San
Joaquin Delta College point Jordan Belasco may not be able to leap tall
buildings in a single bound nor sprint faster than a speeding bullet
but he can distribute the basketball on a timely basis as evidenced by
his being best in the state in assists with 8.2 each game.
So
naturally he believes his best basketball skills revolve around
"running a team, seeing the floor and being a true point, meaning
setting up my teammates and finding the open person."
As
this isn't an element that appears out of thin air, the 6-foot Belasco
has worked on his craft. "I really watch Tony Parker because he's
considered an under-the-rim player who can take people off the dribble."
Steve Nash is another -- "I study him a lot." Russell Westbrook and
Derrick Rose are also considered must-views by Belasco, Rose especially
so because of his ability to see the floor.
This
has not been a recent course of study. "Even in the sixth grade, I made
it a point to know about tendencies and who likes the ball this way or
that way. It's important to know where your teammates are going to be on
the floor."
For
the record, it's worth noting he is also averaging 14.5 points per game
this season while shooting 41%, 40% and 87% respectively.
So
coming out of Lodi High with a reputation as a passer - scorer, why did
he go with San Joaquin Delta? "It was away from what I was used to but
still close to home. Coach [Rich] Ressa and the guys were great so it
was like a comfort zone." That was important for Belasco who wanted to
get close to his teammates and take the time to get to know them.
He
also desired to develop his talents plus his approach to the game.
"Everything has improved in my game, my pullup jumper, my three-pointer,
my mental preparation. In high school, you looked at it as just a game
and there would be one or two stars to worry about [on the opposing
team.] Now there are actual scouting reports, you learn about player
tendencies and there are five guys [on the court] to worry about, not
just two."
It
was important for Belasco to be in a cohesive environment and he found
that with Delta. "When you play as a team, you can achieve so much more.
Teams playing us will know they are facing five guys playing together."
As
to the rather unsung Mustang reputation as a team minus any
blue-chippers, "it puts a chip on our shoulders and fire in our guys."
He's
looking to major in business at the next level although entering the
coaching profession is something he would really like to achieve,
saying, "I don't think I'll ever be able to leave this game."
Regarding
that move to a four-year school, Belasco offered, "it's still up in the
air. I'm focusing on now and not looking into the future. That keeps me
worry free."
Cherishing
a memory from his junior season at Lodi, he calls it his best
basketball moment. 'It' being seventh-seeded Lodi defeating
second-seeded powerhouse Sacramento High 90-81 at Arco on February 24,
2012. "They were ranked and everyone thought we would get blown out."
Belasco is hoping something similar takes place in mid-March down at Cerritos College.
Monday, February 9, 2015
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