Atomic Power (Post Standard 01/03/2010)

The Syracuse Academy of Science expects a sectional boy’s basketball championship.

By Tom Leo

Post-Standard Staff Writer

Winning still feels unnatural.

After winning only nine games in its first three seasons, including an 0-15 record in its inaugural campaign as a varsity boys basketball team in 2006-07, the Syracuse Academy of Science Atoms are off to an 8-2 start this year, including a 7-1 mark in the Patriot League National Division.

"Winning feels good, but it doesn't feel right,” senior Jamaal Guins said.”I’m still not used to it.

”Perched atop the division, with their only losses to Watertown Immaculate Heart and Tully — the Atoms now have even loftier goals.

“We’re expecting a sectional (Class D) championship,” coach Onur Gokce said. “I took my players to watch the Class D finals last year, and we think we can do that. We can at least get to the championship game.

”There are reasons the Atoms were largely unsuccessful during their first three seasons, Gokce said. SAS is a charter school, and the basketball team began three years ago with all freshmen on its roster. SAS won three games during its second season and six games in 2008-09.

"We've finally matured,”Gokce said,“We've gained a little confidence and the kids believe in themselves.Finally, they're ready.”The building process was painfully slow.Gokce said he always had talented players,but it took them two to three years to learn to play together as a team.

"It was really frustrating," he said. ”The guys all knew how to play street ball, but none of them had really played serious, organized basketball. Our passing average that first year was just one per possession. After the first pass, the second guy would shoot the ball.”

"There was a lot of selfishness,” said senior Lavell Ellick, the team's leading scorer.“It was hard. We had to break it all down and see why we were losing."

"Any one of us could go out and play in the street and just be incredible,"Guins said,"But when it came down to rules and playing together it was totally different.""We eventually learned we need every one of us,”Ellick said."It doesn't take one, we need all five.”That lesson learned, the Atoms also needed some confidence, which was severely lacking after a 0-15 season.

"We'd go on the court expecting to lose," Gokce said.

That slowly changed after the team's first win in its second season a 70-56 victory over Manlius Pebble Hill.

While basketball has become relevant,it's far from the most important mission at SAS.Gokce preaches education first and is quick to point out that 90 percent of the school's graduates get accepted into college and have earned $2 million in scholarship money.Students need a minimum 2.4 grade point average in order to play basketball.The team's current starting center,6-foot-5 Yusef Jones,had a 0,7 GPA last year and couldn't play.His current GPA is 3.2.

"We love to use basketball as a tool to get the kids to concentrate on their classes,"Gokce said."It works."

The school is located in the old Sacred Heart School on Park Avenue, just off West Genesee Street in Syracuse,the original home of the former Parochial League basketball power. Total enrollment is 370 in grades seven through 12.

"We're just another educational option,"Gokce said.”We have all kinds of students.We get some kids from other schools who aren't doing well academically.Some already have good grades and want a better learning environment.”

The Average class size is 17 or 18 students.

Gokce players credit him for much of the team's success.A former professional basketball player in Europe until he was sidelined by a knee injury,Gokce has been in the U.S. for four years.His wife, Aslihan,won a green card lottery,which gained the couple entry into this country.They first settled in New Jersey.A friend who was attending Syracuse University told Gokce about the Syracuse Academy of Science and its need for a basketball coach.

Gokce's European roots have helped with the education of his students.He's taken some of players, including Ellick and Guins,on summer trips to Europe,where they've attended basketball camps.Ellick said he's visited eight countries.

"SAS has changed my life around,” Ellick said."I get good grades.I've learned how to play basketball.It's all because of SAS and coach Gokce."

"Coach is a big reason for our success,"Guins said,"His favorite saying is "Play like a man."This season, we're playing like men."

The losing of the past appears over.

"The previous three years we were so accustomed to losing,there was no fun involved.Look what we've evolved into now.It's really been fun.”

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