With Lykes out, freshman Cross will face big challenge against Purdue
Jim and Cyndi Cross were not the least bit surprised when their son Matt, a four-star basketball recruit out of national powerhouse Brewster Academy, chose the University of Miami over all his other suitors.
For years, he had been told by coaches that he is “an old-school” kind of player, a hard-nosed, teamoriented kid who is focused far more on perfecting fundamentals and following coaches’ instructions than loading up on stats.
So it makes perfect sense that he decided to play for UM, for coach Jim Larrañaga, an old-school kind of coach whose career spans four decades. Thus far, it seems to be the perfect fit.
Heading into Tuesday’s ACC-Big Ten Challenge game against Purdue (5 p.m., ESPN2), the 6-7 freshman forward has been the Hurricanes’ biggest surprise stepping into the starting lineup in place of injured Sam Waardenburg. Through two games, he is averaging 27 minutes, 10.5 points on 75 percent shooting, five rebounds, one block, and one steal. The Canes were plus-30 points with him in the game in an 82-60 win over Stetson last week.
His mother flew down from Beverly, Massachusetts, and will be among the team family members allowed at the Watsco Center to watch Tuesday’s game. Cross will have to play extra hard as UM may be without Preseason AllACC guard Chris Lykes, who sprained his ankle against Stetson on Friday night.
He will face his biggest
challenge thus far, as Purdue’s front court includes 7-4, 285-pound Canadian freshman Zach Edy and 6-10, 265-pound Trevion Williams. Cross’ football experience will come in handy.
“Matt seems to do well and gravitate toward older, experienced coaches,” Jim Cross said Monday by phone from Beverly, where he owns an office equipment company. “He has been told by many, many people that he’s got oldschool values, he puts his hard hat on and gets his lunch box and goes to work every day. That isn’t as common with kids these days. That’s why he does better with guys that have been around a long time and understand different types of kids.”
Matt echoed his father’s sentiments.
“I tend to gravitate to and get along with older coaches more than young
er ones,” Matt told reporters on a conference call. “I like Coach L’s values, what he stood for. Between him and Coach [Chris] Caputo they were very consistent in showing that they really wanted me and respected my game.”
Cross chose UM over Florida, Butler, Iowa, Indiana, South Carolina and Texas A&M.
Larrañaga has been impressed with Cross, especially how he has adapted to the college game so quickly.
“Matt’s the kind of guy who’s probably not going to get a lot of attention in a scouting report, but he’s so efficient,” Larrañaga said. “He rebounds, and he can make a shot. Two layups [against Stetson], spun one in off the backboard, hit a baseline jumper, hit a three. He’s a very fundamentally sound offensive player. … He was thrust into the starting role when
Sam went down and has handled it very well.”
Larrañaga has a longtime relationship with Cross’ AAU coach, Leo Papile, of the Boston Amateur Basketball Club (BABC), the prestigious program that produced former Hurricane Bruce Brown, now with the Brooklyn Nets. Papile told UM coaches that Cross was a good match.
Cross played on the St. Mary’s (Massachusets) High state championship team as an eighth-grader and led the team to the state title game as a ninthgrader. At Woodstock Academy, as a junior, he was the youngest starter on a team of mostly high school graduates. He also stood out at Brewster Academy, a national powerhouse.
He was a two-way football player through freshman year of high school, starting at tight end and defensive end. He broke his leg and stuck with basketball after that.
Cross comes from a basketball family. Jim played basketball at Salem State. Brother Nick was a walk-on at Florida Gulf Coast University and sister Jess played high school basketball.
The biggest transition from high school to college has been the complexity of the playbook, Cross said.
Asked if he is surprised his son has adapted so well, Jim Cross said: “Nothing surprises me with Matt. He always rises to the occasion. He wants to be good and works hard at it. For our family, it’s a dream come true.”