FIBA Basketball
International athletes add unique aspect to college experience
At any level of basketball one wants to consider, the number of players coming from overseas to play in the United States has increased dramatically in recent years. From the likes of Dirk No-witzki and
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By Sam Waller
At any level of basketball one wants to consider, the number of players coming from overseas to play in the United States has increased dramatically in recent years.
From the likes of Dirk No-witzki and Manu Ginobili in the National Basketball Asso-ciation to Helen Roden and Dina Piterniece right here at Odessa College, the foreign invasion is a trend that doesn't show any signs of slacking off, OC women's coach Nate Altenhofen said.
"(With the chance for) a college degree and the type of athletics that we have, I think the United States is a great situation where good athletes from overseas are going to want to come to play," Alten-hofen said.
"I think all college coaches are looking for the edge'" he said, "and they understand the international route is a route where you can get a major star, where you may not have that edge over here against the major universities."
Roden and Piterniece have played key roles in helping Odessa College qualify for the NJCAA Division I Tourna-ment, but they won't be the only international students competing for an American championship this week at the Bicentennial Center. Eight other schools in the 16-team field combine for 19 players from outside the United States on their rosters.
In the seven-school Western Junior College Athletic Conference — of which Odessa College is a member — only South Plains College did not have at least one international player this season.
"I think it's going to continue to grow. I just think there's a certain max you're going to find," Altenhofen said. "One thing that's working against us is the top talent in Europe is going to start playing professionally at a young age.
"We have to find the potential of kids like Dina. I think her upside is still huge. Otherwise, if they're very much better than that, they're going to start playing pro ball and getting paid over there."
Finding talented players and getting them enrolled in a U.S. college requires an involved process, Altenhofen said.
"There's a lot more information needed than for your average kid coming from in country or in state," he said. "Fortunately, I've got a couple of the best references as far as international talent goes, so we knew these two were both very talented.
"As far as the paperwork, instead of taking one week to finish it, it probably takes a good month. Not to mention the process of getting (a student visa) and everything they have to go through to finalize that."
But sometimes the results are worth the extra effort.
"You find out how badly kids want to get here," Altenhofen said. "If they're willing to do that process, they understand what this education and what this opportunity athletically brings them. I think it's a win-win situation."
The rise of overseas recruiting has led the NJCAA to set a limit of four international players per team. Altenhofen said OC likely will not reach that number.
"I kind of like what we have here," he said. "To me, two is perfect. Two is unique. Instead of being a big portion of a team, they're a small portion. The other kids seem to move toward them, draw them in and make them special.
"I think as long as we keep finding the right two like we did, it's going to keep being a positive situation. Having one that's been here a year, like Helen, made the transition for Dina a lot easier. I think it will be the same next year if we were to add another international player. Dina would make the transition that much easier."
And the unique status appeals to Piterniece.
"I feel special because we are just two," she said. "There are teams that are only American girls, but we have two international girls. I feel special that we have internationals."
View source article here
By Sam Waller
At any level of basketball one wants to consider, the number of players coming from overseas to play in the United States has increased dramatically in recent years.
From the likes of Dirk No-witzki and Manu Ginobili in the National Basketball Asso-ciation to Helen Roden and Dina Piterniece right here at Odessa College, the foreign invasion is a trend that doesn't show any signs of slacking off, OC women's coach Nate Altenhofen said.
"(With the chance for) a college degree and the type of athletics that we have, I think the United States is a great situation where good athletes from overseas are going to want to come to play," Alten-hofen said.
"I think all college coaches are looking for the edge'" he said, "and they understand the international route is a route where you can get a major star, where you may not have that edge over here against the major universities."
Roden and Piterniece have played key roles in helping Odessa College qualify for the NJCAA Division I Tourna-ment, but they won't be the only international students competing for an American championship this week at the Bicentennial Center. Eight other schools in the 16-team field combine for 19 players from outside the United States on their rosters.
In the seven-school Western Junior College Athletic Conference — of which Odessa College is a member — only South Plains College did not have at least one international player this season.
"I think it's going to continue to grow. I just think there's a certain max you're going to find," Altenhofen said. "One thing that's working against us is the top talent in Europe is going to start playing professionally at a young age.
"We have to find the potential of kids like Dina. I think her upside is still huge. Otherwise, if they're very much better than that, they're going to start playing pro ball and getting paid over there."
Finding talented players and getting them enrolled in a U.S. college requires an involved process, Altenhofen said.
"There's a lot more information needed than for your average kid coming from in country or in state," he said. "Fortunately, I've got a couple of the best references as far as international talent goes, so we knew these two were both very talented.
"As far as the paperwork, instead of taking one week to finish it, it probably takes a good month. Not to mention the process of getting (a student visa) and everything they have to go through to finalize that."
But sometimes the results are worth the extra effort.
"You find out how badly kids want to get here," Altenhofen said. "If they're willing to do that process, they understand what this education and what this opportunity athletically brings them. I think it's a win-win situation."
The rise of overseas recruiting has led the NJCAA to set a limit of four international players per team. Altenhofen said OC likely will not reach that number.
"I kind of like what we have here," he said. "To me, two is perfect. Two is unique. Instead of being a big portion of a team, they're a small portion. The other kids seem to move toward them, draw them in and make them special.
"I think as long as we keep finding the right two like we did, it's going to keep being a positive situation. Having one that's been here a year, like Helen, made the transition for Dina a lot easier. I think it will be the same next year if we were to add another international player. Dina would make the transition that much easier."
And the unique status appeals to Piterniece.
"I feel special because we are just two," she said. "There are teams that are only American girls, but we have two international girls. I feel special that we have internationals."