Catching Up With J.B. Bell '22

3/19/2023

When J.B. Bell made his official recruiting visit to Marymount University, he knew he’d found his home away from home.

The basketball program at the Division III signatory in Arlington seemed a very good fit, and the 2022 Collegiate graduate really liked the welcoming nature of head coach Chris Rogers, his assistant Isaac Blue, and the guys on the team.

The location appealed to him as well because it was roughly two hours from Richmond and friends and family could see him play.

What really sold him, though, was the sense that the Marymount community truly cared for him not just as a basketball player, but as a young man about to step into uncharted territory.

“Most of the time when we talked, it wasn’t about basketball,” Bell said of his contact with his future teammates and coaches during the visit and in the aftermath. “It was about school and how my family’s doing and about how I was doing as a person. That made me feel really good.”

Bell, who earned All-Prep League honors as a Collegiate senior, quickly found that his intuition was spot on.

He’s enjoyed his total college experience and played a role, albeit mostly as a backup player, as the Saints went 17-11 (after a 4-8 start), won their first Atlantic East Conference tournament championship since 2000, and advanced to the NCAA DIII tournament where they lost 80-62 in the first round to Oswego State.

A 6-7 forward, Bell played in 14 games, started two, and averaged 7.8 minutes, 1.9 points, and 1.5 rebounds per game. Against Catholic University on Nov. 30, he scored seven points and collected five rebounds, both season highs.

On a recent stop by Collegiate to work out during Spring Break, he shared some thoughts, observations, and insights about his first season of college hoops.

Speak about your time at Collegiate.

It was a great experience here. Everybody was so welcoming. Having the support of all the coaches and teachers made the process a lot easier. I met a lot of friends, a lot of families, and a lot of coaches who really have my back. Coach (Del) Harris, Coach (Wilbur) Athey, Coach (Roy) Haliburton, Coach Mac (Farley Macdonald), Coach Tara (Tate), Coach Shannon (Winston), Coach (Chris) Peoples, Coach (Justin) Brown really helped me throughout the process, in basketball, in the weight room or training room. Having them in my corner if I needed anything from talking about injuries or talking about life was a big help.

How was the transition from high school to college?

A lot of people have struggled, but I felt like coming from the Prep League and Team Richmond (the AAU program which Harris directs) prepared me for the atmosphere of practice. Coach Harris runs a college-style practice throughout the year. I felt like I fit in perfectly at Marymount because we had that same type of system. It was very structured. We moved from station to station the entire practice. Coach Harris really prepares us for the next level when he keeps us moving and active.

How did you adjust from being a starter to an off-the-bench player?

I figured that was part of the process knowing that I was a freshman and there were guys ahead of me and they had a big run the year before when they made the AEC championship game. I came in with the mindset that I wanted to prove that I’m a college basketball player and can play with anybody. It was working hard, coming in early, getting extra shots up. That kept me going. Sometimes, I wished I was playing more, but just knowing my time is coming kept me motivated and pushing throughout the season. The more time I got, it was like, I have to take advantage of the opportunity.

What was your area of greatest improvement?

Being vocal. Coming in, I felt like I really wasn’t that talkative while I was at Collegiate. I became more vocal talking on defense, talking on offense, just talking to my teammates, and not being afraid to say something. A really big part of the growth that I’ve seen this year is just being talkative and being confident with myself.

In the off-season, what areas are you working to improve?

I’m focusing on getting stronger. I’m working out with my trainers. I’m working on different moves that I can bring in next year. I’m playing against grown men now. It’s not like high school when I can just use my height. I’m working on my shot. Working to get faster. Playing a lot of pickup. It’s a 24/7 thing. I really love it, so it’s something I’m willing to sacrifice to do.

How did it feel to be part of a league championship team?

It was really cool knowing that last year they didn’t make it. We lost on a buzzer beater to the same team (Neumann University) that we beat (57-52) this year. Having the goal to win it this time motivated us. It was great just to see all the alumni and see how happy our coach was. All the hard work we did really paid off.

And playing in The Big Dance?

It was really cool too. No matter what level of college basketball, it’s still The Dance. It was really exciting stepping on the court. You have a special ball with the NCAA writing on it. It was fun from the warmup to the jump ball to the buzzer. We enjoyed ourselves. Our goal next year is to make it past the first round. Just being in that atmosphere is something I want to do for the next four years of my life. It never gets old.

Any parting thoughts?

Most teams can say they have a story to tell, but we really do have a story to tell. We had a crazy up-and-down year. Because of injuries, we had times when we only played eight people. We had a lot of resilience. We never got too high or too low. That shows how we fought back (to go 13-3 after the shaky start). We could have gotten down, but we picked it up together. Our coach really talked about being together. That family aspect really kept us together.

~Weldon Bradshaw

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