Kansas State University Athletics
‘Life is Good’ as the Cats Hit the Court
Jun 10, 2022 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
One popular theme running through the Kansas State men's basketball offices is "Elevate the Standard." The creed is emblazoned upon dark gray t-shirts as the Wildcats run through their first week of practices inside the Ice Family Basketball Training Center.
Basketballs bounce with thunderous echoes and sneakers squeak. Tuesday marks the 78th day of the Jerome Tang era. This is the moment that the former 19-year Baylor assistant-turned-associate head coach yearned for when he stood upon a stage in his introductory news conference and proclaimed, "I didn't come to rebuild. I came to elevate." It's beautiful music, albeit with seven players stewing in sweat-soaked t-shirts and shorts, how mid-air passes turn into terrific slam dunks, and how 3-pointers sweep through the nets like waterfalls cascading into still waters.
"We get four hours (of practice) a week," Tang says prior to Manhattan Catbackers on Monday. "We'll see how many minutes they can go before they pass out."
It's Willie Wonka in his chocolate factory. It's Schroeder at his piano. It's the first page of a new chapter in a book left to be written.
Tang says practice is "the fun part" to all this. "You're not on Zoom and not on the phone. You're in the gym, the ball is bouncing, you're in shorts and t-shirts.
"Life is good then."
"I have a lot to prove, and I'm fired up to get out there," he says.
Life is good for 6-foot-10, 216-pound sophomore transfer Jarrell Colbert, who arrives from LSU, and who's known Tang since he recruited the Houston, Texas native in middle school. Colbert says he can backdown defenders or face them up and welcomes big-time minutes on the court after sitting the bench most of last season.
"When we put everything together, we'll show everybody what we're capable of," he says. "I'm very excited to go against all these teams. When I think of the Big 12, I think of winning the whole thing."
Life is good for Nae'Qwan Tomlin, the Harlem, New York native and transfer from Chipola (Fla.) College who was one of the best junior college players last season. Tomlin has grown from 6-foot-7 to 6-foot-10 since high school, and he comes with a heck of a story: He only began playing organized basketball in 2018.
"I feel like there's a target on my back — a kid who hasn't played much basketball growing up, who's here with players who've been playing for a very long time," he says.
Tomlin did play hoops at Rucker Park, street ball at its finest, and watched fellow Harlem natives Markquis Nowell and Ismael Massoud sizzle on the court.
"I grew up seeing them play," he says. "They were always known in New York City, especially Markquis. It's great getting to play with them. Me coming on my visit knowing there were two other kids from Harlem here, it felt like home."
At 6-foot-10, Tomlin fancies himself playing "on the perimeter," and is a "big catch-and-shoot guy who also shoots off the dribble."
Life is good for freshman guard Dorian Finister, a native of New Orleans, who loves the "undeniable love" of K-State fans, and who says they can "expect a lot of energy."
"I can jump out of the gym," he says. "I can shoot the ball really well and handle the ball. I can defend. I'm a good teammate. I bring a lot of energy, a lot of energy."
Life also is good for 6-foot-8, 215-pound freshman forward Taj Manning, a Grandview, Missouri native who was originally recruited by former coach Bruce Weber, and who can play small or power forward.
"It's two different coaches and two different ways of coaching and beliefs and how they want to coach the game and how they want us to play the game," Manning says of the difference between Weber and Tang. "I feel that Coach Tang had a really good plan for me and in what he wants me to do.
"He's a great role model and leader."
And he's had good help.
While K-State assistant coaches have helped mastermind recruiting efforts in search of the perfect fits to fill out the roster, Nowell and Massoud have been the stars of the show. The two holdovers from last year's squad were dignified with a minute-long standing ovation by the sellout crowd of 300 gathers at the Manhattan Catbackers event for their tireless efforts — and for sticking with the program.
"To the people who asked me why I stayed, to me it was an easy decision," Massoud says at Manhattan Catbackers. "All of you guys here, this type of environment is unmatched and just Manhattan in general. It's nothing but love around here and I've loved every second I've been around. There was no decision for me to stay.
"We have the right guys and we're building something, and we have people who want to be here. It's about building something that's going to be special."
David N'Guessan, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound junior transfer from Virginia Tech, is the latest to join the Wildcats. K-State announced his addition last Thursday. He chose to join Tang's team over Maryland, Georgetown, St. Joseph's, George Washington, UMass and Rhode Island. N'Guessan, like Carter (Mississippi State) and Colbert (LSU), was an underutilized talent, but Tang points to analytics while describing his potential.
"(N'Guessan) played behind two all-conference guys at Virginia Tech, but when he played his numbers were really good," Tang says. "Analytics say that if you put up good numbers and give him more minutes you're going to put up about the same type of numbers. If he can do that for us playing more minutes, he's going to be fine."
Tang isn't as concerned about finding players to fill specific positions as much as finding winners and harvesting the best available talent. However, there is a careful balance in deciding between those players who might be immediate impact guys and those young guns who carry the potential to stick around four years.
"There's a balance and a risk you're taking either way," Tang says. "We have to do the best job we can at evaluating character, their circle, and how much they're committed to the school, program and staff, and we can go from there. That's the million-dollar question."
There's been a readjustment to behold as well. Whereas Tang looked for "one or two pieces that are going to help us win a national championship" at Baylor, today he is "trying to put together a team that'll help you win the Big 12, which can then propel you. I've had to readjust my eyes."
For now, amid the thunderous echoing basketballs and squeaking sneakers inside the practice facility, the eyes see promise in elevating the standard.
The eyes see ample potential.
One popular theme running through the Kansas State men's basketball offices is "Elevate the Standard." The creed is emblazoned upon dark gray t-shirts as the Wildcats run through their first week of practices inside the Ice Family Basketball Training Center.
