Prep Zone: D-I schools were foolish to pass on Adams

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If Mark Adams had his way, he might have never pulled the trigger on a college.

Finally, his father intervened, giving Adams the nudge he needed last weekend to commit to play basketball at North Central College.

The decision came none too early – by the time June turns to July, most college students-to-be are picking out furniture for their dorm rooms, not their actual schools.

“I still think in his mind he wasn’t ready to commit anywhere ... It was just enough’s enough,” his father, also named Mark, said. “This went on long enough.”

Adams’ reluctance to decide was understandable. He badly wanted to play Division I basketball, and has the ability to do so.

The offers never came, and it’s a shame. Some D-I schools missed the boat on the Aurora Central Catholic star, plain and simple.

The Chronicle Player of the Year fashioned a superb senior season, averaging 19.1 points and 5.2 rebounds a game in leading the Chargers to conference and regional championships. His final impression was a breathtaking 34-point outburst against eventual state champion Marshall in a surprisingly close-fought sectional semifinal.

“I thought for sure when we played Marshall and he scored 34 points and [Marshall] went on to win state, it would open some doors, but it just didn’t happen,” his father said.

Instead, more recruiting frustration followed, culminating in a trip to Western Illinois in which miscommunication resulted in no basketball coaches around to greet the Adams after their 210-mile trek. It’s a shame for the downtrodden Leathernecks, a perfect example of the level of Division I program foolish not to find a place for Adams.

There are several theories on why Adams was overlooked by the big boys. ACC plays in a low-profile hoops conference. Adams did not play AAU basketball, electing instead to spend his high school days as a three-sport standout for the Chargers. Chargers coach Nate Drye thinks his size – Adams was listed at 6-3, but is probably closer to 6-2 – was the biggest obstacle to a D-I scholarship.

“I think it was the height thing,” Drye said. “People couldn’t get past the mental block on that.”

Despite the D-I snubs, Adams has lots to look forward to at North Central, where he can play a competitive brand of Division III basketball near family and friends. Adams, a physical guard with a versatile offensive game, is talented enough to make a major impact at the Naperville school.

The chance to show a few other coaches they miscalculated should only help his cause.

“I think he’s got kind of an ax to grind, and I think it’s going to work out in his favor,” his father said.

Bulldogs to crash Elfstrom: The Batavia baseball program is preparing for its fifth annual Bulldog alumni game at Elfstrom Stadium a week from today.

Batavia baseball coach Matt Holm loves the event, which allows former players from different eras the chance to reconnect – not only with each other, but with the sport they love.

“It’s kind of like sandlot in a really nice park,” Holm said.

This year’s game has special meaning for Holm, who will play alongside his 18-year-old son, Axel, who will soon head off to school at Iowa State.

“I think it’ll be a special thing for us to have from now until we’re both old and gray,” Holm said.

For more information on the event – which includes a postgame meal at  Riverview Banquets in Batavia – contact chief organizer Lori Holm at 630-887-7269.

– Jay Schwab is sports editor of the Kane County Chronicle. He can be reached at 630-845-5382 or jschwab@kcchronicle.com.