Healy’s game gets exposure at Blair

by Jess Huffman
www.newbernsj.com

Nathan Healy has been introduced to a whole new level of basketball at Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J.

After graduating from New Bern High School in June, Healy had opportunities to continue playing baseball and basketball for Division II schools. He also had a non-scholarship offer to play basketball for East Carolina.

But Healy, a 6-foot-7 forward, chose to put his collegiate plans on hold and play one season of post-graduate basketball at Blair Academy. The move is paying off.

At Blair, Healy is sharing a stage with some of the most highly touted high school basketball recruits in the nation. And Division I college scouts are beginning to take notice.

Healy has already garnered interest from Division I programs, such as Davidson, Harvard, Cornell and Pennsylvania. He has a 5.2 grade point average on a 6.0 scale at Blair.

“I just want to go to a school where I’ll enjoy my college,” Healy said. “And I want to get a scholarship to make it easier for my parents.”

Three NBA players - Luol Deng, Charlie Villanueva and Royal Ivey - graduated from Blair, as well as 12 current Division I basketball players. Deng played the 2003-04 season with Duke, where he was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Year. He was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 2004 NBA draft.

Villanueva won the NCAA Championship with Connecticut and currently plays for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Healy said head coach Joe Mantegna makes it a point not to talk about former players.

But the program’s prestige is difficult to ignore.

“Inside the coach’s offices, they’ve got pictures of all the guys who are DI,” Healy said. “It seems like every year, they’ve got three or four people who go.”

Healy started the season on the bench before proving his value in the first few games. He has gained a little weight and developed into a post player.

In high school at New Bern, Healy was more of a perimeter player, possessing smooth ball-handling skills for a player his size.

“It’s a little different because I don’t find myself being able to create as much,” he said. “People try to create for me.”

Healy is averaging 10.5 points per game for the Buccaneers. He’s playing in the frontcourt alongside Austin Thompson, a 6-foot-8, 235-pound center who signed to play for Rutgers next season.

Blair competes in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League, which consists of prep schools from New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. A limited number of post-graduates are allowed to attend each school. According to Blair’s Web site, the Buccaneers are 51-10 in MAPL league play since its inception nine years ago.

The Buccaneers are 7-2 this season. Their only losses came to Northfield Mount Hermon and St. Mark’s Academy, two private schools in Massachusetts loaded with Division I prospects.

“It’s a whole new level of competition,” Healy said. “It’s a lot tougher. Every day in practice we go so hard. That just makes you so much better.”

Healy said his defense has improved the most since he arrived in Blairstown. He’s worked tirelessly on improving his strength and was proud the day he finally tipped 200 pounds on the scale.

He plans to play baseball for Blair in the spring.

Of all the schools showing interest, Davidson has been the most active in its pursuit of Healy’s services. A former Blair assistant coach now works for the Wildcats and has remained in contact with Healy.

Davidson is currently 9-2, looking to follow up on last season’s surprise run in the NCAA Tournament. Healy is intrigued by the thought of playing alongside Davidson star Stephen Curry next season.

“It crosses my mind that I could be playing with him,” Healy said. “Or he could be going pro. I just hope something will come up close to home.”

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