UCI’s Stetson Turns Out to Be Letter-Winner

Dear Coach Baker . . . Adam Stetson’s letter began . . . I’m 19 years old, 6-foot-8, can hit the three greater than 40% of the time, currently bench 265 pounds . . .

OK, Stetson fudged. He is closer to 6-6. But, then, Rod Baker was no longer the UC Irvine basketball coach, having been shown the door months earlier.

. . . and I want to continue to play basketball for a quality program such as yours.

OK, quality might have been a bit overstated.

Still, to Anteater assistant coach Len Stephens, this sounded like an opportunity to land a player, not a chance to sink one in the old round file. He showed the letter to new head Coach Pat Douglass and the process began.

After some inquiries and some videotape, Stetson had his wish. Douglass, still scrounging for players to revive Irvine’s program, offered Stetson a scholarship over the summer. He has made the most of the opportunity so far.

The Anteaters open their season Saturday against San Francisco (7 p.m., Bren Center) and Stetson, a sophomore forward, probably will be in the starting lineup. Through two exhibition games, he has looked like a steal.

Stetson scored 13 points in a loss to Silute (Lithuania), making three of six three-pointers. He followed that up with 22 points--hitting two of five threes--in a 79-68 victory over the California All-Stars. True, it was an exhibition game, but considering the Anteaters didn’t get their first--and only--victory until Jan. 23 last season, it was a moment worth noting.

“All I’ve ever wanted to do is play college basketball,” Stetson said. “My dad played at Alaska Anchorage and I had a basketball in my hands since I can remember.”

So last June, he took pen in hand after his freshman year at Western Nebraska Community College and began to write.

I love this game. Not only can I play it very well; I want to succeed for the team and myself. I know that this year I could assist in many ways for your team.

He sent letters to several California schools, including UCLA, USC and Pepperdine. He heard from Irvine. The letter not only found the right situation, a program trying to rebound, but the right person.

Said Stephens: “Your first thought is, ‘Here we go. This guy is probably slower than a slug.’ But when I was at Washington State, we got a tape of Scott Skiles. I looked at it and thought, ‘He’s just too slow to play in the Pac-10.’ ”

Skiles became a first-team All-American guard at Michigan State.

“From that point, I learned to follow up every piece of mail I got,” Stephens said.

Coming out of Grapevine High School in Grapevine, Texas, everyone knew I could shoot.

Stetson can, when open, but few were interested when he was at Grapevine. Stephen’s slower-than-a-slug thought was not far off. Texas Arlington showed some interest, but Stetson, having been born in San Diego, wanted to play in the West. First stop, Western Nebraska.

“He needed to be at a junior college to improve his skills,” Western Nebraska Coach Dave Campbell said. “He couldn’t start for me.”

Of course, Campbell had a gym-full of talent. Besides Stetson, six Cougar players went to NCAA Division I schools this season, including guard Willie Anderson (LSU). Still, Stetson averaged six points and had a 26-point game against Western Wyoming. As the season went on, his playing time was reduced, but Stetson thought he made his point--to himself.

“At first, it was threatening,” he said. “A lot of those guys were high school All-Americans. I wasn’t. When I started getting out there playing, I realized that I could do it and had the potential to play at the Division I level.”

Although I consider myself a team player, I was able to display more than once that I could score 20 points or more against strong opponents at home and away.

Those skills have been refined some.

“He shoots the ball well and he has some size,” Douglass said. “He hasn’t demonstrated it yet, but he is a good passer. He worked hard on his game since he got here. He put in time in the weight room and gym.”

Stetson said he left Western Nebraska after one season for academic reasons.

“I realize basketball is not going to last forever,”’ he said. “The junior college route was not the route to take for me to get a good job. Irvine could offer a great education.”

Stetson received questionnaires from the other schools. He got a call from Douglass.

“Generally you don’t get players through the mail,” Douglass said. “But he was on a real strong [junior college] team and he had three years of eligibility left. We called some coaches in the league and everything was positive. It was a bit of a gamble, but it has paid off.”

I am writing this letter to see if there are opportunities for me in your program. I would appreciate an opportunity to speak with you about contributing to your team.

Stetson has, so far. But on Saturday, his postage comes due. “We’ve only played two exhibition games,” Douglass said. “It’s nothing to write home to Mom about yet.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

UC Irvine 1997-98 Schedule

November: Saturday, San Francisco; Tuesday, Pepperdine; 21, Chico State; 29, at Utah.

December: 4, Oregon State; 13, San Diego State; 18, Portland; 21, at Northern Arizona; 23, at UNLV.

January: 3, Sonoma State; 8, at North Texas; 10, at New Mexico State; 15, Boise State; 17, Idaho; 22, at Pacific; 24, at Long Beach State; 29, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; 31, UC Santa Barbara.

February: 5, Cal State Fullerton; 7, at Nevada; 12, Utah State; 14, at Cal State Fullerton; 19, Long Beach State; 21, Pacific; 26, at UC Santa Barbara; 28, at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

March: 6-8, Big West tournament at Reno.