Spivey Waits for One More Time to Shine

Travis Spivey didn’t last at Georgia Tech. His schoolwork often interfered with his night-life.

At Iowa State, his career was derailed before it started when he pleaded guilty to statutory rape for having sex with a 15-year-old girl.

Spivey needed a third chance and realized there wouldn’t be a fourth. That’s how he ended up at Salt Lake Community College, hoping for another taste of big-time college basketball.

“I’m just happy to get another chance,” said the 6-foot-2 sophomore point guard. “I take every day coming to practice like it’s my last day. I work hard and try to get better.”

Three years ago, Spivey was one of the nation’s top high school recruits, a product of prestigious basketball factory Mount Zion Academy in Durham, N.C.

After starting as a freshman at Georgia Tech, Spivey left when coach Bobby Cremins recruited another point guard, Tony Akins. Besides, Spivey couldn’t concentrate on school with all the fun he was having.

“I was partying, going to clubs,” he said. “There were so many things to do in Atlanta.”

Cremins now worries that he pushed Spivey into a class schedule that was too demanding.

“Academically it was a little tough on him,” Cremins said. “I question myself sometimes, if I put him into a situation that was too tough because of the academics.”

But Spivey takes the blame.

“I was slacking in the classroom,” he said. “It wasn’t that I couldn’t do the work. I wasn’t putting forth the effort. I wanted to hang out and have fun.”

So it was on to Iowa State, where Spivey was redshirting last spring when he met two girls, ages 17 and 15, at a convenience store.

Both girls claimed he raped them. Spivey said he had consensual sex with the younger girl but didn’t realize she was a minor.

Last month, he received a 10-year suspended sentence with five years’ probation.

Cyclones coach Larry Eustachy, who formerly coached at Utah State, feared things wouldn’t work for Spivey if he stayed in Ames. So he directed Spivey to Salt Lake Community College coach Norm Parrish.

“I would like to think he’s matured,” Parrish said. “I didn’t know him beforehand, but obviously he made some bad decisions. All you can do is hope he doesn’t repeat them.”

Spivey insists he has changed. He’s 21, and he pointed to his 3.1 grade-point average last semester as proof.

“They didn’t have to give me another opportunity. No one did. I’m going to take advantage of it,” he said.

Meanwhile, his game has taken off against junior-college competition. Never a scoring threat at Georgia Tech, Spivey averages 18.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 9.1 assists a game for the 23-5 Bruins.

“He’s got great court vision,” Parrish said. “He’s an emotional leader. He’s very, very, very competitive and the belief in himself rubs off on others.”

This week, Spivey is leading Salt Lake in the Scenic West Athletic Conference tournament. It’s not the ACC or the Big 12, but Spivey sees it as a step to the national junior-college tournament championship.

“That’s been my goal since I got here,” he said.

Then there’s next season.

Spivey has drawn recruiting attention from California, Oklahoma, Oregon State, Pepperdine, Purdue, Rutgers, San Jose State, Southern California, Texas Christian and Utah.

Salt Lake City has been a good fit, and Spivey said he likes Utah coach Rick Majerus.

“Utah right now is the front-runner, just on tradition and coach Majerus,” Spivey said. “Everybody knows he’s one of the best coaches, if not the best, in the nation.”

Regardless of where Spivey ends up, the important thing is that he has straightened himself out.

“He’s been through a lot,” Cremins said. “This is going to be a great story if he makes it. He’s a great kid, a great player. I’m pulling for him.”