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Sun Devils add 4 JUCO players for next year

By WTOP Staff

JOHN MARSHALL
AP Basketball Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona State coach Herb Sendek took a chance with Shaquielle McKissic, signing a junior college player with a checkered past.

It couldn’t have worked out much better. McKissic was a key contributor in the Sun Devils’ return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2009 and one of the team’s hardest workers.

The positive experience with McKissic, along with a changing college basketball landscape, helped shift Sendek’s approach to signing junior college players and led to the signing of four this past offseason.

“I wish I had started doing this sooner,” Sendek said.

Sendek didn’t recruit many junior college players at North Carolina State, in part because he could get so many high-level high school recruits. He’s had a handful of JUCO players during eight years in the desert, including swingman Carrick Felix, now playing for the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers after playing three seasons at Arizona State.

McKissic became the latest JUCO success story after being offered a second chance by Sendek and the Sun Devils.

A talented high school player in the Seattle area, McKissic nearly had his basketball career derailed by a difficult stretch in his life that included three months in jail for attempted burglary, the death of his best friend in a shooting and living out of his car for a few weeks.

At Arizona State, McKissic got off to a slow start before becoming one of the Sun Devils’ best players down the stretch of last season. The athletic 6-foot-5 swingman scored in double figures 16 times and shot 53 percent at Wells Fargo Arena, helping Arizona State to its best home record (16-1) since 1974-75.

McKissic was just as good off the court, proving himself with an insatiable work ethic and never-take-anything-for-granted attitude.

“Someone like Shaq every day taught his teammates, taught his coaches, reminded us of the value of being grateful,” Sendek said. “It was so refreshing. Not a sense of entitlement, just a real sense of appreciation, a real appreciation for the chance to be here. It rubbed off on his teammates, his coaches. It was a good daily reminder of how important it is to live with a grateful heart, not an entitled heart.”

McKissic’s success helped push Sendek toward signing more junior college players to replenish his roster.

The Sun Devils had some holes to fill after sophomore point guard Jahii Carson opted to leave early for a shot at the NBA and center Jordan Bachynski graduated. The needs became even greater when Calaen Robinson, Brandan Kearney and Egor Koulechov all decided to transfer.

Arizona State got some good news when McKissic was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA and Bo Barnes is back after nearly losing his scholarship. The Sun Devils also return forward Jon Gilling and big man Eric Jacobsen.

Four junior college transfers will compete to fill some of the remaining spots: Willie Atwood, Savon Goodman, Gerry Blakes and Roosevelt Scott.

Though Goodman won’t be eligible until the second school semester, the four are expected to have a big impact, athletic players who should fit into Sendek’s up-tempo style, like to play defense and have the same prove-themselves mentality McKissic had.

“They have the same type of hunger that I had when I came from JUCO, so I relate to them,” McKissic said. “It’s fun to see guys come in with the confidence like they have, the expectations they have going into next year. You can mold a JUCO guy a lot because they just want to learn.”

McKissic’s success wasn’t the only variable in Sendek turning to the junior college ranks.

College basketball has changed in recent years as transfer rules have loosened and players have moved from one program to the next with much more ease. Between star players who leave early for the pros, players that transfer into programs and others that transfer out, it’s gotten to the point where it’s rare to have a player stay four years at one school.

Seeing the shift, Sendek figured it was time to become more aggressive in adapting to it.

“It’s just a really good time to look at junior college players when you look at the overall landscape of college basketball,” Sendek said. “It seems to me that you could make an argument that with any player, you’re going to have them no more than two years.”

McKissic made the most of his first year. Now he wants to add to it in the second.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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