Meyer on Morris Link
Moon Township, Pa. – Dec. 30, 2013 – Five seasons ago,
Russell Johnson, a lanky, athletic 6'6" swingman, embarked on a standout Robert Morris career that ended with him scoring 1,208 points (14th all-time) and grabbing 746 rebounds (third all-time).
Three seasons ago,
Lucky Jones, a lanky, athletic 6'6" swingman, began his Robert Morris career that should end with him ranked in the top five on the scoring and rebounding lists.
This season, Jeremiah Worthem, a lanky, athletic 6'6" swingman, began his Robert Morris career that -- based on an admittedly small sample size but also based on history -- could end with him ranked in the top five in scoring and rebounding.
"He can be a great player here,'' Jones said.
Worthem's freshman numbers as the Colonials prepare for a game at nationally ranked Oklahoma State tonight are remarkably similar to those posted by Johnson and Jones in their first seasons. Johnson averaged 7.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, while Jones averaged 8.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.
Worthem in his first 13 games with the Colonials averaged 8.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
Worthem's scoring average jumped a bit after he got his collegiate legs eight games ago. In those eight games, which include his first five double-figure performances, he averaged 10.8 points per contest.
"I'm getting used to the game speed,'' Worthem said. "Things are coming to me now. The first couple of games, the game speed was too fast. I wasn't used to the physicality. Now things are starting to come together.''
Just as RMU coach
Andrew Toole hoped they would when he recruited Worthem out of Philadelphia's Mathematics, Civics and Sciences Charter School.
One reason Toole wanted Worthem last year was Johnson's imminent graduation departure.
"We recruit by need more than anything else,'' Toole said. "We have to try to fill the positions of the guys who are either leaving or the guys who haven't developed the way we thought they should. It's always based on need and how we can try and improve our team.''
It's probably safe to theorize that Toole saw another
Russell Johnson in Worthem.
"I think you try and project as you recruit,'' Toole said. "I think that helps you prioritize who you want to recruit. I think you have to try and project and do the best you can and see how they can develop, see where they could fit into your program, see what kind of role they can have. I think you do that during the recruiting process more than when they sign. I think that's part of the evaluation process, to figure out who you want to make a part of your program.''
What also helped Toole make Worthem a recruit priority was his talent.
"That's the first thing that obviously attracted us to him during the recruiting process -- his talent and his versatility," Toole said.
Those are other attributes Worthem shares with Johnson and Jones. Johnson could play inside or outside. He shot the three. He could handle the ball. Jones is equally comfortable on the perimeter and in the lane. He's exceptional at launching from international waters, and he can definitely handle the ball.
Worthem began to expand his game during his junior season in high school -- after deciding basketball was for him two years earlier.
"When he first came in as a freshman, he wasn't too sure exactly what to do or how to get it done,'' Worthem's high school coach, Dan Jackson, told the City of Basketball Love in October, 2012.
"I wasn't sure if I wanted to play,'' Worthem said. "It takes a lot of time to play basketball. It's a lot of gym time. Then in my freshman year I started having good games at my high school, and I just started working out a lot and it just happened.''
"Going into his junior year of high school, he was more of an around-the-basket type guy,'' Toole said. "He really, really put a lot of time and effort into adding (range) to his game -- that 17-footer, that three.''
Worthem's talent and versatility made him attractive to mid-major programs. Robert Morris got in on him early, followed by Stony Brook and Northeast Conference members Wagner and LIU-Brooklyn.
In the end, Worthem signed with the Colonials.
"Jeremiah saw that they're winners,'' Jackson said. "They typically go to (a postseason) tournament, and if not they're one of the top teams in their conference every year. They play pretty good competition every year, so he would be exposed to good competition. You don't go for the conference. You go for the college that best fits your needs, and I think that stuck with him.''
"(Robert Morris) is where I was recruited the best and the earliest of all those schools,'' Worthem said. "I was recruited the right way (by RMU) the whole time.''
Worthem also talked with former Colonial point guard great
Velton Jones, who's also from Philadelphia.
"He talked to me about how it is here,'' Worthem said. "Once I saw it for myself, I decided to come.''
It could be that
Velton Jones,
Russell Johnson, who's from Philadelphia neighbor Chester, Pa., and Worthem will be valuable recruiting pieces in Philadelphia for Robert Morris.
"Everybody (in Philadelphia) knows about Robert Morris because of those guys and me coming here,'' Worthem said, "so right now a lot of Philly kids are looking into it more.''
