Impact Basketball Academy prepares players for college shot

By Jared Harmon

Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2008 | midnight

Southern Nevada's recent high school graduates have another option in continuing their basketball careers.

The Impact Basketball Academy, run out of the Tarkanian Basketball Academy on Rancho Drive near Sahara Avenue, offers a yearlong post-graduate basketball training program designed to help borderline players improve their game to Division I levels without losing a year of eligibility.

Silverado graduate Jimmy McMurrin was in contact with Cypress Junior College in Southern California when he decided the program would be a better option to help him achieve his dream of playing for a Division I school.

"I was working out at the center to get in shape before I left for Cypress," McMurrin said. "I learned about the program and thought it presented me with a better opportunity to get where I want to go. The biggest thing for me was I could spend the whole year working on basketball and not lose any of my eligibility."

A shooting guard in high school, McMurrin said the academy has helped him become stronger, faster and more intelligent about the game. He said they have also helped him learn about proper nutrition for an athlete at his level and ways to train specifically for basketball.

The program, which operates under the same methods used by Joe Abunassar, trainer for NBA stars like Kevin Garnett and Chauncey Billups, is overseen by program director Tony Tucker.

Since Sept. 1, Tucker — along with coach Andrew Moore, assistant coach Abe Woldeslassie and strength and conditioning coach Dave Stagnitta — has been putting post-graduates from Las Vegas, California, Texas, Oregon, the Netherlands and the Bahamas through the paces on the court.

With a goal of 10 athletes for the inaugural class, the Academy attracted 18 and Tucker said he expects continued growth for the program.

"We've got a very diverse group because I think there's a huge market for this type of thing," Tucker said. "We want to establish ourselves as a solid option for those kids who are still looking for a scholarship offer."

In addition to McMurrin, the academy has attracted locals like Spring Valley graduate Jason Walter and Bishop Gorman graduate Jordan Hill.

A sometimes center for the Gaels, Hill has been working to become more of a traditional guard to make himself more attractive to Division I schools.

"I feel like I've improved so much already," Hill said. "The type of training I'm getting is unbelievable. When I couldn't get into a D-I school I was pretty down on myself but working here, my confidence has gone up and that's helped me keep working hard."

The program, which runs from Sept. 1 to April 1 costs $15,000 with limited scholarship opportunities or $18,000 for out-of-state athletes who need boarding.

For more information call 257-8911 or visit www.impactbball.com.

Jared Harmon can be reached at 990-8922 or [email protected].