Jake Weitzen

The Great ‘Weit’ Hope: Weitzen Embraces Role As Scorer

by Zach Smart

MEDFORD, Mass. – Famous comedian Dave Chappelle once said it: For every clique of black men present in his old Washington, D.C. neighborhood, there is always one white guy amongst them. The scene is quite similar at the Rucker Park playground basketball court on 155th and 8th Avenue in New York City.

Meet Jake Weitzen, a 6-foot-3, 265-pound mammoth of a man. He’s a baller who pales by comparison.

Growing up, the big Jewish man from the Bronx never had the privilege that our children now take for granted. He was ineligible for C.Y.O. – the nearby church could only suit up three non-Catholics – and there were no competitive leagues anywhere nearby.

Plunged into a situation most 10-year olds would find difficult, Weitzen never let his love for the game elude his grasp. While his peers at school flaunted their C.Y.O. jackets and got an early taste of how the game is played, Weitzen hit the playgrounds.

At pre-ripe ages, Weitzen was playing (and holding his own) against grown men on some of the city’s toughest courts in Harlem and the Bronx. He’s played against household names like Luis Flores and Julius Hodge throughout his career.

Once lambasted as a player who doesn’t fully utilize his size, the former Bronx Science High stud has turned many heads and created many matchup difficulties in the process. He plays with the savvy of a prototypical New York guard every time he steps on the hardwood.

Weitzen, who received interest from a number of Division I schools his senior year, including Boston University, opted to play at D-III Tufts University in Medford, Mass. He also passed up an offer from the Ivy League’s Columbia. The 19-year old man-child wanted a position where he could come in and make an immediate impact.

He’s certainly taken advantage of the situation so far. Weitzen has emerged into the team’s most electrifying guard/forward, averaging 14.2 points and 5.3 boards per game, shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 43.8 from behind the arc. Behind Weitzen and 6-foot-9 center Dan Martin, a former McDonald All-American honorable mention, the Jumbos are off to a 10-3 start.

They’re ready to make things happen in the immensely talented New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) this year, Weitzen says. Tufts has won five of their last six games. However, they were trounced by conference foe Bowdoin, 84-70, on Monday. The Polar Bears shot them out of the gym, leading by as many as 18 at the start of the second half.

This season, the sophomore swingman has evolved into more than just a scorer – he’s become a leader, both on and off the court. It’s particularly due to a rigorous work ethic.

“Being around other guys that love basketball as much as I do allows me to work so much harder, whether its going for a run, lifting, or doing drills. College has really allowed me to elevate my game,” explained Weitzen, who frequently wakes up at 6 A.M. to work out. “I actually gained most of my work ethic in college.”

It’s Weitzen’s ability to create mismatches that makes him such a unique threat.

“I’m able to score from the outside and drive to the hoop a lot on bigger buys,” Weitzen, whose father Andrew played pro ball in Israel, said. “But on smaller guys I’m able to take them in the post and use my size to exploit the mismatches.”

In a city that contains a number of nationally recognized powerhouses – Lincoln, St. Raymond’s, Rice, to name a few – few folks have heard of Bronx Science. It’s known mostly for its strong academic reputation.

Weitzen helped resurrect an ailing program there his sophomore year, when he and then-senior Jeremy Bass led them to a Bronx championship. They started off one of the worst teams in their conference that year. As soon as the team found chemistry, Weitzen and Bass catapulted them to the top.

During his junior and senior years at Science, Weitzen averaged 27.0 points per game, erupting for 44 twice and 41 once.

At times, Weitzen was a one-man band. “At Science, we had a coach that preached movement on offense and really made teams that were much more athletic than us unable to defend our offense.”

He continued, “Our coach never really had trust for people and really never played any subs, which came back to haunt us as my senior year, as my teammates never had any real-game experience.”

Weitzen admits he’s played for money and witnessed random hustlers bet on his games in the parks. He feels that playing in the Rucker league and on various courts against more athletic and more intimidating opponents has added toughness to his game. He hopes that toughness will translate into a strong 2005-2006 campaign.

Look out.

“I strongly feel that this could be our year this year.