Commitment to Excellence

Robbie Beran, Collegiate School’s basketball player par excellence, has cast his lot with Northwestern, a Big Ten signatory coached by Chris Collins.

A 6-9, 215-pound senior and four-star recruit, Beran can run the point, shoot the 3, lead the fast break and post up on the low block with equal facility. He selected the Wildcats from a final four that included Boston College, Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech. All told, he had 41 offers.

 

“Northwestern just felt like home,” said Beran, who returned yesterday from his official visit to Northwestern. “From Day One of this whole recruiting process, I tried to find the right fit. Overall, Northwestern was that. They just started school. People were on campus, so there was a buzz around campus. Then, once I got to know the guys (on the team) more and more and the (coaching) staff, it really felt like the right place. They’re building a program there. I want to be part of it.”

 

Located in Evanston, Illinois, Northwestern has the reputation as an excellent academic institution.

 

“The degree is powerful,” Beran said. “That was really appealing from the beginning of the recruiting process.”

 

Last winter, Beran averaged 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three blocked shots while leading the Cougars to a 21-6 record. He was selected All-Prep League and All-VISAA. The previous year, his ledger at J.R. Tucker read 20.2 points, 10 boards and first-team All-Conference 11 honors.

 

By the conclusion of his junior year, Beran, who carries a 4.0-plus grade point average, had drawn considerable interest from college coaches. Recruiting intensified this past summer, however, thanks to his stellar performances representing Team Richmond Garner Road in AAU tournaments in Myrtle Beach, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Las Vegas played before a large gallery of college coaches.

 

Ultimately, he earned national ranking 247Sports (No. 46) and ESPN (No. 100).

 

“I’m extremely proud of Robbie,” said Del Harris, his coach at Collegiate as well as Team Richmond Garner Road. “This is a huge honor. He’s very humbled by it. It’s not just one person who did this. He’s had great support from his family and teammates. Also, it takes self-motivation and dedication to get better. He wants to be a true student-athlete at the highest level.”

 

So what’s next? Intensified preparation. Build on strengths. Focus on the finer points. Leave no stone unturned. No time to rest. It's full speed ahead. Beran is all in.

 

“Now,” Harris continued, “it’s time to get better. That’s my job as his coach, mentor, and friend. I’m eager to get him better. He’s eager to get better. We’ll get back to the basics. You never stop working on fundamentals: footwork, how to pass out of the double-team, how to continue to make your teammates better, your leadership skills. That never stops.”

 

Beran is as humble and unassuming as they come. His humility translates into an steady, almost Zen-like demeanor on the court which belies a quiet intensity as well as a willingness to improve his game when the spotlight isn’t on him.

 

“There’s something burning inside him,” Harris said. “Robbie’s a self-motivator. He doesn’t need anybody to push him.

"He’s preparing for this season, but he’s also preparing for the next level. When he goes from high school to college, he knows he’ll have to reestablish himself. Guess what? Everybody is all-state, all-region, All-American. They’re all rated, especially in the conference he’ll play in. You’re special, but you’re nobody special. That’s where his humility will come into play. He’ll have to reinvent himself. He also has to know who he is and what got him there. That’s why we have to get back to the fundamentals.

  
“There’s no ego with Robbie. No attitude. He’s open to constructive criticism. It’s ‘Coach, I need you to be hard on me,' or 'Coach, I need you to tell me the truth.' I’m going to tell him what he needs to hear. Fundamentals never leave you. He understands.”

  -- Weldon Bradshaw