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Coach Vic's Corner: Catching up with JJ Sullinger

By Zach Fleer, 01/11/17, 10:30AM EST

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Coach Vic's Corner kicks off with an interview with former Buckeye JJ Sullinger

Coach Vic's Corner is a weekly series featuring interviews with some of Central Ohio's greatest basketball players in history. Coach Victor Dandridge talks with some of Ohio's legends on the hardwood.

1. What is the greatest game you can recall from your high school career?

That’s a tough one… Not exactly how you’d think either.. I never dominated a basketball game… I played freshman ball at Brookhaven. At Hartley… We weren’t good enough for me to consider any of my games a good one and at Thomas Worthington (Yes I went to three different High Schools) our system, the way we were coached… Didn’t allow it. We had a real rotation, and it was never a question… I was coming out the game. Looking back, our district championship game vs. Reynoldsburg stands out as one of my most memorable games... This was our third time playing them this year, and although we had already beat them twice… We knew it would take a small miracle to beat them three straight times.

We were down I’m not sure how many late in the game, and we couldn’t penetrate their 2-3 zone for anything! They had our number… Our flow was bad, and we just couldn’t get things going offensively… I saw no other way than to just cross half and pull up… And that’s exactly what I did… Twice to get us back in the game! It was the very first time in my career I scratched the system, and made it do what it did! Both times (the second being deeper than the first) I could hear Coach (Bob) Miller screaming “God Bless it” and I didn’t care. People still bring those shots up… We ending up winning in overtime! (I air-balled the game winning shot to win in regulation! Haaa!)

2. Who was the best opponent you faced in high school?

I’m going to keep this one local. I won’t pretend like I played vs. the best of the best in HS… I got no Oak Hills, Dayton Dunbars, Cleveland St. Eds on my resume… I can admit to that. I was most certainly up for the challenge… But back then… That wasn’t going to happen, and if it was a possibility… I doubt Worthington was about that life! However, we had some amazing talent inside the city and even in the OCC! (My (OCC) class is the first and still I believe only class to beat the City League in the District 10 All-Star Game. Don’t even try to debate me about our talent level. We had it!) But this team came right from the great city of Columbus, and I say that because they had guys from every single end of the city! 

Ya'll wanna complain about Golden State? LeBron going to Miami? A certain school on Karl Road was doing that waaaaaaaaay before that!
The team that put us out our senior year could have arguably been the best HS basketball team the city has ever had. It is up there! 2000-2001 Brookhaven Bearcats! They had big Anthony Murphy in the middle blocking everything. Te’ Patterson who was a very underrated player. Raheem Moss and Ron Lewis who need no intro. Andrew Lavender and Brandon Foust were coming into their own. I believe even Mel Corn was a freshman if I’m not mistaken?  But their engine… Their leader was Christopher “Pooh” Edwards! I think he was the only guy from our class that stuck with the program, and he could go! He set the tone the very first play of the game by getting a break away steal at half… Pooh could pass, shoot, and he had the army behind him to make it look effortless!

I will say this though… (God rest his soul..) Coach Howard knew what it was though! They had to double and triple team the kid, and my fade away hadn’t really emerged to force the issue… I had to pass! Our shooter who shot 51% on the season beyond the arc went 1 for 11 that game! Brookhaven made someone else beat them and we couldn’t get it done. Felly Feld knocks down a couple more of those shots, we win that game! Hats off to the Bearcats, and Rest in Peace to one of the most influential people in my life.. Coach Bruce Howard!! (Who else wants a Mug Root Beer now???)

3. Who was the hardest player for you to guard?

I’m also going to keep this one local. Like I stated above… I didn’t play nationally known players in a high school uniform. I did in AAU and please believe I held my own! Some say I am my biggest fan and that’s okay. Some of your favorite players know by name and hand, cause they couldn’t even stop me from going left! *Wink! 
The player I had to face two times a year that was a tough guard, was Mike Fiebig! The kid could do it all! He had a major clip off the catch OR off the bounce!! He could handle it, and he had bunnies! He also had a phenomenal coach (Dave Pissuti) who had plays for days that custom fit his strengths! Alas, he also had a goon squad of bigs who set major illegal screens to get them ready for Ohio State football, and the NFL!! (*Coughs Jay Richardson!*)
Mike was nice and we were good friends… Definitely wanted to whoop on each other every chance we got though!! The closest thing to a Magic vs Bird match up the OCC ever had!