Worthem began getting acclimated at Robert Morris last summer. It helped that
Lucky Jones, noticing Worthem's talent, took him under his wing and had a heart-to-heart chat with him.
"You have great athletic ability, and you can do a lot of special things here,'' Jones told Worthem. "If you just keep staying humble and if you just keep working, you'll be in a great position.''
Why did Jones feel that way?
"When he came here on a little visit, I could see him being strong and getting to the basket,'' Jones said. "I could just see he can be a great player here.''
Jones' chat resonated with Worthem.
"He's pretty much the face of the program right now,'' Worthem said. "Hearing that from him as a freshman means a lot. He let me know just the way it was going to be and what I could do. He knows his stuff. He's had a good career here so far. I'm thinking if he can do it, then I can do it.''
So far, Worthem is indeed doing it.
"I think on game day he's extremely competitive,'' Toole said. "He wants to win. He has a good feel for the game. He has a good knowledge of the game. Once he started to get an understanding of what the games would be like, it wasn't very difficult for him to adjust to the games. I think that's why you've been able to see him become more comfortable and produce more.''
There was something in Toole's tone when he said "on game day'' that made a listener wonder if there were something hidden there.
Turned out, there was.
"One thing he knows, and we discuss it, is his preparation,'' Toole said. "That's something he needs to attack. Whether it's the way he prepares himself for practice, whether it's the way he prepares himself for lifting weights, workouts, those kinds of things. He comes from a place where he could get himself geared up for game day two or three times a week and be one of the best players on the court. Here, he has the talent to become one of the best players on the court, but he's only going to be able to do that on a consistent basis if he puts the work in on a daily basis.
"It's something we've talked about with him, and it's something that all freshmen go through -- understanding how hard you have to work to be ready on game day. If he buys into that piece, then the sky's the limit.''
That's heady stuff.
But it hasn't totally happened for Worthem yet.
"He doesn't mind coming into the gym,'' Toole said. "He doesn't mind getting some work in. He really developed his skills during his time in high school. I think he just needs to take that next leap. I think every time you go up a level, you have to take that leap in the way that you work if you want to get similar results. Like I said, everyone knows the talent is there. He has great understanding and knowledge. He's just got to be able to understand (that) the way you practice is the way you perform,
and so if he can be more consistent in practice, I think his games will be even more consistent.
"It's called productive practice. There are guys who will spend three hours in the gym shooting half-court hook shots and say, 'I worked out for three hours today.' And there are other guys who get in the gym for 45 minutes and they absolutely exhaust themselves and that 45 minutes is so much better spent than those three hours of half-court hook shots. It's learning how to work out, learning how to put your time in. Even coming down before practice for 20 minutes and getting in productive work is a secret to becoming good at this level.''
Perhaps, then, Worthem could more productively use his pre-practice time on something other than draining treys.
"There are times when he'll go down before practice and he'll make a whole bunch (of threes) in a row,'' Toole said. "He gets going and he can really, really shoot it. (But) the process he has to go through is as people start to take that standstill shot away from him is he going to be able to shoot it quicker and on the move or off the bounce and that kind of stuff. Every time you go up a level and people see a skill you have, they try and take it away and now you have to be able to counter it with another skill if you're going to be as good as you want to be.''
It does not hurt Worthem's value that he's adept at handling the ball -- especially for a big man.
"I don't love him going full-court with the ball,'' Toole said. "There are situations in the half-court where he's really quick and aggressive getting to the rim and being able to get into the lane and disrupt. It's something we've encouraged him to do. I think he does it very well. It gives him an advantage (against) a lot of people who have to go out and check him on the perimeter. Whether it's his quickness or his skill, I think it's something we have to try and utilize in our offense.''
The Colonials are just about at the end of their non-conference schedule. They begin Northeast Conference play Jan. 9 at Sacred Heart.
How does Jones assess Worthem's progress at this point?
"I still think he could be a little more humble," Jones said, "but I had to go through it. A lot of freshmen have to go through it. He can do more. Way more. As far as rebounding, as far as scoring and doing all the little things. He has to want to get pushed. I see a lot of potential. He's going to find his rhythm.''
When that happens, maybe, as Toole said, the sky will indeed be the limit.
But Worthem doesn't want to think like that.
"I'm just going to keep working,'' he said. "Whatever happens, happens. I don't really like to think about the future. I just take it one day at a time. Day by day.''
