Adam Emmenecker
Encyclopedia
Adam Cannata Emmenecker (born December 3, 1985 in Saginaw
, Michigan
) is an American
basketball
player who completed his college career
as a point guard
at Drake University
in Des Moines, Iowa
in 2008. During the 2007-08 basketball season, Emmenecker, who had been a walk-on (non-scholarship
player) for his first three years at Drake, emerged from obscurity to lead the Bulldogs
to a sweep of the regular-season and tournament
titles in the Missouri Valley Conference
, and received numerous honors for his performance as both a player and a student. Adam's parents are Michael A. Emmenecker and Jo Ann B. Cannata of Saginaw, Michigan, he has one sister, Sara C. Emmenecker.
in Saginaw, Emmenecker was a two-sport star, starting for and captaining the basketball team for three years and earning all-league honors twice in baseball
. His high school basketball statistics were those of a pass-first point guard—8.4 assists per game as opposed to only 4.7 points per game. He also averaged 5.9 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game. In his senior season of 2003-04, he led his team to a 22-2 record and a ranking of #25 in that year's final USA Today
national high school basketball poll. Emmenecker was an honorable mention all-state player in Michigan's Class A, and was also named Arthur Hill's outstanding graduate of 2004.
Division I scholarship offers in basketball, and nearly decided to play baseball at Boston College
before opting to attend Drake. He received a Presidential Scholarship, a partial tuition scholarship "for academic achievement," and also walked on to the basketball team
. In his first season (2004-05), he played in 12 games, with his most extensive game action being six minutes against Western Illinois
. As a sophomore in 2005-06, he played in 29 games, starting two, and averaged seven minutes. The following year, he became the Bulldogs' top reserve guard, averaging 11 minutes per game in 23 games before his season ended with a shoulder injury against Missouri State
.
Source: DrakeBulldogs.org and espn.com
for his final season.
After splitting two games in California
to open the season, Drake emerged as one of the surprises of the 2007-08 basketball season, embarking on a winning streak that would reach 21 games before ending on February 13, 2008 against Southern Illinois
. The Bulldogs went on to finish 15-3 in conference play, winning their first MVC regular-season title since 1971 by two games. They added the MVC Tournament
to their regular-season crown, securing their first NCAA Tournament
bid since 1971
and their first postseason berth of any kind since the 1986
NIT
. The Bulldogs went on to lose an overtime heartbreaker in the first round of the NCAA tournament
to Western Kentucky on a long three-pointer at the buzzer by Western's Ty Rogers. In his final competitive game, Emmenecker struggled with his shooting from the field, going 0-for-10, but still got a double-double with 11 points and 14 assists.
The former walk-on emerged as a major star in Drake's Cinderella
season. Although he averaged only 8.5 points per game for the season, his average in MVC regular-season play was 10.3. Emmenecker's contributions in other facets of the game proved much more important than his scoring. His 6.45 assists per game led the MVC by more than one per game, and he set a single-season school record for assists. He was also among the league's top five in steals and assist-to-turnover ratio, and in the league's top 10 in minutes played, free throw percentage, and—somewhat surprisingly for a 6'1" (1.85 m) point guard—offensive rebounds.
Emmenecker became the MVC's most-decorated player of the 2007-08 season:
When the MVC announced him as season MVP, it called him "perhaps the most improbable MVC Player of the Year (based on pre-season expectations) in league history." Entering the 2007-08 season, he had played 58 games in three seasons, but had only started two, and had career totals of 57 points and 64 assists. His 2007-08 season totals in points, assists, and rebounds all were at least double his previous career statistics in each category.
Emmenecker's 2007-08 season, and indeed his Drake career, may best be summed up by Keno Davis
, who was a Drake assistant under his father, Dr. Tom Davis
, when Emmenecker arrived as a walk-on, succeeded his father as head coach for the 2007-08 season, was named 2008 MVC Coach of the Year, and won multiple national Coach of the Year awards:
It should also be noted Adam was recognized as Honorable Mention on the AP All-American Team. An honor almost as prestigious as making one of the 3 All American Teams themselves. He shared Honorable Mention Honors with such stars as Mario Chalmers, Brandon Rush and Darrell Aurthur (Kansas), Drew Neitzel (Michigan State), as well as Tyler Smith (Tennessee, transferred from Iowa due to family tragedy).
Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who completed his college career
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
as a point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
at Drake University
Drake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
in 2008. During the 2007-08 basketball season, Emmenecker, who had been a walk-on (non-scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
player) for his first three years at Drake, emerged from obscurity to lead the Bulldogs
2007-08 Drake Bulldogs men's basketball team
The 2007–08 Drake Bulldogs men's basketball team represents Drake University in the 2007–08 college basketball season. The team was led by first-year head coach Keno Davis. In 2006–07, the Bulldogs finished 17–15...
to a sweep of the regular-season and tournament
2008 Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
The 2008 Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Tournament was played in St. Louis, Missouri at the conclusion of the 2007–2008 regular season.-Missouri Valley Conference standings:-Tournament Bracket:-References:...
titles in the Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
, and received numerous honors for his performance as both a player and a student. Adam's parents are Michael A. Emmenecker and Jo Ann B. Cannata of Saginaw, Michigan, he has one sister, Sara C. Emmenecker.
