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When Wichita State basketball coaches started recruiting Matt Braeuer, he had never heard of the school. Six years later, it's hard for him to think about leaving.
"I thought about it quite a bit on senior night," he said. "There might be a chance I never get to coach for a team that has fans like this. It's an unbelievable place, and I'm thankful that coach (Tad) Boyle saw me when he did and recruited me. The other places I had on my list were 100 notches below here."
Shocker fans are just as pleased Boyle, a former assistant, noticed Braeuer at a tournament in Austin, Texas. He played guard four seasons at WSU and remains a fan favorite for his full-speed play and leadership. He made two of the biggest plays of the 2006 season — a steal that helped avoid an upset loss to Northwestern (La.) State and a game-winning three to beat Creighton. Both helped propel the Shockers to the Sweet 16 and explain why he gets louder cheers than most graduate assistants during introductions.
Braeuer, from Belton, Texas, is wrapping up a two-season tenure as a graduate assistant for coach Gregg Marshall. He earns his masters degree in sport management in May. By then, he hopes to land a full-time job coaching in college.
He may start out as an assistant at a small college. Some young coaches start as director of basketball operations for an NCAA Division I program.
"What I've learned is that you have to know someone to get your foot in the door," he said. "Then your resume might hold water. It's something that's probably just going to happen."
Where ever he ends up, Braeuer will fondly remember his time at WSU. His next stop is not likely to feature chartered planes, a sold-out arena and three secretaries who ease the burden on a graduate assistant. At WSU — when not playing H.O.R.S.E. against assistant coach Earl Grant and the managers — he handled film exchanges, practice times, meals and directed camps.
"The way you're treated around here is top-notch," he said. "I understand that, if I do move up, it will probably be at a lower school. It will be a lot different."
Braeuer played three seasons for former coach Mark Turgeon and one for Marshall. He learned from both and hopes to make attributes such as Turgeon's attention to detail and Marshall's passion part of his coaching style.
"When (Turgeon) left, it was hard on everybody," Braeuer said. "My dad told me it could be good as far as you wanting to be a coach. You get to learn two different systems. You get to learn two different styles of coaching. And it has been good."
Headed to Hutch — Shocker fans and coaches beat a path to Hutchinson last week for the NJCAA Tournament to watch a future Shocker.
Ehimen Orukpe, a 7-footer for Three Rivers Community College, signed last fall with WSU. Not surprisingly, he made his biggest contributions on defense during the Raiders' stay in Hutch. Three Rivers played in Saturday's championship game.
While his offensive skills are raw, Orukpe's height and leaping ability make him a shot-blocker. Before Saturday, he scored six points and made three of five shots in three games in Hutchinson. He grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked six shots.
"I enjoy it most on the defensive end," he said. "It's more natural. When I started playing basketball... I didn't go through fundamentals. They put me in there to rebound and block shots. So I started playing bigger, high-level basketball without even working on my offensive skills."
A stress fracture in his left foot cost him seven games. Despite the ups and downs, Orukpe believes he is improving in his first season of college basketball.
"I'm getting more confident," he said. "I'm learning how to be patient with the ball and not get in a hurry. I look forward to getting better."
Also under scrutiny was Three Rivers guard Marquise Carter, a sophomore, who is being recruited by WSU, Oklahoma and Gonzaga.
"He brings a lot to the team," Orukpe said. "When we're not working the ball, he can get one-on-one scores. He's hit some big shots."
Carter did just that for the Raiders. In his first three games, he averaged 18.7 points, 4.0 assists and 2.7 turnovers. One his most attractive skills is the ability to draw fouls. He made 23 of 26 free throws in three games.
"The type of player that I am, I like to penetrate and get to the basket a lot," Carter said. "Me knowing that I'm going to get fouled, I've got to work on my free throws. I do that a lot, and it pays off."
Over there, somewhere — Orukpe needs to play basketball, basketball and more basketball. WSU may try to aid his development by playing exhibition games, perhaps in Australia or Europe, in August.
WSU is waiting on NCAA legislation that would allow incoming players to play on those tours.
"This would be a new rule allowing incoming kids to travel with your team the summer that they arrive on campus," associate athletic director Brian Pracht said.
The NCAA is scheduled to vote on the matter next month. Previously, new players couldn't play until classes started. WSU took a trip to Canada over Labor Day in 2006, after classes started.
"More than likely, we would only take it this year if that legislation does pass," Pracht said. "Otherwise, we may look at postponing it for a year."
