Hargrave season prepared Ponder for the future

Brian Mull

Craig Ponder woke at 6 every weekday morning, followed the orders given by students, some of whom were younger than him. He cleaned barracks and marched. He practiced basketball twice daily, facing talented guards headed for high-major programs and learning from a demanding coach who stressed defense.

The rigors of Hargrave Military Academy can break a young man. Ponder, a strong candidate to be the opening day point guard at UNCW next season, said the experience made him stronger.

“It made me a better person, made me go outside my comfort zone,” he said. “It just taught me alot about life, that everything doesn’t always go your way and you have to make the best of every situation.”

Unsatisfied with his scholarship offers coming out of tiny Bluefield (WV) High, Ponder opted to spend a year at Hargrave, a prep program with a proud tradition that annually sends its entire roster off to college basketball and has alums David West and Josh Howard playing in the NBA.

In practice, he battled teammates Marquis Rankin and Robert Brown, the backcourt combo headed to Va. Tech and occasionally guarded North Carolina-bound McDonald’s All-American P.J. Hairston.

“He matured mentally and physically,” Hargrave coach Kevin Keatts said. “He competed every day and is now a more complete player. He learned how to talk and be a leader on the floor. He led by his play.”

Recruited by assistant coach Jamie Kachmarik, the versatile muscular Ponder signed with UNCW in the November period. At Hargrave, he carved his role as first substitute in the backcourt, capable of playing point or off the ball. Keatts compared him to former Detroit Pistons super sixth man Vinnie Johnson, someone capable of “hitting you with 12 points in a hurry.”

To score against his talented teammates, Ponder said he was learned new offensive moves and improved his ability to create a shot off the dribble.

“My confidence just went way up playing against those guys,” he said.

Those skills should help him thrive in coach Buzz Peterson’s ball-screen oriented offense and allow him to find time in a wide-open UNCW backcourt. Tanner Milson is the only returning guard on scholarship in the 2011-12 season. The biggest question mark in the Seahawks backcourt is at point guard, the most important position on the floor.

“I’ve been based around the point guard position my whole life,” Ponder said. “I feel like I’ll be able to step in and contribute right away, as long as I keep working out every day and getting stronger, getting more physical and keep becoming a better ballhandler.”

Hargrave’s season ended with a loss in the semifinals of the National Prep Championship and Ponder returned home to Bluefield a couple days later. There, he works out five-to-six hours a day, spends time with friends and family and doesn’t miss those early-morning alarms. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound guard also talks to future teammates Milson and Donte Morales on occasion and is building a strong friendship with incoming freshman Luke Hager, who visited UNCW the same weekend as Ponder.

“Hargrave prepared me for college,” he said. “I believe that was my freshman year of college being at Hargrave. It taught me a lot about being on time for everything and having your priorities straight.”

ESPN Recruiting Bottom Line on Ponder:

Ponder is a true point guard that excels in the open court with his ability to get to the rim and score at high speeds from the mid range areas on the floor. Ponder can run the team and find the open man pretty well when he attacks the defense. As his shooting from behind the arc improves so will his overall production.

Ponder readies for a game.