Finally part of UC, Strickland ready to help
Bill Koch, bkoch@enquirer.com 6:57 p.m. EDT August 1, 2014


Jamaree Strickland drives against Quadri Mooore at UC’s practice on Thursday. (Photo: The Enquirer/Kaila Busken )

As the long, cold days of last winter slowly unfolded, Jamaree Strickland did his best to remain optimistic. He went to class and worked out by himself because he had no other choice, shooting in the practice gym after his University of Cincinnati teammates were finished for the day.

Sometimes he would shoot for 30 minutes, sometimes for an hour, and if he was really feeling good, he’d go for two hours.

“That was probably one of the toughest parts,” Strickland said, “working out by myself and being away from my teammates for five hours a day. That was demoralizing.”

But those days are behind him. As the Bearcats practiced this week in preparation for their Aug. 5-12 trip to the Bahamas, the 6-foot-10, 270-pound Strickland was sweating and working alongside his teammates after being forced into a season of inactivity last year because the NCAA would not accept all of his high school courses.

He was allowed to be on scholarship, but could not practice with the team. He was part of the program, but not part of the team and it gnawed at him, especially on game days.

“The wait was so long and just seeing my teammates play without me, they needed a big presence down there and I believe I was that person that they needed,” said Strickland, a freshman from Oakland, Calif.

UC coach Mick Cronin calls the NCAA’s decision “a terrible thing.”

“I still disagree with it,” Cronin said. “I think it was unfair to him. What people don’t realize is that he wasn’t even allowed to watch practice. It was mentally tough on him.

“You feel terrible for a kid. Last year, you realize he’s sitting in the stands watching games. I mean, the guy’s driving to Louisville with a friend and sitting behind the bench watching his team play and he can’t even be on the bench. I know the NCAA is trying to help things but that was one that made no sense.”

Strickland averaged 21 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots during the 2012-13 season at Queen City Prep Academy in Harrisburg, N.C., after recovering from a knee injury that caused him to miss all of his junior season and portions of his senior season at McClymonds High School in Oakland,.

Because of so much inactivity over the past three years, it’s going to take time for him to get back into playing shape. That’s why these extra summer practices are invaluable.

“He can score,” Cronin said. “He’s a good offensive player and he’s a lefty so he’s crafty around the rim and he likes to bang. As far as his conditioning, being able to sustain his energy level, being able to run the floor, that’s going to take time. What he’s going through is body soreness. He’s trying to go as hard as we want him to, but when you haven’t really done much over the period of time that he’s been inactive, it’s tough.”

Strickland, who’s eager to make up for lost time, says he’s not far off but that might be part of his natural optimism that helped sustain him last season.

“Hope kept me going,” Strickland said, “because I knew that I was going to get back on the court sometime. I just waited it out, kept working out. I never really got in the mindset of not working. I always knew I had to work.”

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/c.../13490293/

He definitely got screwed by the NCAA. Hopefully he can get himself into basketball shape pretty quick. It will be nice having a big man who can score consistently.

my gosh do we have some size or what fellas?!?!?!?!?!? Unbelievable!

Were going to look like an NBA team in our sweatsuits. The good thing is they're really deep, especially considering Jamarees conditioning will probably be an issue since he's missed two of the last three seasons. I'm thinking 10-15 min offensive spark for Jamaree this year.

I mean, if this team can gel....wow. We may be in for a GREAT next few years!!!!!!!! I say this every year now, but I'm as excited about UC fb and hoops as I have ever been.

(08-02-2014 09:27 PM)RealDeal Wrote:  Were going to look like an NBA team in our sweatsuits. The good thing is they're really deep, especially considering Jamarees conditioning will probably be an issue since he's missed two of the last three seasons. I'm thinking 10-15 min offensive spark for Jamaree this year.

I wouldn't be surprise if he wasn't a part of the rotation at all once we get to the meaty portion of the schedule. He has missed a lot of basketball in the last 4 years.