July 04, 2008
Welch keeps it local
Fresh off a game-changing performance in the Sacramento versus Bay Showdown, Julian Welch won’t have far to travel to play Division I basketball. He is an Aggie, which can mean something at a number of colleges across the country but this particular location is UC Davis of the Big West Conference.
Welch joins a plethora of guards at UC Davis
What it means to Welch is more important. "[Davis is] close by, my brother already goes there and my family can see me play," he said.
His strong season at Franklin High, posting 25 points per game -- 15th in the state -- while shooting 59 percent overall and 45 percent from three-point range obviously indicates the Aggies are getting someone with serious points production potential. This season, Welch was also named the most valuable player of the Delta Valley Conference and was a first team All-Metro Sacramento Bee selection.
Welch, who patterns aspects of his game after NBA stars Ray Allen and Carmelo Anthony, just completed a physical and measured out at 6-foot-three and a half inches and 180 pounds.
His club team coach and trainer, Phil Handy, had this to say of his on-court pupil: "He’s a great kid, very reserved and well-mannered and a hard worker."
With Academic Progress Rates coming to the fore in college athletics, Welch is quite the asset. He brings a very solid 3.4 grade point average and acknowledgment as an honors student to Davis and is already looking to major in business with the idea of owning his own company down the road.
Welch was the foremost ingredient as his Sacramento seniors team pulled out a one point victory, 115-114, over its Bay Area counterparts in the annual Sacramento versus Bay Area Showdown. Welch finished with 29 points -- 27 of those in the second 20 minutes -- when the Sacto squad overcame a 23-point deficit. No college coaches were present that night due to NCAA recruiting regulations but word had to filter out about Welch’s gutty performance and such obviously was another brick in the wall regarding Welch’s recruitment.
As for the 2009-2009 version of the Davis backcourt: Guards Vince Oliver and David Carter started all 31 games as juniors as did soph-to-be Mark Payne, who was the Big West Freshman of the Year last season. Notre Dame transfer Joe Harden has completed his sit-out season as has former Hawaii guard Todd Lowenthal. On paper, this group looks like the mainstays of next season’s backcourt. However, junior Shane Hansen, senior Nathan Clark, redshirt frosh Adam Malik, soph Ryan Silva and newcomers Ryan Howley and Jacob Ranger are also on the roster as backcourters.
But it’s important to note that Payne, Harden, Hansen and Malik all have the size to play the wing and Coach Gary Stewart will have three players out of this group on the floor at all times.
But such is no concern for Welch. "I just want to come in and compete." In the meantime, he’s hitting every open gym that’s feasible and lifting weights in preparation for his big move. Indicating his degree of seriousness, when asked what he is working on to improve his game, Welch was all encompassing: "I’m looking to get better in everything I do on the court."