Time-Out Feature: Small College Basketball's Platform has Arrived

Time-Out Magazine looks at the development of Small College Basketball, a platform launched to promote the game's lower divisions.

The following article appears in the Fall 2016 edition of NABC Time-Out Magazine. To read the full Fall 2016 issue, click here.
By Eric Wieberg, NABC
 
Basketball is basketball in the eyes of John McCarthy.

To the former coach turned administrator, the appeal of college hoops isn’t exclusive to programs that compete in massive arenas on national television. Talented players, legendary coaches and storied histories dot the landscape at every level. And for McCarthy, they deserve a stage as well.
 

Enter Small College Basketball.

Launched by McCarthy in 2015, Small College Basketball’s mission is to unite those with an interest in the NCAA Division II, Division III, NAIA, USCAA and NCCAA levels, and to serve as an ambassador for the game. That vision draws from McCarthy’s own career, which includes stints as the head coach at Wilmington (Del.) College, athletic director at Lynn University, and an executive at the NAIA national office. 

He spent years in the relative anonymity of the small college scene, developed a passion for it, and now is driven to give back. 

“The vast majority of people that play four-year college basketball play at the small college level,” McCarthy says. “They are busting their tails, but they don’t get the gear, the publicity, the travel budgets, the meal budgets like everyone else.”

“I wanted to create a platform to serve them.” 

Phase one of McCarthy’s Small College Basketball venture was the launch of a website, engineered as a central hub of information and storytelling about the game’s lesser-known divisions. The site instantly took off, attracting an audience ranging from foreign scouts looking for prospects to fans seeking details on national tournaments.

With ambitions to someday integrate podcasts, video features and social media content, McCarthy is confident of the site’s ability to make waves.

“There’s so much great stuff going on at the small college level that doesn’t really get the attention of the big boys,” he said. “I want to give them a national voice.” 

Small College Basketball’s growth isn’t limited to the digital space. In early 2016, it announced the creation of the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame and Hall of Fame Classic. The Hall’s inaugural class reads as a who’s-who of basketball icons, featuring the likes of Phil Jackson, Earl Monroe, Willis Reed, Jerry Sloan and Dr. James Naismith. 

Each of the 15 inductees share an unquestioned position in the game’s history – and often-overlooked roots.

“We simply hope it brings more attention to our game at the small college level,” McCarthy says of the Hall of Fame. “We want for the general public to realize that these coaches, players and contributors came from small schools throughout the country.”

The Hall of Fame Classic will take place alongside the annual induction ceremony each November at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind. Six NCAA Division II teams are set to compete in predetermined matchups at this year’s event, headlined by 2015 national champion Florida Southern and defending national runner-up Lincoln Memorial. 

In partnership with the Evansville Sports Corporation, McCarthy is already hard at work, and promises to deliver a memorable experience. “They’re going to realize this isn’t your normal tournament where you show up, get your meal, then go play,” he says. “This is a celebration of the game.”

Awards will also be a staple of the Small College Basketball platform. Introduced first was the Bevo Francis Award – named after the Rio Grande legend from the 1950s – which honors the top small college player. Dominez Burnett of NAIA Davenport University was the award’s initial recipient last year. 

More awards and events are on the way. McCarthy is all-in for the long hall.

“What can we do that is really good for the game, that serves our coaches, student-athletes and contributors, and that is sustainable,” he asks of future initiatives. “I don’t want to do it just for a year to say I did it. I want to build a model that lasts well longer than I’m alive.”

The involvement of coaches, conference commissioners and athletic directors has also proved vital. Coaches are already serving on committees for the Hall of Fame and national awards, with more opportunities on the horizon.

McCarthy is humbled – and, he admits, pleasantly surprised by the eager participation. “The web has spun faster and larger than I’ve expected,” he says. “People have bought into it in a big way, and understand that what we’re doing is good for the game.”

Among the believers is Lennie Acuff, an NABC board member and head coach at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Acuff is bullish on Small College Basketball’s future, citing McCarthy’s work ethic and professional success.

“John is proven, and he has tremendous validity within the small college ranks,” Acuff says. “He’s put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this. I’m very thankful for all he’s done to shine a positive light on small college basketball.”

Acuff’s UAH team will participate in November’s inaugural Hall of Fame Classic. The decision to take part, Acuff insists, was a no-brainer.

“It will be a showcase for our level, a first-class event,” he says. “We’re honored to be a part of it.”

“Very few people realize how good Division II basketball really is,” Acuff adds. “To have six programs of the quality, the substance and the longevity that are going to be there, it’s about as good as it gets for small college basketball.”

Count Trinity University (Texas) coach Pat Cunningham as another strong supporter. The NABC board member sees Small College Basketball as a valuable marketing vehicle for schools that often find them scarce.

“We are all in the business of trying to help our kids, and in any way we can, to honor them and bring what they do to the forefront,” Cunningham says. “There’s just not as many avenues for that at our level.”

For McCarthy, Small College Basketball is somewhat of a capstone to an already-impressive career. An opportunity to harness skills developed both on the sideline and in the corner office. And ultimately, success won’t be judged solely on website clicks or sponsorship dollars. 

If the sport benefits, mission accomplished.

“I love the game,” he says. “Each initiative we launch under the umbrella of Small College Basketball, we want to ask if it’s good for the game.” 

“Our role is to serve the game.”