SoCalHoops College News

Freshman Profile: David Abramowitz Of SDSU--(Nov. 15, 1998)

Call it Aztec Day or something, but we ran across just a ton of articles and information put out by the San Deigo Union-Tribune, and in honor of Eric Rohwer's impending committment, and because David Abramowitz (6'-0" Fr. PG) is one of our all-time favorite players we're republishing the piece that Ed Graney of the Union-Tribune wrote on November 4, 1998 just before the opening of SDSU's exhibition season. Here it is;

Freshman guard adapting to fast pace of college game

By Ed Graney
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
November 4, 1998

The basketball life of David Abramowitz will change drastically over the next several months, change that will begin with an opponent's first missed shot, a rebound and Abramowitz receiving the ball.  You can talk about size and strength and bulk playing a major part in the
outcome of college games, and all of that is true. Utah last season advanced to the national championship largely because of its large young men inside.

But the major difference here, at this level called Division I, is raw speed and quickness. The game is often a blur and those who can't keep up stand out like Kate Moss at a fat farm. As in high school, the game is played on a 94-foot court. But in college, they use every last fiber of wood. "As soon as David catches the ball, he needs to know where all other nine people are on the court," said San Diego State assistant coach Steve Green. "That's the major difference here. The offense begins with that pass. You're attacking from that moment. He needs to push it from there and make the right decisions."

It is his second nature, those two factors, just like eating and sleeping and breathing. SDSU's 6-foot freshman point guard has been directing teammates around screens and into passing lanes for years now. He is the first high school athlete from Tijuana to earn a Division I basketball scholarship, the 18-year-old who last year averaged 15.1 points and 7.2 assists in helping University of San Diego High School to the Division III state championship, who commuted 1 hour, 15 minutes each morning to the Linda Vista school for an opportunity to receive a solid education and play for a winning program.

Who very soon could be handed the controls of SDSU's team. The Aztecs open their season Friday night at 7 in Cox Arena with an
exhibition game against High Five America. SDSU coach Fred Trenkle hasn't tipped his hand on a starting lineup from a team that includes nine new faces (eight of whom are freshmen), but it is likely you will see Abramowitz running this club within the first several weeks of the regular season. That is an exciting proposition. And a scary one. "He has great ability," said Trenkle. "He has great charisma."

He also is a true freshman learning the game at a chaotic pace and at the same time will be expected to make those around him, many as inexperienced as himself, better. There will be nights -- you can be sure of this -- when Abramowitz looks every bit a true freshman, when he suddenly finds himself trying to defend Utah's Andre Miller in the post or Fresno State's Chris Herren off the dribble. There will be games like last year's [San Deigo Section] CIF finals in Cox Arena, when Abramowitz shot 0-for-9 from the field.

He will often be tested physically. He will always be tested mentally. "It's going to be a hard transition," said Abramowitz, who has been slowed of late by quad and hamstring pulls. "I'm pretty quick, but not extremely quick, which means I'll have to stay two steps ahead of the other guy at all times. The offensive part, passing, finding teammates, scoring when I need to, I won't have a problem. But the defense . . . it's so much more physical and quicker here."

He is a much better shooter than SDSU coaches thought and certainly better than he showed in that CIF final against St. Augustine. He also is the last one to leave the gym after practice each day, even on ones when he doesn't participate due to a strained muscle. Dribbling. Shooting. On and on, until the lights go out.

"We need to set up an environment where David can be successful from the beginning," said Green. "He plays the most important position on the floor and if he's unsuccessful, the other four guys can be stymied."

Expectations? They are all right there, on page 158 of a national preseason magazine, right along with the names of Miller and New Mexico center Kenny Thomas. WAC Newcomer of the Year: David Abramowitz, San Diego State. The assumption is, Abramowitz will succeed from the opening tip. "I'm excited," he said. "This is a great opportunity. I'm very comfortable here. It is a chance for eight freshmen to grow together and help build this team."

SDSU is an unfinished wall right now, just a collection of bricks and mortar and cement lying around the back yard. You can hand young Abramowitz the trowel. He'll be the one supervising construction.

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