Dec 25, 2007 - 04:05:20 CST
Thomas VerDouw will always be one of those special players to Augustana College men's basketball coach Tom Billeter.VerDouw, a St. Mary's graduate, was one of the first players Billeter signed when he was hired at Augie. Not only that, but VerDouw's outgoing personality has rubbed off on his coach.
"He was a senior in high school, and when I saw him for the first two minutes I said that we needed to get this kid," said Billeter, who is in his fourth year coaching the Vikings.
Augusta is a four-year private school in Sioux Falls, S.D. Billeter sees VerDouw as a poster child for the private-school student.
"He represents Augie so well," Billeter said. "He is the perfect private-school kid. Everybody knows him. Classes are smaller and the teachers like him. He likes visiting and being around people and being in discussions in class."
Augustana has been the perfect fit for VerDouw, who is majoring in business with an emphasis in marketing.
"Augie did a nice job of promoting themselves as an academic school," VerDouw said. "Everybody knows everybody. Coming from a small school like St. Mary's, it was appealing."
VerDouw, a 6-foot-8 center, has progressed into the type of player that Billeter wanted on his team. VerDouw is averaging 11.0 points and 4.8 rebounds a game for the 9-3 Vikings. He's also shooting 64 percent from the field and 71 percent from the free-throw line.
VerDouw has led the Vikings in scoring twice this season with 24 points being his season high. He's led Augustana five times in rebounding.
VerDouw led St. Mary's to a Class A state title as a senior in 2004, picking up first team all-state honors along the way.
It wasn't uncommon for him to step out to the perimeter and knock down a shot.
Billeter has had better success using VerDouw as a power forward.
"He has good post moves and a good post hook," Billeter said. "He can face the basket further out and be a good passer. He can go around his opponent because he's usually quicker than the kid playing against him."
VerDouw is fine with not tossing up perimeter shots.
"If I shot a 3-pointer I would get a big scolding and would probably be sitting on the bench," VerDouw said. "Coach has made it extremely clear to me through my college years that I'm there to score inside."
It's in the defensive area where VerDouw believes he's grown as a player. VerDouw experienced a learning curve from playing at St. Mary's to competing in the North Central Conference.
Now, VerDouw can defend No. 3 guards without any problems.
"Coming into college basketball, I was almost a liability on defense," VerDouw said. "The coaches taught me how to use my quick feet to my advantage."
Billeter sees VerDouw going far when his basketball career at Augustana is finished. VerDouw completed an internship at the Strawbale Winery in Renner, S.D., a community a few miles north of Sioux Falls this past summer.
VerDouw helped make the wine and delivered it to stores. But the bulk of his duties was PR work giving tours of the winery and telling tourists about the whole operation.
"It was a blast," VerDouw said. "What I liked the most about the internship was the fact that I had so many interesting people to talk to. On the average day we had groups come in from California and Florida and we had a lot of RVs come in. Every day I heard stories from people all around the country."
VerDouw's internship allowed him time to concentrate more on basketball in the offseason. He sees himself staying in Sioux Falls after graduation this spring.
"Sioux Falls is booming right now,"VerDouw said. "There are good opportunities, especially for Augie graduates, in this area. The town loves Augie and you can tell that with some of the jobs some of the students pull out of here."
dj dan wrote on Dec 30, 2007 7:13 PM:
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