The fact that Will Vorhees and Bruce Hodges knew each other since they were three or four year old youngsters in Lima,Ohio may come as a surprise to many. The fact that Vorhees-Larenz Thurman- Dan Lott- and- Hodges all ended up at Notre Dame College this season is a little bit less surprising on the surface.
NDC Coach Tim Koenig put the pieces and parts together:
" Will and Bruce both knew each other since they were little both being from Lima. They played on a AAU team when they were in the ninth grade together. They also played summer league ball. Larenz and Bruce knew each other as they both went to the same prep school (Mount Zion) in Baltimore,MD. Larenz and Bruce were both at Tr-C freshman year. Larenz stays at Tri-C for his sophomore season while Hodges goes to Dodge City Community College in Kansas. Dan Lott was going to Lorain Community College at the time. Then Larenz signs with us, Bruce is looking for a school and contacts Will. Ultimately all four of them would sign at NDC." Koenig said."
Vorhees gave his take on the journey to get here:
" I was roughly four or five when I picked up a basketball for the first time. I would see my dad training my older brother and shoot on the side when I couldn't get the ball up to the rim. I still have some of my earliest memories of the first time when I was able to make a shot on an actual 10 foot hoop. Then I joined my school's basketball camp. It ran once or twice a week. I went to Bath School in Lima K-8th grade. The basketball camp was in a small village called Cairo right outside of Lima. Vorhees added."
" One trait I definitely got from my dad was my size. He was about six-foot- seven- and- 300 pounds. My dad did not have big fingers though, that is one thing I got from my mom."
On his experience at NDC:
" It has been a long journey of ups and downs but a great experience. I've grown as a player and a man. NDC has been my home for five years now. After this year ill be closing a chapter in my life that has left an impression on me without a doubt. The biggest thing that I have learned has been to not limit yourself or your capabilities. There was a time when I wasn't even sure if I should be playing in college. Just take advantage of the opportunity and stay positive, then good things will happen. At one time I could only dream about the things that I've accomplished at NDC. I'd just like to thank my coaches and my teammates for helping me along the way."
On his thoughts on this season's NDC team:
" This year is the most talented team Ive ever been a part of at NDC from top to bottom. We have the perfect blend of older experienced guys with some young legs. Our individual talents mesh well together on the flooring we are still getting better everyday."
Thurman talked about how excited he was the first time he met Vorhees:
" The first time I met Will I was excited. I had heard about how good he was and that he was an All-American so it was exciting meeting Will and made the decision to come to NDC even easier knowing that I was going to play alongside a player of his caliber."
Hodges spoke of his recollections of encounters with Vorhees in the past:
" With Will I can't think of when I first met him. He lived across the street from me when I was four, and he was three. So we go way back."
Hodges talked about how Vorhees influenced his decision to come to NDC:
" Will's family always had my back and his AAU team needed a PG so I jumped on it quickly. Then last spring I was hanging out with my roommate at Dodge and I didn't have a school to go to. It was late in the game, so I saw Will posted a snap chat story. It had been a long time since we had spoken so I asked him if they needed a guard at NDC. Luckily he was in the coaches office and brought me up. I came back from Kansas in May and the day I got back I drove up to NDC to talk to TK and (assistant coach Tim) Baab. It just felt like home for me."
Vorhees is part of a big family as he is one of seven kids. He is the second oldest. He has an older brother Vincent (27-) then Will is 23- Madison (21-) Gavin (18-) McKenna (16-) Marek (15-) and- Anthony (13.)
Hodges was also a guy who came from a big family. He has an older brother Dwayne (28-) sister Ashleigh (25-) Bruce is 24- Zaza (20-) Amari (12-) and- Amir (3.) Hodges has had basketball instilled in him since youth. His father being an overseas pro and Division 1 player. He played at Sam Houston State in college.
" I believe I got the love of the game from my dad. He made me want to be a winner. I got my brains from my mother and got my attitude from both."
On his realtionship with Thurman:
" Renz and I clicked right away. We played the same position and always wanted to make each other better. He was always quiet. He would come up to my room- be up there for hours and no one even noticed him. Then I got to know him he is one of the goofiest kids I know. He was the best man at my wedding."
That first year at Tri-C was a wild season. We started the year off 17-0 and everything was going great. At the end of the year we were 28-3 and lost in the conference championship. Tri-C taught me the definition of family , going out every game and fighting for your brothers.
Then going to Dodge my sophomore season was a very difficult year. Everything that could have gone wrong did. Injury after injury- went into the worst slump of my life in basketball. Playing on a losing team was harder than anything. Wouldn't change a thing about my time at Dodge though as it made me stronger mentally and it made me want to win this thing this year so bad.
On his relationship with Vorhees on and off the court:
" We clicked as teammates immediately. Then as was stated earlier Will was a big reason I came to NDC after seeing the snap chat story and the relationship that we had being from the same area growing up. Will always had my back so I could not let him down."
Thurman like the others picked up a basketball at a very young age. He was roughly two years old when he started dribbling the ball and handles the ball for NDC much of the time he is on the court. "Growing up my parents taught me that hard work will always pay off in the long run. I am the only child which is a lot different than Will and Bruce who come from such big families. Once Bruce and I met though we started hanging around each other every day at prep school in Baltimore. Tri-C was my first college experience. It was the first time that I had to own my own apartment and it was the first time I had to pay rent to keep a roof over my head. I had to grow up fast and it was a good learning experience for me." As for basketball, Coach Duncan at Tri-C taught me how to to play the game the right way and he took my game to a completely different level. I chose NDC over any other school because I knew I was wanted here. TK and the rest of the coaching staff an team have made me feel that way since day one.
On his first meeting with Hodges:
" I don't remember the conversation word for word. We just introduced each other and got to know each other. We were excited to be at Mount Zion prep together because it was a new experience for both of us."
Dan Lott was about six years old when he picked up a basketball for the first time. Playing at Lorain Community College was a fun experience. We won a lot of games and did a lot of things for the first time there like being ranked in the top 10. Started out the season 12-0 when I was there, which was the best start in school history.
Lott talked about the experience:
" Coach Marty pushed us hard to try and understand the game from different perspectives."
On when he first met Hodges and Thurman:
" " I've known Larenz the longest of the guys. Not much later than that Bruce came into the picture. I was 19 when I first met Renz and Bruce. Met Renz at the Tri-C workouts. It was a simple introduction. Coach Duncan had me and Bruce meet him at this rec center about 20 streets away from Tr-C to play in a game of five on five to 100. Me and Bruce were on the same team."
On what made him choose NDC:
" Chose NDC since it was close to home with good academics and outside of last season they have been a winning program."
Hodges summed up the whole journey the best:
" For me the biggest thing I learned is that FAMILY isn't everything IT IS THE ONLY THING! This is a family I'm going to be part of the rest of my life and I love it. WE ALL WE GOT!"
Comments