High school
While at Arthur Hill High SchoolArthur Hill High School
Arthur Hill High School is located at 3115 Mackinaw in Saginaw, Michigan. The student population is approximately 1300 students. Of the three high schools in the Saginaw Public School District, Arthur Hill's student population is the greatest.-Athletics:...
in Saginaw, Emmenecker was a two-sport star, starting for and captaining the basketball team for three years and earning all-league honors twice in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. His high school basketball statistics were those of a pass-first point guard—8.4 assists per game as opposed to only 4.7 points per game. He also averaged 5.9 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game. In his senior season of 2003-04, he led his team to a 22-2 record and a ranking of #25 in that year's final USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
national high school basketball poll. Emmenecker was an honorable mention all-state player in Michigan's Class A, and was also named Arthur Hill's outstanding graduate of 2004.
Walk-on obscurity
Emmenecker received no NCAANational Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I scholarship offers in basketball, and nearly decided to play baseball at Boston College
Boston College Eagles
The Boston College Eagles are the athletic teams representing Boston College. They compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The men's and women's ice hockey teams compete in Hockey East. The women's crew team competes in the Eastern Association of Women's Rowing...
before opting to attend Drake. He received a Presidential Scholarship, a partial tuition scholarship "for academic achievement," and also walked on to the basketball team
Drake Bulldogs men's basketball
The Drake Bulldogs men's basketball team represents Drake University, located in Des Moines, Iowa, in NCAA Division I basketball competition.The team's current coach is Mark Phelps, previously an assistant at Arizona State, who was hired after the 2007-08 season...
. In his first season (2004-05), he played in 12 games, with his most extensive game action being six minutes against Western Illinois
Western Illinois Leathernecks basketball
The Western Illinois Leathernecks men's basketball team represents Western Illinois University of Macomb, Illinois, in NCAA Division I men's college basketball competition....
. As a sophomore in 2005-06, he played in 29 games, starting two, and averaged seven minutes. The following year, he became the Bulldogs' top reserve guard, averaging 11 minutes per game in 23 games before his season ended with a shoulder injury against Missouri State
Missouri State Bears
The Missouri State Bears and Lady Bears are the athletic teams representing Missouri State University. Missouri State athletics date back to 1908. Missouri State is in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, and most teams compete in the Missouri Valley Conference...
.
Averages
| Season | Age | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | OFF | DEF | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PF | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004–05 2004–05 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The 2004–05 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 10, 2004, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 2, 2005 at the Edward Jones Dome in Saint Louis,... |
18 | Drake | 12 | 0 | 2.0 | .000 | .000 | 1.000 | 0.00 | 0.08 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| 2005–06 2005–06 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The 2005–06 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 6, 2005, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 3, 2006 at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana... |
19 | Drake | 29 | 2 | 7.3 | .353 | .000 | .625 | 0.20 | 0.65 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.8 |
| 2006–07 | 20 | Drake | 23 | 0 | 11.3 | .278 | .000 | .704 | 0.65 | 0.78 | 1.4 | 1.6 | .8 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 1.3 |
| 2007–08 | 21 | Drake 2007-08 Drake Bulldogs men's basketball team The 2007–08 Drake Bulldogs men's basketball team represents Drake University in the 2007–08 college basketball season. The team was led by first-year head coach Keno Davis. In 2006–07, the Bulldogs finished 17–15... |
33 | 33 | 33.1 | .459 | .000 | .833 | 2.15 | 2.48 | 4.6 | 6.5 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 3.1 | 2.1 | 8.6 |
| Career | 97 | 35 | 16.4 | .432 | .000 | .802 | 0.95 | 1.24 | 2.2 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 0.06 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 3.5 | ||
Totals
| Year | Age | Team | G | GS | MIN | FGM | FGA | 3PM | 3PA | FTM | FTA | OFF | DEF | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS |
| 2004–05 2004–05 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The 2004–05 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 10, 2004, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 2, 2005 at the Edward Jones Dome in Saint Louis,... |
18 | Drake | 12 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| 2005–06 2005–06 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The 2005–06 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 6, 2005, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 3, 2006 at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana... |
19 | Drake | 29 | 2 | 213 | 6 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 16 | 6 | 19 | 25 | 27 | 9 | 1 | 23 | 19 | 22 |
| 2006–07 | 20 | Drake | 23 | 0 | 259 | 5 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 27 | 15 | 18 | 33 | 37 | 18 | 1 | 25 | 20 | 29 |
| 2007–08 | 21 | Drake 2007-08 Drake Bulldogs men's basketball team The 2007–08 Drake Bulldogs men's basketball team represents Drake University in the 2007–08 college basketball season. The team was led by first-year head coach Keno Davis. In 2006–07, the Bulldogs finished 17–15... |
33 | 33 | 1093 | 79 | 172 | 0 | 2 | 125 | 150 | 71 | 82 | 153 | 213 | 53 | 4 | 103 | 69 | 283 |
| 4 Season Totals | 97 | 35 | 1589 | 90 | 208 | 0 | 4 | 158 | 197 | 92 | 120 | 212 | 282 | 80 | 6 | 156 | 112 | 338 | ||
Source: DrakeBulldogs.org and espn.com
2007-08: The Cinderella season
Going into the 2007-08 season, Drake was lightly regarded, returning only one starter, forward Klayton Korver, from a 2006-07 team that had won 17 games. In the MVC's preseason poll of media members, league coaches, and league sports information directors, the Bulldogs were picked to finish ninth out of 10 teams, and no Drake player was selected even as an honorable mention on the league's preseason all-conference team. Emmenecker did achieve a personal milestone two days before the Bulldogs started their season. After three years as a walk-on, he was given a full athletic scholarshipAthletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
for his final season.
