When the recent high school basketball season ended, one of Hudson County’s premier players was left without a home to play college basketball, although he would be the first to admit that it was more than likely his own fault.
No one has ever doubted Gary Felices’ ability to play the game of basketball. The North Bergen High School sharpshooter and Guttenberg native was a two-time Hudson Reporter All-Area honoree, earning First Team recognition this year.
Felices was one of the most instrumental reasons why North Bergen was able to secure its first HCIAA title in 28 years, leading the Bruins in scoring, averaging close to 19 points per game.
He was a perfect combination of quickness and shooting ability, the kind of player who would grace any college team.
Except there was one glaring aspect to Felices’ game that was missing – his grades. A poor performance in the classroom was the only reason why colleges didn’t come calling and offering scholarships galore.
“I know I have to get better grades,” Felices said. “It’s the biggest reason why I didn’t get any offers. I know that now.”
In most cases, when a player finally recognizes that his academic work was the only stumbling block towards securing a college home, it’s usually way too late. There aren’t many opportunities for second chances in the rough-and-tumble world of college basketball.
However, Felices did receive a new lease on life, thanks to a long-time Hudson County basketball veteran who sponsors a camp to help kids in similar academic straits like Felices to get admission into college via the junior college route.
Ed Butler was the long-time basketball coach at Snyder High School in the 1970s and ’80s, leading the Tigers to several HCIAA championships. Butler was the head coach at Snyder when they had such great players as Rafael Addison, Clarence “Boo-Bee” Richardson, Phil Jamison and Shelton Gibbs.
Butler now spends his time running a special camp for kids who didn’t qualify for a four-year college, but may benefit a team in the junior college ranks. The camp was held a few weeks ago at Elizabeth High School and brought out some of the best schools at the JUCO level. The players go there to get scouted and possibly signed by the JUCO coaches. It’s a system that works out well, especially for the local athlete who didn’t excel in the classroom.
Felices knew that this was going to be his final chance to fulfill a dream.
“I always wanted to play for a (NCAA) Division I program,” Felices said. “I knew that my only shot would be to go to a prep school for a year or go to a JUCO. When I heard about this camp, I had to go.”
Felices participated in the camp and did extremely well.
“I had a bunch of schools after me,” Felices said. “One was a junior college in Bakersfield, California. That was a little too far away.”
Another JUCO was located in Albert, Oklahoma. Even a kid from Guttenberg can get lost there.
But there was another school that really was interested in Felices and in turn, he was interested in them. A prominent Illinois junior college called Lincoln Trail College, located in Robinson, Illinois, offered Felices a scholarship.
Lincoln Trail is the same school where current Washington Wizards point guard Chris Whitney played at before going on to Clemson and then becoming a success in the NBA. It’s also where Lincoln Glass went for two years, before having a fine career at Auburn University.
“I went to visit the school and I liked it a lot,” Felices said. “I liked the coaches and they have a good program. Plus, JUCO basketball is huge out there. They really love their basketball at Lincoln Trail. I’m really excited about this.”
So Felices signed his letter last week to attend Lincoln Trail. He’s getting a chance to get out of Hudson County and see if basketball can propel him to bigger and better things.
He was asked if his braided hair will fit in well at Lincoln Trail.
“I just hope they get some recruits with braids as well,” he laughed.
Felices knows that there are no second chances now.
“If I work hard, I can get a [Division I] scholarship,” Felices said. “It’s up to me now.”
Felices, who will leave for Lincoln Trail next month, said that his experience leading the Bruins to the county crown will benefit him on the next level.
“I think it’s all been a good experience for me,” Felices said. “I’ve shown my leadership abilities and I will take them with me. I’m much more confident now as a player. I know what it takes to get to the next level.”
Now, it’s all up to one person – Gary Felices…
St. Anthony assistant basketball coach Ben Gamble is taking the first step towards eventually taking over the head coaching position, when the legendary Bob Hurley retires in two years.
Gamble, already tabbed as Hurley’s replacement, will run the St. Anthony Basketball Camp, on Aug. 7-11, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Golden Door Charter School, located on Ninth Street in downtown Jersey City.
The camp is strictly for grade school players, ages 8 through 14.
Gamble has asked former St. Anthony greats Donald Copeland (who recently graduated from Seton Hall and will be pursing a pro career in Puerto Rico) and Dwayne Lee (who recently graduated from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia) to serve as guest speakers for the camp.
Darren Savino, another St. Anthony graduate who was recently named the new assistant coach at Rutgers University, will be another featured lecturer at the camp.
“Hopefully, we’ll get a nice turnout,” Gamble said. “It’s coming at a time when camps are usually over, so this will be the last basketball instruction the kids will get before the school year begins. It’s definitely the first big step for me, as I prepare for when Coach Hurley steps down. This is where we want to go in the future.”
For more information about the St. Anthony basketball camp, call Coach Gamble at (201) 936-5716…
— Jim Hague