Men's Basketball

BEREA, OHIO -– It is tough enough for a first-year player to make the adjustment from the high school game to the college game.

It was even tougher for former Corry High School basketball standout Tyler Sekerak when he arrived on the campus at Baldwin-Wallace College and had to begin competing for playing time with and following in the footsteps of an NCAA Division III player who was only one of three small college point guards to be a finalist for the 2005 ESPN/ Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year award.

But the situation has turned out to be the best of both worlds for Sekerak.

Last winter, Yellow Jacket point guard Tom Harrington averaged 38 minutes a game. This season, with help from Sekerak and fellow first-year guard Brendan Schuler, B-W, ranked No. 20 in Division III and 18-5 overall and 11-5 in the Ohio Athletic Conference, has developed depth at the point guard spot.

Through 22 games this season, Sekerak is averaging 3.4 points per game in 11.6 minutes per contest. He has dished out 26 assists and is second on the team with 20 steals. In fact, the 19-year-old health promotions and education major, got his first collegiate start last Wednesday (Feb. 9) in a 76-59 victory at Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio.

"Tyler earned the opportunity to start," said veteran Yellow Jacket Head Coach Steve Bankson, who has 644 career wins in 41 years as a head coach. "We have rotated a number of players at the three (wing position) spot. Tyler has been shooting well from the perimeter of late and we had lost two games in a row. We needed a change, and Tyler responded well to the challenge. "

Then again, contributing on the basketball court is nothing new for Sekerak who began playing the sport at a young age.

"I’ve been playing [basketball] since fourth grade," said Sekerak, the son of James Sekerak and Christine Sekerak. "I built up a passion for the game."

He took this love for the game to Corry Area High School of the Erie County League. While at Corry, Sekerak put up an impressive list of statistics.

Sekerak is the fourth leading scorer in Corry Area High School history with 1,073 points. He also handed out 243 assists, nabbed 235 steals and collected 347 rebounds. His 123 career three-pointers are a school-record.

Along with an impressive list of statistics, Sekerak garnered several honors. As a junior, he was placed on the All-Erie County League first-team. As a senior, Sekerak was named co-captain, chosen as the Preseason Erie County League Player of the Year and was selected to the Who’s Who high school edition.

His stellar high school career attracted the attention from the B-W coaching staff and in particular Yellow Jacket assistant and graduate Chris Kibler who spent five years as an assistant at nearby Gannon University.

"Chris (Kibler) recommended Tyler highly," said Bankson, in his 25th season at B-W and the winningest Yellow Jacket men’s basketball coach with 363 wins. "We thought that he’d be an excellent player in the OAC (Ohio Athletic Conference).

"He is very strong for an individual his size," said Bankson. "Tyler worked very hard both in the weight room during the preseason and in practice once we got on the basketball court. That gave him the opportunity to make the varsity and contribute.

"Tyler is still working hard to get better at shooting the basketball and has made strides," said Bankson. "He has made three of his last five three-pointers entering our game against Muskingum College (last Saturday in Berea). He also is a good ballhandler and plays solid defense."

Sekerak looked at several things when deciding on a college. He chose B-W because of the basketball program and the location of the college.

"They have a solid basketball tradition and program," Sekerak stated. "I also like the location because you can network a great deal. Because it is near a big city (Berea is just 12 miles southwest of Cleveland), it gives you a lot of outstanding internship opportunities as well as social and cultural options."

When Sekerak got to B-W, he noticed there were differences between high school and college basketball.

"It’s definitely more physical [in college] and especially in the OAC," Sekerak said. "You have to be ready for the hand checks and be able to dribble through them."

When Sekerak first donned the brown and gold, he debuted in his home state of Pennsylvania when the Yellow Jackets travelled to and won the Gettysburg College Tournament. He admits that he was nervous about the first game in his college career.

"I had the first game jitters like you would expect for any freshman," Sekerak said. (But once I got into the game and handled the ball a few times, it began to feel normal again. Now, when I step onto the court, it feels comfortable.

In his collegiate opener against the University of Mary Washington (Pa.), Sekerak had three points and one assist. He then tallied seven points in a B-W victory versus the Gettysburg Bullets in the championship game of the tournament. It was just the beginning to what has turned out to be a solid first season in Berea

On January 29, in a school-record-setting 131-110 win win at home against OAC-rival Marietta College, Sekerak netted a career-high 11 points and three assists.

Sekerak’s teammates have been appreciative of his style of play.

"Tyler is very unselfish," said Harrington. "He is always looking to make his teammates better and he’s been a great addition to our team. His work habits are outstanding. I think he is going to be a strong contributor to the program for the next four years."

As the regular season winds to a close, Sekerak has set some goals for this year and his career.

"I want to play in every game here and increase my playing time for this season and help the team to win an OAC title and earn a spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament," said Sekerak. "Individually, I want to be a three-year starter and a 1,000 point scorer."

Bankson also feels Sekerak will develop into a great player.

"He has had his ups and downs like any freshman, but he’s continuing to improve," Bankson said. "We think that he’s got a great future."

Sekerak has three more seasons of eligibility left after the current campaign. He feels the love he has for the game will help him become a better basketball player.

"Once you find the passion for the game, there’s no limit to how far you can go," said Sekerak.

And, Harrington adds, "Maybe in four years, it will be Tyler who is a finalist for the Cousy award. He has that type of ability and potential."

Following its game against Muskingum, B-W ends its regular season with games at Ohio Northern University (Feb. 16) and at home against Capital University (Feb. 19 at 3:00 p.m.). The 2005 OAC Tournament begins on Wednesday, Feb. 23.

"We have the talent and ability to win the OAC regular season and OAC Tournament," said Sekerak. "Now we have to meet our potential."

There are six OAC teams within two games of first place.