Home at last
By RICHARD MIDCAP
Special to The Star Democrat
WYE MILLS – Geran Pope has finally found a home.
Pope attended three other community colleges before enrolling at Chesapeake College in August, intent on making the grade academically and athletically in his final shot at a JuCo basketball career. The results so far have been impressive, with the 6-foot-5, 230-pound center succeeding in the classroom and dominating at times on the basketball court for the 7-5 Skipjacks.
He’s been very, very special,” Chesapeake head coach Joel Dearring said of Pope, who is averaging 14.9 points and 14.0 rebounds per game. “He’s been basically unstoppable.”
Pope – whose most recent performance was a 22-point, 20-rebound effort against Hagerstown – said Chesapeake has proven to be “the right fit” after some less satisfactory fits elsewhere.
“One thing I like about Chesapeake is it’s kind of out of the way,” said Pope, a Washington resident who earned his high school degree in 2008 at D.C.’s Kamit Institute. “There are a lot of things going on back there (in D.C.). It’s hard to separate yourself from a lot of the negativity. At Chesapeake, I’ve found a positive setting and people with the same goals as I have – they want to play basketball and further their education. It’s just a better atmosphere.”
Pope played his freshman year at Lackawanna (Pa.) College, but things didn’t work out either with basketball or academics.
“It wasn’t a good fit for me at Lackawanna,” said Pope. “I didn’t finish out the year, so I didn’t have enough credits to play the next year. I went to Montgomery (College) for half a season, then went to Garrett (College). I finally decided to grind it out, not give up, and get to the point where I had enough credits (to resume his basketball career).”
“To be honest, he has been through a lot,” Dearring said of Pope’s college career. “All he was looking for was an opportunity to show people he could play . . . that he was able to do the things a college basketball player could do to be special.”
As Pope searched for that right fit, he said Chesapeake kept coming up as a viable option.
“Dwayne Curtis, a friend of mine who was already at Chesapeake, said, ‘Why don’t you come to Chesapeake?’ I came to a few workouts. I had actually gone to a Chesapeake workout two years ago and for the last two years Coach Dearring and his staff have been calling – ‘How are you doing, are you working on credits, are you doing what you need to do to get the credits right?’ ”
Pope wasted no time taking advantage of his last JuCo opportunity, putting up 14 points and 14 rebounds in the Skipjacks’ opener at Allegany College.
“I went through so much to get back to the point where I needed to be,” said Pope, who admitted to being a little nervous at the start of the Allegany game. “Being as though I had a dream for three years, I had a few butterflies, but as soon as the whistle went off and the ball went up, I was fine.”
Pope has been more than fine. He has churned out double-doubles on a nearly nightly basis, notching 10 double-doubles and posting double figures in rebounds in all 12 games.
“I have a knack for finding the ball and scoring,” Pope said. “It sort of comes from being stronger than others. I’m not super-athletic, but I always find a way to score. It’s kind of natural – I just watch the ball and try to get to where I think it’s coming off. Then I box out and use my frame.”
Dearring has been as pleased with Pope’s academic efforts as he has been with his basketball contributions.
“Academically, he’s done very well at Chesapeake,” said Dearring. “It’s something he’s struggled with in the past at different colleges. He’s put in the work in the classroom.”
Chesapeake finished the first half of the season strong, winning five of its last seven after a 2-3 start. Dearring thinks the Skipjacks have championship potential, and Pope’s presence is one reason for the coach’s confidence.
“He is definitely going to be a key to our success,” said Dearring. “If he keeps playing like he’s playing, when the money’s on the line in March we should be a team to contend with.”
“I think the team has been getting better,” said Pope. “I think we started off a little shaky at times, kind of lackadaisical. I feel like as the season goes on we’re going to get better and better. I actually feel we have the talent and potential to go to nationals.”
