Shooting help arrives

Stephan Gilling is ready to play his first home basketball game in a 49er jersey after patiently waiting a year on the bench.

Gilling transferred from Colorado State University to Long Beach State during the 2007-08 season but was not able to play due to the NCAA transfer rules. Now eligible, the 6-foot-2-inch junior guard is ready to get back on the court and help the team recover from last season’s 6-25 record.

“It was rough on me,” Gilling said about last year. “I could only practice. I knew I couldn’t help my teammates.”

But after not playing in a game for more than a year, he is eager, ready and excited to get back on the court.

Gilling became an important piece to the team at Colorado State and improved from his first to second year there. His numbers went up in points, rebounds and assists and ended with a .424 percentage in 3-pointers. He wants to continue that trend and keep improving his game at Long Beach State.

“[I just] want to keep going, keep boosting up my numbers,” said Gilling.

Head coach Dan Monson believes that Gilling will provide support on offense for leading-scorer Donovan Morris and will help the defense as well.

“He will be an important part of what we are doing here,” Monson said. “He will be able to stretch the defense and he is a great shooter.”

With seven players returning, including five freshmen, Monson believes that Gilling can help the team develop and mature.

“We look at him as leader because of his experience, which most of our guys [do not] have,” Monson said.

Gilling is used to being looked at as a leader. When he played for Ayala High School, he was the league MVP as a senior and took his school to the Sierra League Championship twice.

“I’m used to it,” Gilling said. “I know how to speak on the court and I understand the game a little bit more.”

He added that he knows how young the team is and wants to contribute to the young talent.

Gilling also knows that being a student-athlete on the college level is hard work, but said it’s as simple as “time management.”

“I know how to play the school/basketball schedule,” he said. “Go to class, do your work and then go to the court and do more work.”

A sociology major with inspirations of becoming a professional basketball player, Gilling said his parents are there for support when he needs it. As a child, his dad provided him with mental advice and still sends him text messages everyday with advice for school or basketball.

With Saturday’s home opener approaching, Gilling is ready to play his first game in front of the Long Beach crowd.