By Jim Hague
When Derryck Alexander was a freshman at Lakewood High School in New Jersey, his freshman coach gave him an unflattering moniker that stuck with Derryck for the rest of his basketball life.
“My coach called me soft,” said the senior forward for the Rutgers-Newark men’s basketball team. “I never forgot it. I couldn’t believe he called me that. But I’ve made sure I remembered it. I made it a habit to never be soft again.”
Some seven years after Alexander was labeled with that tag, he’s now so far removed from being soft. In fact, he’s a pillar of dedication, intensity and energy for the Scarlet Raiders, every time he takes the floor.
The 6-5 Alexander isn’t the most talented player on the R-N roster. He’s not the most gifted either. But he knows his role and fulfills that role as an energy guy, the one who tries to ignite the rest of his teammates with every passing minute.
“We need that on the team,” Alexander said. “I have to show the rest of the team that there’s more than scoring. I can do all the dirty work, picking up the charges, diving on the floor for a loose ball, grabbing a big rebound. I am all about bringing intensity to the team. It all started when that coach called me soft. I was determined never to be soft again.”
Scarlet Raider head coach Joe Loughran knows that Alexander is not exactly the team’s resident pillow.
“No question, he’s all about energy,” Loughran said. “Derryck is a tremendous rebounder and just has a knack to go and get the ball. He also does everything with authority. He plays so hard all the time and he brings energy and toughness every time he steps on the floor. We need that. That’s what he is. He does it all and does it with authority.”
While teammates Chadd Barnes and David Cherry grab the headlines and spotlight by being the main scorers, Alexander is the one who is doing all the necessary little things.
“I like that role,” Alexander said. “I like rebounding. I really enjoy it. I go after the ball every single time like I can get it. I time it pretty well when it’s coming off the rim and I think like I’m the only one who can go and get it. No one is going to get it over me. I’m going to get it.”
Alexander has played in all nine Scarlet Raiders this game, starting eight of them in place of the injured Afolabi Ajumobi. He’s averaging 6.1 points per game, but he leads the team in rebounding, collecting nearly eight caroms per contest.
“Coach told me before the season that we were pretty injured in the front court and he needed me to step up and be more of a factor this year,” Alexander said. “That’s what I’m doing. I’ve increased my playing time (nearly 23 minutes per game) and I’m doing all the little things. I’m filling the role that the team needs. I don’t mind that. I actually looked forward to the challenge.”
Alexander has also been more intelligent with his play this season. In the past, he might have collected personal fouls like other people collect vintage postage stamps. But Alexander has tempered the foul collecting and has remained more of a force.
“I realized now that I can’t get every rebound,” Alexander said. “I am being just a little less aggressive going after the ball, because I know I can’t pick up stupid fouls. I have to remain out there, defending and rebounding. I’d rather collect 15 rebounds than score any points.”
Alexander almost did that last year, when he collected his career-high 19 rebounds, 11 of which were of the offensive variety, in a win over Medgar Evers. He finished the season with eight games with 10 or more rebounds.
“You can’t teach that,” Loughran said. “He just has a knack of getting the basketball. It’s just a case of Derryck being aggressive and going to get the ball. He might pick up fouls, but they’re usually aggressive ones and as a coach, I can live with that, because he’s making hustle plays. But if teams don’t try to keep him off the boards, he’s going to dominate. He’s not doing anything flashy. He just goes and gets the ball off the backboard.”
Loughran loves the way that Alexander has flourished in his time at R-N.
“When he was a freshman, he didn’t get off the bench at all,” Loughran said. “As a sophomore, we threw him out there a little bit more. But he had the desire to play and worked hard to get that chance. Night in and night out, this kid works hard and he’s now proven himself to be one of the better rebounders in our league.
Added Loughran, “He’s really grown up, and he’s just a no-nonsense kid who is extremely coachable and has a great basketball IQ. He picks up things pretty quickly. We don’t have to teach him much.”
Alexander is a criminal science major and will earn his degree next fall. He hopes to get a job as a juvenile detention officer, helping troubled kids turn the other way and get on with their lives in a positive fashion.
“I just want kids to travel the right path,” Alexander said. “I like being a counselor to kids. I just like that field, helping kids. I have worked at summer camps and I enjoy working with kids.”
Alexander has already proven himself to be a positive role model.
“No question, I already use him as an example as what can happen if you work hard and listen,” Loughran said. “He’s made himself into a player. He is someone that the rest of the team should look up to.”
