Colorado School of Mines’ Brendan Sullivan is seizing his opportunity out on the court
GOLDEN, Colo. — Not everyone has the pleasure and privilege of competing in college basketball. Which is why the opportunity becomes sacred as it is sought after by every single student-athlete across the nation. Naturally, the bestowed upon blessing goes both ways as teams rigorously attempt to recruit the best players for their program. The ones they hope will separate and distinguish them from the other schools who also want championship glory. At the Colorado School of Mines, the Orediggers are fortunate to have convinced Brendan Sullivan to be a part of their group.
The 6-foot-6 forward is in his senior year and has been contributing like an individual destined for stardom. So far, he has a field goal percentage of 53.6% which is exactly the number that sets him apart from being just a scorer. He’s an efficient shooter who is also decent at the free-throw line where he is averaging 75.0 percent. All the shooting percentages amount to him leading the team in scoring with 15.3 points per game. It’s a feat that he’s familiar with given his history with the Orediggers.
Last season, Sullivan started all 21 games and also led the team in scoring where he averaged 18.1 points per game. He was the only player in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) to rank in the top-10 in scoring, shooting percentage, steals, and blocks. His shooting percentage was similar to his present figures, averaging 52.2 percent from the field and 77.2 percent from the free-throw line. It was also a season where he received a chorus of accolades.
Sullivan was named as a National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) National Player of the Year finalist, an NABC All-American, and a NABC First-Team All-West honors. But he wasn’t just getting awards from the NABC. The conference also acknowledged his greatness by winning the RMAC Player of the Year, the RMAC Academic Player of the Year, and being named in the RMAC All-tournament team.
It was also a year where Sullivan reached career highs, most notably in the points section where he scored 31 points versus Fort Lewis and added a NCAA Division II tournament high 21 points against Lincoln Memorial in the Elite Eight.
Although Sullivan achieved heights that were surprising but welcomed, he knows that this season represents an opportunity for him to reach a higher level. He not only should aim to achieve personal acclaim but also accomplish a broader goal of going deep in the NCAA tournament.
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