4. Who guarded you better than anyone else?

Besides that Brookhaven basketball team? Joe Bills from Zanesville Rosecrans. Although I was a Sophomore his senior year… He tormented me. He made me work for every single point I scored on him. It was three. He shut me out our first game, and I only had three the second. That still til this day eats at me. I got the chance to catch him in passing years later… I thanked him for what he did. He recognized who I was, yet had no idea what I was thanking him for… He was shocked when I told him why! Some might take that as a sign of disrespect, or a blow to their ego… I personally thought it was dope! I was a no name… I wasn’t anybody special, on a very very mediocre (at best) basketball team. He was shutting me down for no other reason besides, that’s how he played the game. Made me respect him even more! Dude had a clip too! One of the best shooters I have ever faced. 

5. Is there a particular play or moment from high school that you can recall like it was yesterday?

Besides those two prayers I shot up to win the district?? I remember a lot of plays but one I will never forget was at Westerville North… They kicked our ass the previous year, and it was payback! I definitely went in there with a chip on my shoulder. I can’t recall what quarter… But we were up a significant amount. Coach Miller still had his starters in because like I said above, we had a rotation and we were never ever comfortable!
Kev (Anderson) gets a deflection and as the ball is going out of bounds, I sling it in the air to save it… But I throw it towards our basket. The ball goes all through the metal beams above and everyone assumes it will touch to be called out of bounds. Except it never touched anything. Alex Feldman runs it down and throws down the sickest one hand jam. It was SportsCenter Top 10 worthy. Except I don’t think they were doing those yet!

6. What was your signature move?

I think I am most known for my fade away jumper off my right shoulder. But like I mentioned before, that hadn’t emerged yet. In high school and all my career I was very very left hand dominant. Laugh all you want. Show me a person that could stop me going left? I’ll wait. 

My change of pace stop and go was my go to all my career but it worked like no other in high school. Catch a guy sprinting alongside you trying to catch up in transition. Slow down. Look around. Wag your tongue or smile… (I was definitely a show boat) as soon as his head comes up and he exhales thinking he’s caught up with you. That’s when you give it that burst of speed and he’s outta there! Caught quite a few of you reading this with that one too. You know who you are! 

7. if you could change anything from your high school days what if anything would that be?

Ahhh I love this question because I speak on it often. I could literally write a book on this because I made so many mistakes that I would have never ever guessed were mistakes back then. You literally don’t know! My son is in the eighth grade. He has an opportunity to be pretty good, and he’s starting to make that transition from boy to man. We all know what that means. In today’s world.. Technology doesn’t really allow them to make the same mistakes we did because as soon as they do, the world knows about it. I told him, "Look at it as checks and balances. The more you think you’re getting away with now, the more you will have to pay for it tomorrow."

He didn’t quite understand, but it made perfect sense to me. I thought what I was doing, I was getting away scott free! NO I WAS NOT! Here’s a few things I would have done different… Or what my current self would tell my high school self.

1. Working on your strengths in the gym, is NOT working on your game! You are only working on your game when you’re working on your weaknesses! Work accordingly!
2. You can’t please everybody, and everyone doesn’t deserve to be pleased!
3. You can’t be everywhere, all the time. Be where you’re needed.. Not wanted!
4. You aren’t working hard, if you were out the night before. I don’t care who you think you’re fooling! You could have been way better. 
5. Go where you’re wanted. A small school that wants you is better than a big school that takes you. 
6. School and your education is important. Take it as serious as you do athletics. You will have more opportunity with your degree than you ever will with your jumper. 
7. Shoot the ball
8. Shoot the ball
9. Shoot the damn ball!
10. Being “The Man” means absolutely nothing. The nightlife, the women, the status, the reputation means nothing. The people who treat you as such, means nothing either. They come and go as soon as your time at being “The Man” expires and when it does, all you're left with is the people who were there from the beginning and if you treated them poorly, or put them off to the side to be “The Man” you failed.
11. Shoot the ball Jay!!! Shoot the mother______ ball!!!

