Penncrest’s Doyle sees more than size when it comes to Norwood
PHILADELPHIA » Mike Doyle helped recruit Jameer Nelson to Saint Joseph’s, identifying the talent early, sticking with the recruiting, never doubting that it was the right player at the right time. Four years later, the Hawks had an undefeated regular season and were ranked No. 1 in the nation.
“Jameer Nelson,” said Doyle, Phil Martelli’s former assistant. “I knew what went into recruiting him.”
He remembered the plan, and he would follow it years later. And by Saturday, he was remembering why it was worth all the energy for a different player in a different situation. Doyle, the coach at Penncrest High, had just watched Tyler Norwood score 27 points, dominate in the backcourt, pass with precision and lead the Lions to a 50-28 victory over Bishop Shanahan. That was good for a second consecutive District 1 Class 5A championship, and that made what happened worthwhile, back when Doyle decided he would not miss one of Norwood’s Springton Lake Middle School games.
“I pulled in my recruiting experience for 10 years,” Doyle said. “I did a power-point. I channeled everything we would have done at Saint Joe’s to get Jameer. That’s the way I attacked it. I went to all the games. And I just made a connection. I made a lot of promises to him, and a lot of times those promises don’t come true. But it worked out fine. It worked out fine.”
The issue of Norwood and recruiting was relevant Saturday, as it will be through the PIAA state tournament, and, if necessary, into the early spring tournaments and All-Star games or to whenever Norwood picks a college. He said he has offers. Chestnut Hill was involved. Wilmington. Millersville and East Stroudsburg. All Division 2 schools. In fact, said Doyle, only Phil Martelli and Fran Dunphy, among Division 1 coaches, bothered to wander into an open-gym showcase for Norwood at Penncrest. Both Temple and Saint Joseph’s, he said, politely tabled the interest.
The issue is nothing serious. Norwood is qualified, a sturdy teammate, a leader, polite, not a clubhouse disturbance. Indeed, it’s trivial. It’s his size, about 5-11, give or take a program-height liberty. That, the know-it-alls keep saying, is what is preventing even the lowestlevel, guarantee-game-selling, Division 1 recruiters from power-pointing Norwood again.
“It’s a little frustrating, but I can’t let it fluster me,” Norwood said. “I know why. It’s my height that is holding me back. But all I can do is go out there for 32 minutes and give it my all. Everything else is going to take care of itself. If they think I’m not good enough, it’s on them. But I can promise I will give you my all every day.”
That effort has taken care of plenty, including the scoring of 1,669 points. Among those Norwood passed to land Saturday at No. 13 on the all-time Delaware County scoring list was Springfield’s Dave Batton, who eventually would play in the NBA. And to nearly outscore Shanahan by himself, Norwood needed to confront a sticky, intense defense designed to limit his production, and to do it on a bright stage at Temple, with a championship on the line.
That made it worthwhile for Doyle to do all that recruiting, back when Norwood remembers considering leaving Media after a visit to Archbishop Carroll.
“Coach Doyle stuck with me,” Norwood said. “I just wanted to play for my hometown team, and play with one of the greatest coaches I have ever been with. I love that guy to death. He’s been with me since seventh or eighth grade. And now to win back to back, it’s just unbelievable.”
Whether or not Norwood is being under-recruited is up to those doing the recruiting. But with each game he plays, that is the buzz at courtside. It’s also a reason why Norwood is maintaining his options. There are 351 Division 1 programs. One could be jolted to attention.
“I talked to Phil and told him, ‘I just don’t get it,’” Doyle said. “But it’s his size. Both Phil and Dunph told me he could be on their team. But he needs to go somewhere and play.”
Doyle told the Jameer Nelson story for reference only, realizing that the former Chester High AllDelco Player of the Year and future NBA All-Star was, and remains, a rare, legendary talent.
“But the other guy I talk about is Rashid Bey,” Doyle said. “I had him when I was the coach at Neumann. Nobody wanted Rashid Bey, and I was begging people to take him. Rashid Bey takes Saint Joe’s to the Sweet 16 and is MVP of the Atlantic 10 and he didn’t have a scholarship offer until March because he was ‘too small, too this, too that.’ I was like, ‘Guys, he can play.’ So I am hoping somebody hears me this time, and sees it, and understands what he does, night in and night out.”
Mike Doyle has known about Tyler Norwood’s ability to win championships for years. He knows it is never too early to start recruiting. Never late, either. too