I.P.S. Sits Down with Devin Oliver

9/18/09

Inside Prep Sports

Kalamazoo, MI.- A year ago, Mike Thomas left an assistant position with Northwood (MI.) University and moved three-hours southwest to become the head coaching at Kalamazoo Central. Thomas inherited one of the Michigan's most talented and underachieving teams but that all changed as a new attitude was born. As Oliver put it on Thursday night, "Coach said meet me half way" and a rebirth of the Maroon Giants was reborn.

Go back three years ago when the now 6'7 2010 wing Devin Oliver was a just a 6'1 freshman trying to make a talented varsity team. The team consisted of 6'5 2009 power forward Doug Anderson (Mott CC), 6'6 2008 power forward David Felton (Kalamazoo CC), 5'10 2008 point guard James Harris, and 6'1 2007 point guard K.D. Bell (Glenn Oaks CC). Oliver didn't make the varsity that year and his sophomore year while playing sparingly on the varsity level, Kalamazoo Central lost in the regional final to the team play of the E. Lansing Trojans and Charlie Woods (Cleveland State).

His junior year things changed when the new 25-year old coach, Thomas, walked into the gym and noticed the lack of team. The bond was transformed as Thomas brought the team together and made them believe in their abilities. Individually, Oliver told Inside Prep Sports, "He (Thomas) told me to meet him half way and you will be a division one player." That year Oliver and the Maroon Giants only dropped two games, one was arguably the most exciting game of the year vs. Detroit Country Day at the Motor City Roundball Classic and the other was at Michigan State's Breslin Center in the Class A final vs. Detroit Pershing. Some might see that as successful but he sees that as short of the ultimate achievement.

Detroit County Day is scheduled to visit Kalamazoo Central in the 2009-'10 season and there's a solid chance that they could face Pershing in December and then again for the state title.

That understanding and faith, between coach and player, has drawn division one coaches from Stanford's head coach Johnny Dawkins to Faifield's head coach Bob Simon and many more in between like Michigan's head coach John Bielein to visit Kalamazoo Central in the last year. Of course Western Michigan University, which calls Kalamazoo home, has rewarded the versatile lefty with a scholarship to play varsity basketball. Both of his parents played for the hometown Broncos. Oliver did gain serious attention, and an offer, from Butler within the last year but they have received two verbal commitments thus far causing the Bulldogs to back off. He also has the interest of Dayton and Duquesne the latter in which he's scheduled to visit the first week of October.

Programs like his versatility as he is focused on playing the one through three positions in college as he does in high school. Another goal of Oliver's is to increase his numbers "double digits," as he put it. Coach Thomas also sees that as an achievable goal as he and 6'6 2011 forward Darius Norman play a deadly high low game aimed to show the abilities of both. Norman's ability is another story for I.P.S readers down the road.

While battling illness last week, he lost some of the strength necessary to achieving his capabilities on the next level but he's ready to prepare for his body for the next level. He works on agility drills, lifting, running, and sprint drills on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with teammates. Work ethic is important to the long defender as his mom encourages him to block out on every play from the gym's side lines. Tuesday and Thursday nights are spent with teammates in an open gym.

"Upside" is a word associated with Oliver in Inside Prep Sports' reports emailed, text, or verbally delivered. He's now taller, with shoes on, than his 6'6 dad while all others around him think he's not done growing. The lefty shoots the ball with quickness and efficiency from the perimeter and his game is often compared with Tayshawn Prince but he likes fellow Detroit Piston Austin Day and likes watching You Tube games of Jalen Rose and the Fab Five.

As the Thursday's game were coming to a close, Doug Anderson walked in with a couple Mott teammates seeking to show off his dunking abilities but Oliver boasted, "This ain't your gym no more."

For now, it's D-Moe time and Kalamazoo Central gearing up for a new season!

By TJ Kelley