As a little kid, Cameron Dobbs dreamed of playing basketball for the University of Louisville. As he got older, he realized that playing for any Division I team would be an accomplishment. So, getting signed by Mississippi Valley State was a blessing.
However, Dobbs won’t settle until he’s the best basketball player that he can be. Even then, he might not reconcile.
“I want to get a lot stronger, more physical,” said Dobbs, who was one of the top scorers in Section 2 as a senior at Guilderland last year. “Division I players are bigger, stronger, and faster. I’m working hard every day.”
The six foot, 173-pound Altamont native is one of six freshman on the Mississippi Valley State team. Dobbs is now playing the point guard position after running the show as shooting guard for the Dutchmen. Dobbs has gotten 37 minutes of play over three games with 12 points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block.
There is room for improvement, but Dobbs is fighting for playing time.
The Delta Devils made the NCAA Tournament last season as champions of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, losing to Western Kentucky in the first round. All of that team’s starters graduated, and the Devils have a new coach, Chico Potts, who scouted Dobbs while he was an assistant.
Potts told The Enterprise that he likes Dobbs’s ability to shoot the ball as a left-handed shot. “He can catch the defense off guard,” Potts said on Nov. 9 before the season-opening game against Mississippi. “He can score, but he’s got some work to do.”
Guilderland Head Coach Ron Osinski, who has over 400 wins on the sidelines, said that Dobbs was looking at Division II and III schools when the Mississippi Valley State opportunity came about last spring. With Dobbs’s smaller height and lower weight, the basketball “gurus,” Osinski said, didn’t give him much hope at the Division I level.
Prior to Dobbs, Kenny Dagastino (Iona), Brett Marfurt (Colgate), and Justin Maxwell (Siena) all went on to play Division I after graduating from Guilderland.
“I think he went into a good situation,” Osinski said of Dobbs. “He brings that scoring mentality as an excellent offensive player, and he gets up and down the court rather quickly. He told me that he’s got to get quicker, but he’s pretty quick already.”
For a high school player to find success at the Division I echelon, he needs great basketball IQ and quickness. Although Osinski doesn’t like to compare players, he believes that Dobbs is one of the best the Dutchmen have ever had on the court.
“I always wanted to be the best, and people always told me I was good,” said Dobbs. “Still, I was surprised that a Division I team was looking at me. I figured I was too young and undersized.”
At Guilderland, Dobbs was always the quickest player on the court. He had a nose for the basket.
“He’s a scorer, so I intend on using him as such,” Potts said. “He shoots really well for a smaller guard and handles the ball well. We have a lot of new guys here, so no one really has an advantage.”
The Delta Devils have an agonizing start to its schedule, but playing top Division I teams will help the players’ development. After getting pounded by Mississippi (93-57) and Cincinnati (102-60), Mississippi Valley played a tighter game against Northwestern, losing, 81 to 68, after being tied at 58 to 58 in the second half. The Delta Devils’ next two games are away at Louisiana State and Virginia.
“This coaching staff really pushes us to be better,” Dobbs said. “They give us everything we could ask for…There’s so much support.”
Dobbs said that he needs to work on his defensive play. “I want to be a pest,” he said. “This has been a different learning experience for me, learning from older players, but I don’t mind taking a step back.”
Mississippi Valley State is a run-and-gun team that calls a lot of pick and rolls, which is good for Dobbs’s quickness. He said he’s learned a lot from junior point guard Darryl Marshall, and has formed a bond with Coach Potts.
“The sky is the limit,” Dobbs said. “We have a whole lot of talent here, but there’s a new feel. We all have to figure each other’s games out, so there will be some trials and tribulations.”
Dobbs picked up a basketball when he was 2 years old and never looked back. He said he would have been disappointed if he weren’t playing Division I basketball.
Competition runs through Dobbs’ veins. He will do all he can to achieve his dreams, but is willing to discover his weaknesses.
“The day you stop learning is the day you die,” Potts said. “You’re always learning something.”
Jordan J. Michael
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