KOWALCZYK WORKS TO TURN AROUND UT BASKETBALL

July 5, 2010 - Turning around a basketball program from square one can be a daunting task for any coach. Maybe the most difficult part for new Rocket head coach Tod Kowalczyk was trying to figure out how many scholarships he had to work with. When final grades for the spring semester were released, he knew that he would be able to bring in a class that would help UT for the upcoming season and into the future.

"Coming into a situation that's a rebuilding job is more about building a program," Kowalczyk said. "I've got no desire to build a team, but a program for the future."

Kowalczyk was fortunate enough to have two of his players at Green Bay (Rian Peterson and Matt Smith) follow him to Toledo, and also pick up Iowa State transfer Dominique Buckley who would have likely ended up at UWGB had Kowalczyk remained there. The three transfers give Toledo a strong base to build on, even though they will have to sit out the 2010-11 season.

Although the three can only practice this year, Kowalczyk said, "we're going to coach them as hard as any players in our program. This is not a year for them to be off, this is not a redshirt year for them to be working on one skill. This is a year for them to compete and get better. I want the practices to be their games."

Getting a point guard to run the show was one of the most pressing needs for the team. Buckley could play that position, but he's a year away. There was some talk about bringing in a junior college player, but Kowalczyk found J.T. Thomas (photo right) who was doing a post-graduate year at IMG Academy in Florida. With freshman eligibility, he gives UT a player with more experience than the average high school player. "J.T. is a versatile guard who can play the one or two," Kowalczyk said. "I think he has the toughness and skill set to be a very good MAC-level player. He's also a guy who could be a very good defensive player in our league."

If getting a point guard was important, adding another big man was also a priority. In signing 6-9 Delino Dear, the Rockets got another player with post high school experience. He was a starter at Progressive Christian Academy last season. "We basically targeted two guys, and were fortunate that we got one of them," Kowalczyk said. "Without question, Delino is our kind of guy. He's a very good student, comes from a good family and has some toughness about him. I think he can be a good defensive player and block some shots. He's also got some intangibles that you can't teach, and that's good hands and good feel. Either they have it or they don't."

Kowalczyk describes incoming freshman Reese Holliday as a power guard. "He's a strong, skilled guard who scores in a variety of ways. He's a pretty good shooter, but he's also a guy that can finish around the basket and create contact and get fouled. Because of his strength and his ability to move his feet he will become a good defensive player. I would like to think he's going to make a major impact as a freshman."

A late addition to Kowalczyk's first recruiting class was Michigan transfer Anthony Wright. With his degree in hand, and one year of eligibility remaining, it's a win-win situation for UT and Wright. The 6-6 forward gets a chance to contribute to the Rocket team for one season and at the same time earn a master's degree. Primarily a power forward, he can also play the wing. He has very good passing skills and handles the ball well. Wright is coming off of a back injury, so getting him to the right weight and in basketball shape is the main focus at this time.

"I look at the seven guys we brought in, and I think we brought in the right type of character, we brought in guys who are very talented basketball players and diligent students," Kowalczyk said.

This week begins another recruiting period for the Toledo coaching staff. Although recent Rocket teams haven't had many Ohio players on the roster, Kowalczyk wants to change that. Recruiting locally, and then the state of Ohio will be a priority. With one verbal commitment for the class of 2011, the main targets for the other three scholarships are a point guard, a combo guard and a "skilled, tough" power forward.

MAC media-types will probably pick the Rockets to finish near the bottom of the league this season. That's understandable considering the last two seasons. Even though Kowalczyk looks at the upcoming year as an opportunity to build the foundation for future success, he expects Toledo to surprise some teams this year. "I guarantee you that we're going to be picked to finish twelfth in our league. I also guarantee we're not going to finish twelfth."