Basketballs bounce with thunderous echoes and sneakers squeak. Tuesday marks the 78th day of the Jerome Tang era. This is the moment that the former 19-year Baylor assistant-turned-associate head coach yearned for when he stood upon a stage in his introductory news conference and proclaimed, "I didn't come to rebuild. I came to elevate." It's beautiful music, albeit with seven players stewing in sweat-soaked t-shirts and shorts, how mid-air passes turn into terrific slam dunks, and how 3-pointers sweep through the nets like waterfalls cascading into still waters.
"We get four hours (of practice) a week," Tang says prior to Manhattan Catbackers on Monday. "We'll see how many minutes they can go before they pass out."
It's Willie Wonka in his chocolate factory. It's Schroeder at his piano. It's the first page of a new chapter in a book left to be written.
Tang says practice is "the fun part" to all this. "You're not on Zoom and not on the phone. You're in the gym, the ball is bouncing, you're in shorts and t-shirts.
"Life is good then."
Life is good for Camryn Carter, the sophomore transfer guard from Mississippi State, who is almost as excited to feast at his favorite restaurants — Popeyes and Cains — as he is to feast on Big 12 Conference opponents next season.Without a doubt#KStateMBB x EMAW pic.twitter.com/JoSaBcKden
— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) June 8, 2022
"I have a lot to prove, and I'm fired up to get out there," he says.
Life is good for 6-foot-10, 216-pound sophomore transfer Jarrell Colbert, who arrives from LSU, and who's known Tang since he recruited the Houston, Texas native in middle school. Colbert says he can backdown defenders or face them up and welcomes big-time minutes on the court after sitting the bench most of last season.
"When we put everything together, we'll show everybody what we're capable of," he says. "I'm very excited to go against all these teams. When I think of the Big 12, I think of winning the whole thing."
Life is good for Nae'Qwan Tomlin, the Harlem, New York native and transfer from Chipola (Fla.) College who was one of the best junior college players last season. Tomlin has grown from 6-foot-7 to 6-foot-10 since high school, and he comes with a heck of a story: He only began playing organized basketball in 2018.
"I feel like there's a target on my back — a kid who hasn't played much basketball growing up, who's here with players who've been playing for a very long time," he says.
Tomlin did play hoops at Rucker Park, street ball at its finest, and watched fellow Harlem natives Markquis Nowell and Ismael Massoud sizzle on the court.
"I grew up seeing them play," he says. "They were always known in New York City, especially Markquis. It's great getting to play with them. Me coming on my visit knowing there were two other kids from Harlem here, it felt like home."
At 6-foot-10, Tomlin fancies himself playing "on the perimeter," and is a "big catch-and-shoot guy who also shoots off the dribble."
Life is good for freshman guard Dorian Finister, a native of New Orleans, who loves the "undeniable love" of K-State fans, and who says they can "expect a lot of energy."
"I can jump out of the gym," he says. "I can shoot the ball really well and handle the ball. I can defend. I'm a good teammate. I bring a lot of energy, a lot of energy."
Life also is good for 6-foot-8, 215-pound freshman forward Taj Manning, a Grandview, Missouri native who was originally recruited by former coach Bruce Weber, and who can play small or power forward.
"It's two different coaches and two different ways of coaching and beliefs and how they want to coach the game and how they want us to play the game," Manning says of the difference between Weber and Tang. "I feel that Coach Tang had a really good plan for me and in what he wants me to do.
"He's a great role model and leader."
And he's had good help.
While K-State assistant coaches have helped mastermind recruiting efforts in search of the perfect fits to fill out the roster, Nowell and Massoud have been the stars of the show. The two holdovers from last year's squad were dignified with a minute-long standing ovation by the sellout crowd of 300 gathers at the Manhattan Catbackers event for their tireless efforts — and for sticking with the program.
"To the people who asked me why I stayed, to me it was an easy decision," Massoud says at Manhattan Catbackers. "All of you guys here, this type of environment is unmatched and just Manhattan in general. It's nothing but love around here and I've loved every second I've been around. There was no decision for me to stay.
"We have the right guys and we're building something, and we have people who want to be here. It's about building something that's going to be special."
David N'Guessan, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound junior transfer from Virginia Tech, is the latest to join the Wildcats. K-State announced his addition last Thursday. He chose to join Tang's team over Maryland, Georgetown, St. Joseph's, George Washington, UMass and Rhode Island. N'Guessan, like Carter (Mississippi State) and Colbert (LSU), was an underutilized talent, but Tang points to analytics while describing his potential.
"(N'Guessan) played behind two all-conference guys at Virginia Tech, but when he played his numbers were really good," Tang says. "Analytics say that if you put up good numbers and give him more minutes you're going to put up about the same type of numbers. If he can do that for us playing more minutes, he's going to be fine."
Tang isn't as concerned about finding players to fill specific positions as much as finding winners and harvesting the best available talent. However, there is a careful balance in deciding between those players who might be immediate impact guys and those young guns who carry the potential to stick around four years.
"There's a balance and a risk you're taking either way," Tang says. "We have to do the best job we can at evaluating character, their circle, and how much they're committed to the school, program and staff, and we can go from there. That's the million-dollar question."
There's been a readjustment to behold as well. Whereas Tang looked for "one or two pieces that are going to help us win a national championship" at Baylor, today he is "trying to put together a team that'll help you win the Big 12, which can then propel you. I've had to readjust my eyes."
For now, amid the thunderous echoing basketballs and squeaking sneakers inside the practice facility, the eyes see promise in elevating the standard.
The eyes see ample potential.
Players Mentioned
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