Richfield, Ohio -- When a player is the son of a former NBA star and begins to grow into a Division I college prospect, the temptation is for the parents to shop for a basketball power rather than remain at the local high school. That was not the story for Larry and Jaynee Nance, the parents of Revere star...
Richfield, Ohio -- When a player is the son of a former NBA star and begins to grow into a Division I college prospect, the temptation is for the parents to shop for a basketball power rather than remain at the local high school.
That was not the story for Larry and Jaynee Nance, the parents of Revere star forward Larry Nance Jr.
"We never even considered it," said Jaynee Nance. "Casey [their daughter] went to Revere and had a great experience. Larry loves it here. I recently found this paper Larry had in the first grade. He listed his best friend as D.J."
That's D.J. as in Bettinger, Revere's star point guard.
"Most of the guys on this team have been together since the third grade," said Bettinger. "Larry has been one of my best friends. We are close, and we wanted to play together in high school."
Together is what Revere is all about.
Entering Friday night's home game against Highland, the Minutemen are 14-1, 10-0 in the Suburban League, where they have won 24 straight dating back to 2009. Revere's lone loss this season was a 52-47 setback to defending Division I state champ Massillon Jackson in the second game.
The 2010 Suburban League title was Revere's first since 1976. When Dean Rahas was hired as coach nine years ago, the former Cleveland State player took over a team that was 3-39 in its previous two seasons.
Rahas arrived as most of the nine seniors on this team were playing together in the fourth grade. By middle school, they were undefeated.
"I knew it could be a special group," said Rahas.
But he didn't know they would be this good. Or that the players would stick together for so long, then buy into his pressure defense and push-the-ball, share-the-glory offense. Nor did he know Nance Jr. would become a player who is being recruited by Michigan, along with several Mid-American Conference and Horizon League schools.
"He played on the freshman team," said Rahas. "As a sophomore, he was on the junior varsity. He only moved up to the varsity as a junior. It was D.J. who has been on the varsity since he was a freshman."
A year ago, Nance was 6-4, 175 pounds.
Now, he's 6-7, 200 pounds. He has become a prime prospect, the kind who often gravitate to private schools that play big-time schedules. Rahas can't recall the most recent Revere player to receive a Division I basketball scholarship: "I think it was back in the 1970s."
Casey Nance earned a basketball scholarship to Dayton. The 6-4 junior is the team's starting center. A marketing major, she received the team's top academic award for her 3.8 grade-point average last season.
"We believe that in life, we have to teach our kids to make the best of situations that they are in," said Larry Nance Sr. "A good player will make his team good. This is a good school and a great community. We want our kids involved here."
Nance played 13 years in the NBA, the last six with the Cavs. He retired in 1994.
He was with the Cavs in the Richfield Coliseum days, and bought a home in Bath. His No. 22 -- the same number worn by Larry Jr. -- hangs from the rafters at The Q.
"This is what my family believes in, playing together," Nance Jr. said.
'We like being underdogs'
Revere's premier player is Nance, averaging 17 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.1 blocks while shooting 53 percent. He has a smooth midrange jumper and long arms that make him a superb defender. And yes, like his father the former slam dunk champion, this Nance can jump.
"But we have a lot of good players," he said. "D.J. is a great team player."
Bettinger is optimistically listed at 6-1. He is the driving force on the team. The point guard averages 13.6 points, five assists and is shooting 55 percent overall and 42 percent on 3-pointers. Several NAIA and Division III schools are recruiting him.
Like his buddy Nance, he deflects attention elsewhere.
"Larry is everything a point guard would want," said Bettinger. "You throw the ball up there, and he goes and gets it."
Senior Eric Smith (6-5) is the center, averaging 8.5 points and shooting 60 percent. The only non-senior starter is 6-3 junior Mark Mockbee, scoring 7.1 points and shooting 51 percent.
Revere averages 63 points, shoots 50 percent from the field -- while holding opponents to 44 points and 33 percent shooting. The Minutemen play with urgency, forcing 19 turnovers a game.
"You'd never know it to look at him, but that's our best defensive player," said Rahas, pointing at senior guard Ryan Wonders.
Talk about wonder of Wonders, there are two Wonders on this team. They are twins, although Ryan is listed at 5-8, while Marc Wonders is listed at 5-7.
Both of them crowd anyone who dribbles in their direction. They block out. They dive for loose balls. They are pests to play against. One of them is usually on the court at the shooting guard spot next to Bettinger.
"D.J. and I will come out for the opening jump ball, and some [opposing] players will look at us and you can see they don't think we can play," said Ryan Wonders. "We like being underdogs. We want people to think we are small and slow."
Excelling on the court and in classrooms
Ryan Wonders said he has a 4.02 grade-point average and scored a 32 on the ACT. His brother, Marc, is at 4.08 with a 35 ACT score. Smith has a 3.4 GPA, and his backup, Connor Edel, is at 3.7. Other players excelling in the classroom are Spencer Davis (3.3 GPA) and Dan Slattery (4.1 GPA). Bettinger has a 3.5 GPA and scored 24 on the ACT. Nance said he has "only a 3.0" GPA with a 21 ACT. He wants to raise both of those numbers. The team GPA is about 3.4. Rahas said he had a 3.3 GPA at Valley Forge. "I'd be below average on this team," he said.
He added, "But sometimes they can be too smart, seeing eight sides of a square. They can think too much. I tell them just play."
Revere uses a few different three-quarter-court and half-court trapping defenses. It then plays tough man-to-man. On offense, the first option is the fast break. Or else put the ball in Bettinger's hands and let him set up someone for a shot.
"What's happened the last two years is exciting," said Ryan Wonders. "For the longest time, no one was high on us. Now, there is some pressure, but we want it. Our goal is to win the league, win the district and go for the state title."
In the Revere gym is a basketball banner that reveals the years of nine league titles from 1954 through 1976. Then comes the 2010 title. Also on the banner is the word "DISTRICT." What follows is blank because Revere has never won a district boys basketball title. The Minutemen lost in a district final to St. Edward last season, and they could meet the Eagles again in this year's playoffs.
"We've been aiming for this for a long time," said Bettinger. "We want to be a team that makes some history for the school."
Larry Nance Sr. comes to some practices and helps coach the big men.
"He's just Larry's dad to us," said Bettinger. "He is one of the most humble guys. We all have known him for a long time."
Larry and Jaynee Nance are at most games, wearing Revere caps and shirts.
"It's just been fun to follow these kids all these years," said Nance Sr. "I'm real proud of them."
Not only his son, but the entire team.