Lance Goes to College

It has been more than a month since Lance Stephenson shocked the college basketball world by picking Cincinnati, and yet “Born Ready” still has not spoken publicly about his decision.

Bearcats head coach Mick Cronin says Stephenson is adjusting to his new surroundings and acclimating to his new teammates — all in the relative anonymity of a college campus.

“All is quiet. Just lifting weights, getting in shape, playing every day with the guys,” Cronin said Thursday by phone from his office.

“It’s harder on his parents, him not being around, than it is on him. He’s really enjoying being out of the fishbowl a little bit. He’s part of  team here. He can walk around as a normal person. He walks around here and most people don’t know who he is yet. I think he’s enjoying that.”

Stephenson averaged 28.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists to earn Class AA New York State Sports Writers Association (NYSSWA) Player of the Year honors his senior year at Brooklyn Lincoln.

Stephenson left for Cincinnati shortly after the news of his decision was broken by SNY.tv on June 30.

He arrived weighing 223 pounds and Cronin would like to see him drop a few pounds and cut his body fat.

“Just like any freshman, they all need to get in better shape,” Cronin said. “Him being a guard, obviously strength is important for his style of play, but quickness and athleticism can always improve so we focus on body fat. We’re not sure until we work with him for a month and get his accurate body fat and where he should be from a weight standpoint, but it’s all about getting him to a lower body fat is going to allow him to be a better athlete.”

Cronin has said from the beginning that he likes Stephenson’s competitiveness  and will to win.

“He’s a great guy, easy to be around, extremely competitive,” Cronin said. “His will to win and his drive to a be a very good player and become an impact player in our conference are what’s going to make him a great player. That’s something you can’t teach a guy. I knew that coming in, I knew that when we signed him.”

With the return of point guard Deonta Vaughn (pictured) and forward Yancy Gates — two potential future pros — many Big East coaches expected Cincinnati to move up in the rankings anyway.

“The maturity of our returning guys is something I’m looking forward to having because we haven’t had a lot of them since I’ve been here,” Cronin said.

Now with the addition of Stephenson, there’s no telling how good the Bearcats can be.

One thing’s for sure. Cronin believes Lance will add a much-needed dose of New York City toughness.

“Kenny Satterfield brought that back to this program back in 2000,” Cronin said. “Francisco Garcia brought it to Louisville when I signed him. It’s real, it’s tangible. The confidence level, the toughness level, the love for the game, the expectation of winning, whatever it takes to win.

“And the daily competitiveness, whether it’s pickup games, drills, shooting, running, weight room, whatever it may be. The pride factor that a guy like Lance brings to the table wanting to win. He didn’t come here to finish in the middle of the pack. He wants to impact winning while he’s here.

“And just raising the expectation level for our whole team. Not the coaching staff, but in that locker room. I think that’s where he can give us help, too, between the lines.”

Cronin said he hasn’t figured out whether Stephenson will start, but emphasized that he has a “deep team” that will allow them “to push the pace offensively.”

Sean Kilpatrick, another freshman out of White Plains, N.Y., will also contribute.

“He’s a guy I’m really excited about,” Cronin said. “He’s a guy who loves basketball. He’s got tremendous dedication and the most important thing is, he knows how to play.”

Stephenson and Kilpatrick will make their national debut in the Maui Invitational against Vanderbilt Nov. 23 on ESPN2.

“They got their whole team back, so that’s going to be a challenge for us,” Cronin said.

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