This story originally appeared in Mile High Sports Magazine. Read the full digital edition.
No matter where they were born, young basketball players’ dreams of succeeding at an elite level reside with playing in the greatest country for the sport, the U-S-of-A.
For NCAA programs residing in the U.S., the recruitment process is critical to success and provides student-athletes that opportunity to advance one’s game stateside. Recruiting comes easy for powerhouse schools like Duke, Kentucky, and Kansas. Each year these bigtime Division I schools snag some of the most elite talent the sport has to offer.
However, for some schools it’s not as easy as a phone call or quick plane ride to a school or a basketball academy. Some institutions are forced to think outside of the box and get creative when it comes to building sustainable success for a program.
The Metropolitan State University of Denver men’s basketball program is one of the preeminent programs in NCAA Division II. The Roadrunners hold the best all-time winning percentage in Division II men’s basketball history (694-253, .733). They have appeared in the NCAA tournament 15 times since the turn of the century and won two National Championships in that span.
So, how do they do it?
Well, like their professional counterpart across the street, the Denver Nuggets, they are superb at reeling in some of the world’s top international talent. Currently, six of the team’s 14 roster spots are filled by international players coming from Spain to Australia and anywhere in between.
The process starts at the top with head coach Derrick Clark. Entering his sixth season running the show at MSU, Clark says the international recruitment process is critical for the program’s success.
“The game is global and that’s why recruiting at the college level is reflecting what is happening,” Clark explained. “Once you get a kid from a certain spot, you work their contact.”
Clark went on to further explain that when the team recruits one player from a certain area, it often opens the door for more recruits in that same area, creating a domino effect of sorts. One player in particular Clark mentioned was Sunday Dech, a 6-foot-4 guard who came to the States all the way around the globe from Australia.
“His mentality is that of a pro, he is very professional,” Clark said. “He takes care of his body; he understands how to work because he was with the Perth Wildcats as a developmental player, the best pro team in Australia. So he got to see that firsthand, day in and day out. He carries himself more mature than the average guy coming in.”
Dech, a junior, is expected to do big things for the Roadrunners in the coming season.
While in Australia, Dech was a star of the State Basketball League, averaging 19 points and nine rebounds per contest. He is a constant threat from beyond the arc and can create his own shot when needed, making him one of the Roadrunners’ most lethal weapons.
“I think that he is a multidimensional guy,” Clark said in reference to Dech’s game. “He can rebound, score, and he can really defend. I expect him to be the spearhead of our defense because he can guard different positions. A guy that could do a little bit of everything, he is very versatile.”
Dech is one of the brightest Roadrunners on the squad, and there’s an inside scoop on what lured him to the Mile High City.
“I got recruited by coach Michael Ball,” Dech said. “I played with a few guys back in Perth and they knew coach Ball and the coaching staff very well. They kept nagging me, saying ‘Hey, do you want to go to college?’ I kind of turned it down for a year, but then in the second year I decided I wanted to go. So, they contacted the coaching staff, connected the dots, went through the recruiting process and now I’m here.”
Dech and teammate Enrique Cortes Zotes note the big a difference it is to play in the U.S. compared to their homelands.
“We don’t represent a university or college [back home],” Enrique said. “It’s a different pride.”
Dech went on to explain how colleges and universities in Australia are not built with an emphasis around sports like they are in the states. As such, he was forced to sit out last season in order to comply with NCAA recruiting rules, but said he is ready and eager to get things rolling this year for the Roadrunners.
“I sat out last year, so I’m excited to get out on the court with the boys,” he said with a smile.
“This year we’ve got eight guys returning, so there is a lot of expectation we put on ourselves. We want to win a national title. It’s not an easy thing to do, but by following the system our coaches put together and trusting in the process, we can get there.”
While Metro State almost feels like home at this point, Dech remains close with his native land and his family.
“I try to contact my parents two to three times a week,” Dech said. “They are 15 hours ahead in Australia, so it will be tough to talk to them sometimes. Even though we are out here alone, [family and friends] are a big support basis for everybody on the team. You may have a tough day, but talking to your parents makes it all worthwhile.”
More than anything, the love for the game of basketball is what brought Dech to the States.
“The love and passion for the game, but also the willingness to be the best you can,” Dech said about he was drawn to the United States. “To be the best you can, you have to go to the best situation you can be in, and the Unites States is where that’s at right now.”
Dech is a bright young man who loves the game of basketball. His story is one of many that MSU Denver has produced over the years for international players.
The Roadrunners’ ability to not just win with international talent, but groom and provide young men with experiences and opportunities of a lifetime is exactly why Metro State’s basketball program is one of the best in the country.
At Metro State, cultural diversity is the norm and boundaries have been shattered thanks to the red and blue, opening a new passage for kids all around the globe to achieve their goals of playing hoops in the United States of America.
