By Josh Niva
Anchorage Daily News
(Published: May 24, 2002)
It's a match made in hoops heaven.
The UAA men's basketball team was looking for a big, strong scorer to man the small forward position. Adam Fitt-Chappell was looking for a school with a high-profile schedule that was close to his Eagle River home.
Fitt-Chappell, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound swingman with a sweet shooting touch, and the Seawolves were joined in a marriage of love and basketball Thursday when Fitt-Chappell commited to play with UAA next season.
"We couldn't be happier," UAA head coach Charlie Bruns said. "He's a great shooter and this really fills a void we have."
UAA assistant coach Rusty Osborne added: "We feel he can come in and play right away and, at the same time, he's nowhere near where he can be in a few years. It's very exciting."
Fitt-Chappell, 18, is just stoked to play and do so in comfortable surroundings.
"I made the right choice -- it's a local school, my parents and friends can watch me play and that's definitely something I had in mind when I decided," Fitt-Chappell said. "And I wanted to go to a school where I knew I could play competitively. It's the right place for me. I'm very excited."
Fitt-Chappell put up the kind of numbers that give coaches goose bumps.
After two productive seasons at Chugiak High, Fitt-Chappell averaged 20 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists during a senior campaign at Wasilla High, earning him Region III most valuable player honors. That run, along with the polish he gained playing for venerable coaches Kevin Fullmer at Chugiak and Chuck Martin at Wasilla, garnered him attention from a handful of lower-level Division I programs. But his heart kept bringing him back to UAA, which showed its heart to him.
"They gave me a couple calls before this past season, and what I liked was they kind of laid off and let me make my own decision," he explained. "They let me look at the school instead of them pushing the school on me. It helped me make the decision to go there."
UAA's decision to pursue Fitt-Chappell was an uncontested lay-up. The team that went 9-18 last year hoped to add offense, size and potential to its small forward ranks during the signing season -- and it did all three with the addition of Fitt-Chappell.
"We were a little short at the three spot last year," Bruns said. "He lifts weights faithfully, his body is almost like a sophomore in college already, and he's a gym rat. He thrives on trying to get better."
Indeed he does.
"I just want to improve right now and get the experience of playing college ball, get the feel for it," Fitt-Chappell said. "It never seems like you can be good enough."
One thing Fitt-Chappell is pretty darn good at already is shooting the rock.
"Adam's No. 1 strength is that he can shoot the ball, whether he's open or with a hand in his face," Osborne said. "That's very unusual these days. And he's not just a three-point shooter, he's got a good mid-range game."
Bruns was impressed, as well.
"He can shoot it with the best of them," the coach said. "(Freshman shooting guard) Mark Drake is one of best shooters I've had around and Adam can keep up with him."
Reporter Josh Niva can be reached at jniva@adn.com.