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Athletics in Northwest Washington
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July 27, 2011 ■ Page 11
Gonzaga guard’s game draws a crowd By MIKE DEFABO Current Correspondent
Gonzaga point guard Nate Britt has been dizzying defenders for years with his signature crossover. Now, his moves are turning the heads of college scouts. A standout for Gonzaga and the D.C. Assault — an Amateur Athletic Union travel team with at least five alumni in the NBA and dozens more at Division I colleges — Britt is establishing himself as one of the top point guards in the nation. Scout.com, a top recruiting service, lists him as the best point guard in the class of 2013, and ESPN ranks him third at the position. On June 17, Britt received a scholarship offer from the University of Maryland; he has also had offers from the universities of Arizona, Miami and Pittsburgh, and Georgetown, Seton Hall, Villanova and Xavier universities. “I’m just overwhelmed,” he said in an interview. So was the competition the last two seasons. In his sophomore year, Britt averaged 13.6 points, 5.2 assists, four rebounds and three steals per game, helping Gonzaga
to a 26-8 record as the Eagles made it to the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title game. At the end of the season, he became just the eighth sophomore since 1957 to be named All-Met. He was also named Gatorade Player of the Year. The accolades didn’t end there. In June, Britt cemented the Weekend Warrior Award at the National Basketball Players Association Top 100 camp, where he put up an event-best 30-point performance. The game made him the second-leading scorer at the camp, with 16.7 points per game. “He’s just a great all-around kid,” said Gonzaga head coach Steve Turner. “He’ll shake your hand the right way, look you in the eye and say, ‘Yes sir,’ [or] ‘No sir.’ And as a basketball player, he’s a pleasure to watch.” Coaches marvel at the lefty’s deft ball handling and his ability to get into the paint and finish. Turner says Britt makes every player on the court better with his unselfish attitude, and points to the 17-yearold’s work ethic as the key to his success. “He’ll take something that someone says is his weakness and turn it into a strength,” Turner said.
During the Amateur Athletic Union season, Britt has been working to perfect his game. “I’ve been knocking down the 3-point shot a lot this spring and summer,” he said. “That is something that I want to continue to improve on.” Britt also said he wants to get into the weight room after the travel circuit winds down at the end of July to add some bulk to his 165pound frame. He believes this will help prepare him for the next level. The guard said it’s still too early for him to say which way he is leaning for college, but added that he could make his final decision as early as this season. For now, Britt said, he’s just focused on finishing out his high school career at Gonzaga and redeeming back-to-back losses to DeMatha in league title games. He does think about the future, though. The junior said he has heard scouts compare him to Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo, and noted that he’d like to follow in the footsteps of former Duke University point guard Kyrie Irving, the top pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. “I could see myself [in the NBA] ... so that’s what I’m striving for,” he said.
Matt Petros/The Current
Gonzaga guard Nate Britt is drawing attention from many top college basketball programs this summer.
Italy says ‘benvenuto’ to Moldoveanu Colts forward By BORIS TSALYUK Current Staff Writer
Courtesy of American University Athletics
St. John’s and American University alum Vlad Moldoveanu signed a deal last week to play basketball professionally for the Italian squad Benetton Treviso.
Vlad Moldoveanu, a St. John’s and American University alum, signed last week with the Italian Serie A team Benetton Treviso, giving him the opportunity to do what countless kids dream of — play basketball professionally. “I think I can grow with this team,” Moldoveanu wrote in an email to The Current yesterday. “[We] will be a young and talented team. Benetton is one of the most prestigious of all the [European squads].” Moldoveanu joins a Benetton roster that includes former NBA player Brian Skinner. Past Benetton players include former NBA champion Toni Kukoc, who also led Benetton to its first championship as a franchise in 1992. For Moldoveanu, a 6-foot-9, 215-pound forward, it all started in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference. He came to the United States from Bucharest, Romania, to attend St. John’s and became one of the top players in the league before his 2007 graduation. “It was important to play at the highest level possible in high school and I think the WCAC does that to an athlete,” he wrote. “It throws you in the middle of the fire, in the middle of probably one of the best athletic leagues in the U.S. It was a great experience
and I am thankful for the opportunity St. John’s gave me.” From St. John’s, Moldoveanu originally signed with George Mason University, but — dissatisfied with the amount of playing time he was getting — he transferred during his sophomore year. His perimeter game fit in well with the Eagles, and he quickly became a starter. Moldoveanu won All-Patriot League FirstTeam honors in both 2010 and 2011, averaging 19.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game and becoming the 28th Eagle to hit the 1,000point mark. The entire time, Moldoveanu said, he was focused on elevating his game. “I self-disciplined myself to [play like] a professional in college,” he said. “That way I could put my best foot forward every day I stepped on the floor.” Now, the Romanian star has returned to Europe, where he is already making an impact for his national team. In a tournament in Portugal last week in which his team finished third, Moldoveanu scored 45 points in a single game and was named tournament MVP. While he hopes to return to D.C. for a visit next summer, he is now focused on pleasing his newfound Italian fans. “One of my favorite quotes is, ‘You have to hate losing more than you love to win.’ … I want to win a lot of games with Benetton and make everyone that loves [them] happy,” he said.
makes the jump By BORIS TSALYUK Current Staff Writer
After turning up the heat on the basketball court this summer, rising Coolidge senior Maurice Jeffers is now bound for the University of Delaware. The forward averaged just over four points per game last season, but he’s had a great offseason playing for his Virginia Assault travel team, and college scouts have taken notice. On Wednesday, Jeffers gave his verbal commitment to the Blue Hens. Coach Vaughn Jones said Jeffers, who is 6-foot-8 and 215 pounds, has improved his stock by “getting a little physically stronger [and] playing more basketball” this summer. The coach, who played for George Washington University, said Jeffers’ “upside is what a lot of the coaches like.” Jeffers developed into a strong defender a year ago, and should “anchor the middle” as a senior, Jones said. “He’s a very athletic big man.” The coach said “a very good comparison” to Jeffers is Marcus Camby, an NBA star with a huge wingspan who excels at blocking shots and finishing at the rim. Jones played against Camby when the latter was at the University of Massachusetts.