team's record heads toward ignominy.
Pontes is going through a rebirth on the court; he scored in double figures in seven straight games after Christmas, matching his season high of 18 against Farleigh Dickinson last Saturday, his second most since coming to Bryant. He is second on the team in scoring at 7.7 points per game and third in shooting percentage.
The change has a lot to do with Nick's improvement and maturing. It also has to do with who he's playing against. Before his streak, Pontes and the Bulldogs had games against UConn, Iowa, Boston College, Rutgers, Providence and Maryland.
"Nick had a really hard time scoring in the BCS games. He was up against a different level big man in those six games," Bryant coach Tim O'Shea explained. "Now he's down in this level, a lower level of Division 1. The matchups inside are much better for him. He isn't giving up the tremendous size and athleticism. It's much more reasonable.
"You put him out against the centers from Iowa, or Maryland or UConn and the guy is a 7-footer or 6-11, he's built like Atlas and he's athletic. Nick can't get a shot off. Now you go to this level and he can," O'Shea said. "Of course, Nick never saw a shot he didn't like. He leads in shots per minute, I call him the black hole. It goes in there and it's not coming back out. Every now and then, he'll throw a good pass. It shocks the hell out of us, but it does come. He's not selfish, he just has a scorer's mentality."
Pontes also realizes what the challenge was facing players like 7-foot-3 Tanzanian Hasheem Thabeet from UConn.
"I'm 6-6 and playing against a 7-footer," Pontes recalled. "It kept me up at night. How am I going to do this? It's a big change from the Northeast-10, but it's the best thing for the school. We'll take our lumps now, but in a few years, we'll be a successful program. I'm paving the way for someone else."
That Pontes is even still with the program is thanks to his recommitment to academics.
"It was (former) Coach (Max) Good's idea and probably was the best for me," Pontes said. "I changed my major (from marketing to sociology) and going through that whole transition, I was struggling a little bit. I took that year off, brought my grades up and I'm back in good standing and ready to go. I'll graduate next year and I owe it to him, making me redshirt. Otherwise, I'd probably be back in New Bedford now."
Nick responded with his best academic semester at Bryant University, a school known for its academics more than for its newly promoted Division 1 basketball program.
"I knew the first time I came here, this was the school for me. It's great academically. Even if I wasn't playing basketball, I'd want to come here," Pontes said.
His work in the classroom has not gone unnoticed.
"Academically, he did a terrific job. I'm so proud of him because he got his academics squared away," assistant coach and former New Bedford player Dwayne Pina said. "Obviously, we have a connection, going to the same high school. It's ironic that I ended up at the same school he decided to attend."
O'Shea, charged with making the program's transition to Division 1, was also impressed with Pontes' performance.
"I think Max Good did him a tremendous favor because Nick might not have made it academically if he didn't have the time to focus on his studies," O'Shea said. "Now, Nick has really turned the corner as a student and he's doing better than he did before. I'm proud of Nick. He's worked hard. His work ethic on the court and off the court has really improved, and that's to his credit."
Coming to Bryant as the Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year put some pressure on the New Bedford standout.
"I was only a freshman and they expected me to fill the shoes of Mike Williams, who was a 6-11 shot blocker," Pontes remembered. "I couldn't fill that role, but I made my mistakes and got a lot of minutes as a freshman. You go out on the floor and realize most of the team is better than you are. There's a big difference from high school to Division 2. I'm happy where we are now (Division 1). It's been a really good experience."
One area he can improve is his defense, and that goes hand-in-hand with his stamina, something he feels took a hit when he wasn't playing basketball last year.
"The key for Nick in the offseason is to get a little better conditioning so he can defend a little better," O'Shea said. "He was recruited as a Division 2 player and he's proving he can play at the Division 1 level.
"He's the best. He's a happy-go-lucky kid. He's been wonderful to work with," O'Shea enthused. "I love the kid. He's funny. He's hard working. He's very respectful. The kid has a ton of positives."
Not the least of which is putting his priorities in order, with academics at the top of his list.
