March 5, 2009
Ritchart is no fool’s gold
Auburn, California is a former mining town located a bit northeast of Sacramento. Most think the area has been depleted of its gold but that thinking is open to dispute. Why? Two words: Josh Ritchart.
Ritchart produces despite being double- and triple-teamed
The 6-foot-7 junior is shining this season, albeit indoors, for Dave Thomas’ Forest Lake Christian basketball team. Ritchart is currently averaging 28 points a game, including shooting a remarkable 43% on his three-point attempts, as well as nabbing 12.5 rebounds a contest. He also is getting it done in the classroom as his 3.9 grade point average attests.
Here’s Thomas on his protégé, who was just named the most valuable player in the Central Valley Christian League: "He’s a very solid player, a good outside shooter and a fine ballhandler and passer. He likes to play the 3, facing the basket."
Ritchart concurs, offering "probably shooting" when asked about his best basketball skill. "Opponents don’t expect me to step outside and hit from there," he added. Conversely, he tendered "improving my defense" when the query was what he is working on bettering. "But I’m okay defensively."
Now some will roll there eyes, offering that Ritchart’s numbers in such a setting are no big deal. However, as Thomas points out, "Josh could have gone to a larger school and faced less defensive pressure, no double teams or box and ones or triangle and twos" as Ritchart is definitely the center of attention each game and draw the opponents’ best defenders.
One element Ritchart displays on the court is a high basketball IQ. For him, that came to be "because I watch a lot of basketball and you can really learn by doing that." His mother also tapes each Forest Lake Christian game and Ritchart views the video afterwards in order to see what he is doing well and what he could do better. Thomas concurs with this awareness assessment, "Josh really understands the game of basketball."
He was 6-foot-3 as a freshman and played in the post. Ritchart offered, "I always had good range on my shot but never used it then." He grew to 6-foot-6 as a sophomore and then to his current 6-foot-7 as a third-year high schooler. One element he keeps working on is his athletic ability. "I have gotten quicker," Ritchart said.
He credits his brother Andrew, now a freshman guard on the Cal State East Bay men’s basketball team, for being his biggest basketball influence. "He was better and that kind of motivated me and made me the player I am today."
As for suitors, Pacific and UC Davis have scouted him, with others on the way.
Ritchart plays club team basketball with a group of Rocklin and Del Oro high school players as members of the Youth Basketball Academy but is undecided about this summer.
He also participated in baseball during his earlier days but that was over by junior high. "I chose basketball because it’s so active, you’re always moving and I like the flow of the game."
Here’s Thomas again. "Josh comes from a great family and is a wonderful kid." Ritchart provided his own self-assessment with, "On the court, I play my hardest because I don’t like to lose. Off the court, I’m a regular guy. If you hang out with me, you wouldn’t know I play basketball."
The foolhardy may still go ahead and think of Ritchart as just so much pyrite. But know that a bevy of college assayers -- the ones that count -- disagree and are panning, sluicing and dredging to try and land this nugget from Auburn.