Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2005 | 10:49 a.m.
It's not often a defending state champion basketball team, returning many of its key components, is willing to embrace with open arms a hot-shot transfer from out of state.
So forgive the Palo Verde High School boys if they were at first cool to the idea of Nate Schulte returning to the Panthers' lineup a month into their title defense.
"I think some kids were a little bit angry and felt slightly betrayed," Panthers coach Paul Aznarez said of Schulte's departure. "We felt a little let down, in light of other things going on."
Schulte was a key part of Palo Verde's 2004 title run, averaging 17.6 points and 8.9 rebounds last season and scoring 13 points with 10 boards in the Panthers' title win.
But in September, Schulte decided to leave Palo Verde and go to Brewster Academy, a prep school in New Hampshire that he hoped would increase his recruiting visibility in his junior year. The decision shocked his teammates and disappointed his coaches.
But Schulte left Sept. 8, leaving the Panthers without their driving force from the 2004 run.
Shortly thereafter Schulte's former coach at Palo Verde, Phil Clarke, returned to California to continue his treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The Panthers' emotional leader in that title season did not return to the bench this season, and died Dec. 29 at age 53.
By then, Schulte's "basketball school" experiment had come and gone. He returned to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving, spending time with his family and watching his old team play. And as probably should be expected of a 16-year-old living alone 3,000 miles away from his family, Schulte got homesick.
By mid-December, he was attending classes at Palo Verde once again. But with the Panthers 9-0 and junior guard P'Allen Stinnett averaging 28.6 points per game, the question became -- would there be room for Schulte or would he just rock the boat?
Stinnett, who said Schulte's departure was "kind of a slap in the face," had a talk with his returning teammate.
"I told him to make itty-bitty steps," Stinnett said. "He'll get back to getting double figures every game. He did a good job (Monday) night, keeping it down and playing his role."
Schulte came into Monday's game at Cimarron-Memorial in the second quarter, and played about half the game. He scored nine points, five from the free-throw line, and added five rebounds as the Panthers coasted to a 58-43 win.
"It's just like a tryout for the team," Stinnett said. "He has to come back in and re-establish his position."
With all the turmoil of December, it was easier said than done. Schulte first had to apply with the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association to verify that he would be immediately eligible after transferring to and from an out-of-state school. He was.
He then had to go to a minimum of 10 practices before becoming eligible to play. Even when he was eligible, though, he couldn't get game time, still nursing a sore ankle from a collision during his time at Brewster.
Brewster Academy was 9-2 in his stay, which was highlighted by a 100-36 win against Hyde School on Dec. 8 in which Schulte scored 28 points.
"It's a lot faster, a lot more aggressive, everybody on the court can play," Schulte said of the prep school games of the East Coast. "Here, each team has their guy. There wasn't a bad player on any team. On every team, everybody could do something."
But it wasn't home. Missing his parents and friends, Schulte elected to return to Las Vegas just as the Panthers were starting to develop chemistry.
Aside from some players concerned about their playing time, Aznarez said the infusion of Schulte into the lineup shouldn't be too significant.
"We really haven't changed a lot from when he was a freshman to right now," he said. "He knows what weve been doing. Weve been successful, were not going to change. He knows the guys, well plug him into a spot and hell remember what he was doing last year and the year before."
Schulte didnt anticipate any problems coming in with a new group.
"Everyone on the team knows me, its not like Im coming into a group I dont really know," he said. "I think in the long run well be fine."
Stinnett said hes looking forward to the 6-foot-4 Schulte helping the Panthers with an inside presence theyve been missing this season.
"Hes got to step up into the role. Well both do what we can do, and hopefully well both be the leading scorers," Stinnett said. "If were scoring 20 and 20, I think thats a real good combination. Itll be better; well both get looked at. Itll be great for both of us to do something successful after high school."
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