Column: SEMO basketball is down, but thankfully, I have a solution

Here is my problem: I’ve had waaaaay too many unfathomable, yet incredibly positive things happen in my life. The reason this is a problem is because it has caused me to ONLY dream in color and NEVER accept that something can not be achieved, somehow or someway.

When I was a student at Butler University, the men’s basketball program had 12 season ticket holders – as in one less than 13. As a journalist, I was the Bulldogs’ beat writer when my alma mater advanced to not one, but TWO NCAA National Championship games in 2010 and 2011…. from the Horizon League.

Basketball success has transformed Butler University financially, reputationally, and from an infrastructure standpoint, for the remainder of its existence.

So, do you get now why I refuse to accept, “That can’t happen,” as a response in almost any situation?

All of this brings me to the point of this column, which is: As usual, the Southeast Missouri State men’s basketball program is broken, which is not surprising to anyone who has followed it for the past 25 years. However, the positive is that I have the solution to fix it.

The Redhawks (7-15, 2-6 Ohio Valley Conference) lost to last-place Lindenwood 58-54 on Tuesday in St. Charles, which not only was their second loss to the Lions (8-14, 2-7), who were competing at the NCAA Division II level just two years ago; but put both teams in a tie for the bottom of the OVC standings.

Any bit of euphoria surrounding last spring’s venture to March Madness by SEMO hoops has now completely evaporated.

For the record, it brings me no joy whatsoever to write negatively regarding the Redhawks. None.

If you want to meet good people, SEMO has them in abundance in every corner of its athletic department.

There isn’t a nicer or better human being than Redhawk men’s basketball coach Brad Korn, and his coaching staff is as diligent and professional as they come.

But here is the deal, Southeast Missouri, as a region, is blessed RIGHT NOW in a very, very unique way, and the Redhawks aren’t taking advantage of the situation.

The sports fans of this region, who have been around far longer than my five years in Missouri, can recite a long list of great basketball players who have called this area home. However, only in rare moments have there been this many NCAA Division I caliber athletes at one time.

This region currently has two No. 1-ranked high school teams in New Madrid County Central (Class 3) and Sikeston (Class 4), who have a combined four Division I prospects in Bulldogs PJ Farmer, Trace Sadler, and Dontrez Williams while the Eagles have Jadis Jones.

Cape Central has SEMO signee Jaydon Reynolds and sophomore guard Marquel Murray while Tiger alums Cam Williams (starting at Moberly Area) and Doreante Tucker (starting at Mineral Area) are thriving for two of the best junior college programs in the country.

That is eight athletes who call this region home and most certainly could help SEMO basketball finish better than last in the OVC.

Can you imagine a Redhawk roster with those players on it?

Veteran Sikeston High School varsity boy’s basketball coach Gregg Holifield certainly can.

“I think (that group) would be very competitive,” Holifield said when asked about those names playing at the collegiate level – together. “First of all, in the SEMO Conference, you have so many great players year in and year out, it would be interesting.”

It would be outrageously phenomenal, is what it would be.

Such a group, accentuated by other great players that Korn and his staff signed, very well might win the OVC, could make trips to the NCAA Tournament, and best of all, would fill the Show Me Center on every single game night.

Those players would become absolute legends throughout Southeast Missouri, as they rolled through opponents in front of 7,000 screaming fans, including their families, friends, and girlfriends.

They would get swarmed every time they walked into Burrito-ville or a Rhodes.

They couldn’t walk through Walmart without being engulfed by kids wanting their autographs.

Good Hell, it would be fun.

Korn and his staff have taken the traditional routes to recruiting most, if not all of these players. They go and watch them play, they evaluate them, they’ve built good relationships with the players, their families, and their coaches, yadda, yadda, yadda. All of which is admirable but hasn’t worked.

Dontrez Williams has already signed with Abilene Christian, but let’s call a spade a spade, the NLI that kids sign isn’t worth much when push comes to shove – from either party involved.

Cam Williams was offered by SEMO and chose not to sign.

Jones was recruited by both the football and the basketball staffs at SEMO yet committed to Coastal Carolina to play football (though he has re-opened his recruitment since).

Murray, Farmer, and Sadler have each been offered by SEMO, but have yet to commit to the Redhawks.

Reynolds, whose father is an assistant coach at SEMO, is the lone player who has committed to the program.

So how does my vision become a reality? Actually, it isn’t even complicated.

Step 1: Korn, his coaches, SEMO Athletic Director Brady Barke, University President Dr. Carlos Vargas, and the fundraisers for both Redhawk Athletics and the University, all gather in a single room with those players, their coaches, and their families, at the same time.

Step 2: The University and Athletic leadership recruits the most significant and influential “money people” in Southeast Missouri, each of whom has a passionate interest in seeing the university succeed, both athletically, and as an institution, and they are in this room, as well.

Step 3: Korn sells the vision that I just wrote above to everyone.

Step 4 (and most importantly): We cut to the chase and start talking about how much financially, in terms of NIL (different than the NLI above) funds it is going to take to get all involved on board. How much cash? How many complimentary meals? What kind of vehicles? Everything gets discussed and negotiated.

Step 5: “No,” is NOT an acceptable answer on anyone’s part, from the players to the boosters to the University, everyone comes to an agreement, and this gets done.

I promise you, not only has this strategy not been put into action, it hasn't even been dreamt about by anyone at SEMO.

So, there you have it, Redhawk leadership. You’re welcome. Now, go dream in color.

Tom Davis is a freelance sports reporter for Semoball.com.