Men’s Basketball Team Stocked With Foreign Talent

A rule change was announced this past summer by the National Junior College Athletic Association that allows teams to have an unlimited amount of foreign players—teams were previously limited to three foreign players per team—drastically changed the makeup of the 2015-16 Miami Dade College men’s basketball team.

Nine of the 15 players on the Sharks roster this year are foreign born. Among the countries represented on the roster: Australia, England, Lithuania, Ivory Coast, Hungary, Spain, and the Bahamas.    

Men’s basketball coach Stephen Cowherd took full advantage of the rule changes and moved quickly to fill his roster.

“On our level, it’s a lot of  who you know, your contacts, and your connections,” Cowherd said. “We’ve been very fortunate. Our assistants do a good job. They know a lot of people. Myself, I played and coached, so I know a lot of people too.”

The talent haul is impressive. Among the players, Marko Krivacevic, a 6-foot-9-inch power forward from Hungary, whose sister played tennis at the same school Cowherd attended—the University of South Alabama.

Shaquillo Fritz, a 6-foot-9-inch power forward/center from the Bahamas, who was originally supposed to attend Stetson University under scholarship, and point guard Bradley Ficken, a pass first point guard from Australia.  

In addition, one of the team’s top returning players, Joe Mvuezolo Jr., is from England. Mvuezolo, a small forward, averaged 10.3 points and 3.3 assists per game for the Sharks last year.

Another interesting fact is that three of the team’s nine international players—Antanas Krimelis, Paulius Zabilevicius and Matas Budrys—hail from Lithuania.  

The trio has the advantage of being able to gameplan in their native language, without giving their opponents a single clue.

“On the court, I’ve told them [Pauilius and Matas] to do some cuts, or pass the ball, or make some plays that nobody can understand,” said Krimelis, a freshman small forward from Kaunas, Lithuania.

Miami Dade College ensures that international student-athletes are comfortable during their time in the U.S. They are afforded scholarships to pay for tuition, books, a monthly food stipend and are also provided housing.  

Despite their different cultures, the team has bonded well.

“I think it’s a really good thing because you can find out more about how they were growing up, what things they like, and other cultures,” Krimelis said. “It might be good for your future to have friends from other countries.”

Cowherd said the camaraderie on this year’s team is encouraging.

“They all get on each other and joke around in the locker room,” Cowherd said. “Last year’s team was a little more difficult and clicky, but this year’s team,  they all like each other.”