After splitting two games in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to open the season, Drake emerged as one of the surprises of the 2007-08 basketball season, embarking on a winning streak that would reach 21 games before ending on February 13, 2008 against Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois Salukis men's basketball
The Southern Illinois Salukis basketball team represents Southern Illinois University Carbondale in Carbondale, Illinois. The Salukis compete in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Salukis are currently coached by Chris Lowery who led the team to the NCAA tournament in 2004 thru 2007. Lowery was...
. The Bulldogs went on to finish 15-3 in conference play, winning their first MVC regular-season title since 1971 by two games. They added the MVC Tournament
2008 Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
The 2008 Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Tournament was played in St. Louis, Missouri at the conclusion of the 2007–2008 regular season.-Missouri Valley Conference standings:-Tournament Bracket:-References:...
to their regular-season crown, securing their first NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
bid since 1971
1971 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1971 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1971, and ended with the championship game on March 27 in Houston, Texas...
and their first postseason berth of any kind since the 1986
1986 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Louisiana Tech 67, Florida 62...
NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
. The Bulldogs went on to lose an overtime heartbreaker in the first round of the NCAA tournament
2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2007–08 basketball season...
to Western Kentucky on a long three-pointer at the buzzer by Western's Ty Rogers. In his final competitive game, Emmenecker struggled with his shooting from the field, going 0-for-10, but still got a double-double with 11 points and 14 assists.
The former walk-on emerged as a major star in Drake's Cinderella
Cinderella (sports)
In American and Canadian sports, a Cinderella or "Cinderella Story" refers to a team or player who advances much further in a tournament or career than originally anticipated. Cinderellas tend to gain much media and fan attention as they move closer to the championship game at the end of the...
season. Although he averaged only 8.5 points per game for the season, his average in MVC regular-season play was 10.3. Emmenecker's contributions in other facets of the game proved much more important than his scoring. His 6.45 assists per game led the MVC by more than one per game, and he set a single-season school record for assists. He was also among the league's top five in steals and assist-to-turnover ratio, and in the league's top 10 in minutes played, free throw percentage, and—somewhat surprisingly for a 6'1" (1.85 m) point guard—offensive rebounds.
Emmenecker became the MVC's most-decorated player of the 2007-08 season:
- He was named as the captain of the MVC's All-Improved Team, joining Drake teammates Jonathan Cox and Leonard Houston on that team.
- He also made the All-MVC first team alongside Josh Young.
- In addition, he was named the Larry BirdLarry BirdLarry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
MVC Player of the Year. - Finally, he was named MVP of the 2008 MVC Tournament.
When the MVC announced him as season MVP, it called him "perhaps the most improbable MVC Player of the Year (based on pre-season expectations) in league history." Entering the 2007-08 season, he had played 58 games in three seasons, but had only started two, and had career totals of 57 points and 64 assists. His 2007-08 season totals in points, assists, and rebounds all were at least double his previous career statistics in each category.
Emmenecker's 2007-08 season, and indeed his Drake career, may best be summed up by Keno Davis
Keno Davis
-External links:*****...
, who was a Drake assistant under his father, Dr. Tom Davis
Tom Davis (basketball)
Dr. Thomas "Dr. Tom" Davis is an American former college men's basketball coach. He served as the head coach at Lafayette College, Boston College, Stanford University, the University of Iowa, and Drake University from 1971 to 2007....
, when Emmenecker arrived as a walk-on, succeeded his father as head coach for the 2007-08 season, was named 2008 MVC Coach of the Year, and won multiple national Coach of the Year awards:
It should also be noted Adam was recognized as Honorable Mention on the AP All-American Team. An honor almost as prestigious as making one of the 3 All American Teams themselves. He shared Honorable Mention Honors with such stars as Mario Chalmers, Brandon Rush and Darrell Aurthur (Kansas), Drew Neitzel (Michigan State), as well as Tyler Smith (Tennessee, transferred from Iowa due to family tragedy).