Emmenecker an Unlikely Success at Drake

Remove Adam Emmenecker away from the Bulldogs this season and Drake is not celebrating Saturday's win with grins on their faces and recently-cut nets draped around their necks. There are no streamers, no fireworks, no cameras, and no trophies to hoist above their heads.

In college basketball, a team is as good as the man at its point, its coach on the floor. Without a doubt. When it comes to great, championship-contending teams, a great point guard is the lone constant.

Drake has Adam Emmenecker, a native of Michigan. His story is simply unbelievable. Imagine: no Division I basketball scholarships, no playing time for three years, injuries, four majors and a 3.97 GPA. Finally, just prior to his senior season, Emmenecker was placed on scholarship. He leads the Bulldogs to their first Missouri Valley Conference title since 1971, setting a new single-season assist record in the process.

He averaged just 4.7 points and 8.4 assists as a high school senior!

Emmenecker went from a walk-on to Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year. Through eighteen conference games, Emmenecker is averaging 10.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 6.7 assists.

A player of the year is the catalyst. A player of the year is there when the team is down late in the game. A player of the year takes over the scoring load when the scorers go down. A player of the year is the guy who places the team on his shoulder when the jump shots stop falling.

Take Emmenecker away from Drake, and they are not here today.