Photo courtesy Quinnipiac Athletics
By Dylan Fearon
Heading into his 9th season as the Quinnipiac men’s basketball coach, Tom Moore has just one player that has been on his roster for the last three years.
That player is James Ford, Jr.
After losing four starters from a year ago, Moore has added three freshman and three transfers for the 2015-16 campaign, but Ford has been a constant. A passionate guard looking to make a lasting impact and an NCAA Tournament before his career at Quinnipiac is over.
Ford’s popular personality resonates with the rest of his teammates, something the Quinnipiac coaching staff says is extremely important.
“He’s been awesome as far as being a leader,” Moore said. “The thing with James is he’s in a great spot. I don’t think we need him to be (Zaid Hearst) or to be James Feldeine or anything like that. What we need from him is exactly what he’s delivering right now. He brings incredible enthusiasm and energy. He’s the emotional leader of our team.”
Whether it’s doing community service with his teammates, making shots late in the shot clock or defending the other teams best player, Moore says Ford is up to the task.
“He’s a great defender,” said Moore. “He’s going to want to play the best three, two or one on the other team and he’s going to make outside shots and he’s going to rebound at both ends, and that’s all we need out of him. It’s refreshing to know we don’t have to ask him to go from what he averaged last year to 18 (points) this year. He can be incredibly valuable to us if he continues to do what he’s doing.”
New Director of Basketball Operations Mark Fogel added, “(James) has been great for all the new guys that we have because he is an extremely vocal leader. He is not going to be a guy that is quiet. If you walk in the gym you are going to hear James Ford. He has been really good for those guys.”
With six new faces this year, Ford has one message for his teammates: stay the course.
“Don’t get discouraged,” Ford said. “Things aren’t always going to go your way 100 percent of the time, but if you keep your head up instead of putting your head down, the outcome is going to be different. Something I try to enforce on these guys, especially with them being so young, is it’s a new system with new characters and new personalities, so we all need to gel together and once we do that and get that chemistry, nobody can stop us.”
Last year, Moore and the Bobcats didn’t have the depth they have this year. The Bobcats finished 15-15 without Giovanni McLean, a junior guard who was ineligible last year due to transcript fraud. This year, Moore has 10 players at his disposal who can log valuable minutes, something he and Ford say can be looked at as a glass half full or half empty. Ford says the depth this year will help them compete with the reigning MAAC regular season champions, Iona.
“When you look at last year, at the beginning of the season we were only playing like six or seven guys. With us having so many bodies that can go out there and give it all they’ve got, we’re deep. That means that one through 10 could come out there and give it all they can, then get a rest and get right back out there and not lose a step. That’s going to help us a lot, especially with teams like Iona.”
Ford is expected to get more open shots this season with the emergence of the now-eligible McLean. With him on the floor, Ford says he will be able to fill the stat sheet more than ever.
“With (McLean) on the court and his ability to score, that’s going to draw attention to him, and that’s going to open up shots for me and I’m known to be a good shooter, so that’s going to open a lot of things for me. I’m going to knock them down like I have been. I’ve improved my game. I’ve got a pull-up game and I’m going to the rim more. This year is going to be exciting.”
The Bobcats backcourt is going to be led by Ford and McLean, along with junior transfer Daniel Harris and sophomores Dimitri Floras and Ayron Hutton, who was an All-MAAC Rookie team selection last year. Twins Aaron and Andrew Robinson will also aid Moore’s backcourt. Whoever is out on the court, Ford believes Quinnipiac’s guards will be a force to be reckoned with.
“I feel like we’re going to be the best backcourt in the MAAC,” Ford said. “Granted, everyone’s has their opinions on A.J. English. I feel like Giovanni is going to change that opinion real soon, within two games into the season.”
The senior from Hopewell, Virginia credits his on and off the court success to his coaches and teammates, but there is one person that has made him into the player and person he is today: his mother.
“My mom is everything to me,” Ford said. “Everything I do is for her. She is my backbone. Without her I wouldn’t be here today. She’s helped mold me into what I am today. Growing up, she was a single parent in rough areas, doing all you can. I’ve learned the struggle from her. Her will is my will. I love my mom.”
Ford has learned from great Quinnipiac guards before him. Dave Johnson. Umar Shannon. Zaid Hearst. But now it’s his time to teach those lessons to his teammates. Ford’s first class with his students is Friday at 5:30 p.m. in the Connecticut 6 Classic. The subject? The Sacred Heart Pioneers.