8. What would you change about today's high school game?

Personally, I think we have way too many guys teaching the game that know absolutely nothing about the game. Everyone is a trainer, or a coach. Everyone is hosting workouts, gym sessions, and teaching what they believe is the game. Fundamentals are nonexistent in today’s youth. Bring fundamentals back to the game and the three-point line shouldn’t even be a thought until you get to middle school. It should absolutely be a violation to shoot behind the three-point line until you’re in eighth grade!
Kids have no consequence to losing anymore, and because of it… Winning isn’t important. When I played, open gym was 50-60 cats. You lose… You sat… For a while! Now? You lose, you get right back on. No problem. Because of this, kids feel as if they’re entitled to everything without earning it. I am not just talking about sports either. Losing prepares you for life. Failing prepares you for the "Real World." These kids now are not really getting any of those experiences and it is diluting the game!

9. In the prime of your high school career how would you fare against today's top high schoolers?

I would have held my own! A lot of great talent here in the city and the state of Ohio! It would have been fun to see. Personally I think I get the nod because I simply could not be out worked on the floor, especially in my prime. Some great guys out there though, can’t knock them for sure. But I’m betting on me!

10. What advice would you give to today's high school players?

1-11 above is a great start! The main thing for today’s youth not only ball players but youth in general is the misconception that “Right now matters.” Right now matters absolutely, but so does tomorrow! Make sure every decision you make, every way you turn is setting you up for what tomorrow can bring. I think young kids get too caught up in what’s taking place at this very moment, they lose sight of where they’re heading, AND how far they’ve come. That is a maturity thing I am sure, but the sooner they realize that, the better off they will be, the better they will do.. ON AND OFF THE FLOOR!

School is important. Don’t for one second believe it not to be. Even if you have millions of dollars in your future. Education is key.
Keep in mind, embrace, and buy in to the fact that life is 10 percent what happens to you, and 90 percent how you react to that 10 percent. There will be bumps in the road, and obstacles to overcome. Spend your time, energy, and focus on how to get around them, instead of why they’re there.
Carry yourself with class. Every single encounter with any one person is an opportunity to grow and become better! Although I feel like I did a pretty good job at this, I could have done much better!

Don’t drink the Kool-Aid! You stuff still smells. The people who treat you like your God’s gift to the Earth will never ever have any impact on decisions that will impact your life. So disregard their opinions and admiration. Stay low and humble and make sure you surround yourself with people who will not be afraid to tell you like it is, and when they do… LISTEN!
Finally, look yourself in the mirror. When you do, realize that is the only person in the way of where you’re trying to go. Don’t waste your time blaming coaches, teachers, or anyone else for your shortcomings. It all starts with you. What could you have done differently?

Thanks 270, Coach Vic, and everyone else who was involved with this. I think this is something very special and could be a huge benefit to today’s youth. Like myself, and others who will have an opportunity to do this question/answer session… Have lived it! We understand what you’re going through. I tell my brothers, my sons and daughters, and everyone else… I made a lot of mistakes in my life that have impacted me a great deal. My pro career never panned out as planned because of it. It used to be depressing to me. I didn’t understand how “he” was over there doing that, when "he" couldn’t wear my jockstrap! He couldn’t check me! How in the hell is making that kind of money while I am over here doing whatever I was doing? Now that my playing days are long gone, I have learned to accept those failures and shortcomings and have turned them into teaching tools to the youth and the ones closest to me. If I can prevent my brothers, or my children from making some of the same mistakes I made. They were more than worth it, and I can absolutely live with each and every one of them. I say all that to say, if this reaches one young person and helps them achieve their goals - I’ve succeeded twice. Still can’t check me though! Haaaa! Thanks again!

Thanks JJ!


Photo courtesy of MHickey Photography

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