Thursday, January 25, 2007
By Kevin Hageland, Staff Writer / Plano Star

PLANO - With signing day rapidly approaching, most of the recruiting buzz has been around football players.

But when a member of last year’s State Championship Plano basketball team declared himself back on the market, a recruiting frenzy ensued.

Joseph Fulce, who averaged 15 points and 9.2 rebounds per game during the Wildcats’ title run, had been verbally committed to Texas A&M, but recently reopened his choices.

“It was nothing against A&M or coach (Billy) Gillespie, I just wanted to rethink my options,” Fulce said. “You only go to college once and I am trying to do what will be best for me and my family.”

Fulce was scheduled to begin with the Aggies this past fall, but academic problems prevented that from happening. So Fulce enrolled at the Massanutten Military Academy in Woodstock, Va. to improve his grades and attempt to get better prepared for college basketball.

Fulce said the first step in getting prepared for college basketball was adding some strength to his 6-foot-7 1/2 frame. Fulce went to Massanutten weighing 200 pounds, but said he quickly dropped to 180 after going through the team’s workout regime, which included a great deal of running and 250 pushups each day.

After that though, Fulce said he hit the weight room and got back up to 200 pounds, although the former Wildcat was quick to add that even though he weighs about the same as before he went to Virginia, his body looks much different.

“That is a necessity, because everyone is bigger and stronger at this level, and most of the guys seem to have a great mentality for the game,” Fulce said. “I have also learned that every practice matters in terms of conditioning and how it translates to the actual games.”

Fulce described his team as having a solid season with a few ups-and-downs along the way. Thanks in part to the contributions of Fulce, Massanutten is currently ranked No. 16 in the country.

“My defense still isn’t where it should be, but it’s getting there,” Fulce said. “I am still trying to do what I do best though, and that’s scoring and rebounding.”

Although Fulce said he is very focused on basketball, he added that he is equally interested in his studies. Fulce said the school experience at Massanutten is very different than what he was used to and that has helped mold him into a different person.

Then again, when you are in a town without an abundance of social options, sometimes there is nothing to do but hit the books.

“We are in the Appalachian mountains in a town that only has between 800-1000 people, and most of them either go to the school or are older people who live in the town because it is known for its antiquing,” Fulce said. “Sometimes there is nothing else to do, so you pretty much have to study.”

While Fulce isn’t officially decided on a college major yet, he did say he was leaning heavily towards getting into radio broadcasting and production, with a minor in business or sports marketing. Not surprising considering Fulce has a recording studio at his house.

But before Fulce decides on a major, he must focus on picking a college to attend.

Fulce listed more than 10 schools he was considering or had been contacted by, including: Maryland, Illinois, Cincinnati, Virginia, UCLA, Providence and George Mason.

“Ever since I verbally committed, a lot of schools have asked if I was still going to A&M,” Fulce said. “And now that I have reopened things, it has been kind of crazy.”

Despite his decision not to become an Aggie, both Fulce and Plano head coach Tom Inman insisted there were no hard feelings about the situation.

“I have talked to coach Gillespie and this was a very amicable situation,” Inman said. “I think everyone at A&M understood that Joe just wanted to go another way.”

Inman added that he likes the prospect of Fulce attending Texas Tech, where he could be paired back up with former Plano teammate John Roberson.

“Can you imagine those two guys back together at Tech,” Inman said. “It would be amazing.”

When the idea of teaming back up with Roberson was mentioned, Fulce, who still regularly corresponds with the Plano point guard, did say it was an intriguing idea.

Fulce said he hopes to make his final decision before April. Regardless of where Fulce decides to go for college, he seems to have learned at least one valuable lesson while at Massanutten.

“Our coaches have continually told us that we need to work hard to get to where we want to be,” Fulce said. “And I’m trying to do just that.”