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BASKETBALL SCHOLARSHIP?
College basketball has become a major part of American culture. There’s nothing quite like the up-close action and rabid school spirit that you can only experience in a packed college gymnasium on game day. The sport brings excitement to fans, recognition to players and valuable marketing to universities.
Considering all the attention levied on players hoping to go professional, it’s easy to forget that basketball colleges give out more than 28,000 scholarships every year. The sport is popular with institutions of all sizes because it’s relatively easy to maintain a program. An average team has 15 players and eight paid coaches on staff.
There are over 1,330 basketball colleges in the United States. These range from big-name powerhouses with storied traditions to small schools with meager athletic budgets. If you’re hoping to get a basketball scholarship, it’s important to know the various levels of play and understand their differences in terms of recruiting, competition and academics.
When is the best time to get a Basketball Scholarship
The best time to apply for a sport scholarship is right after graduation from high school or up to two years after. In most cases, only athletes ages 18 – 24 can compete within the college leagues, any older and you will be looking at competing in the NAIA. Coaches are increasingly committing to younger athletes as this gives them the opportunity to work with the athletes for a longer period of time. It is also possible to go to the USA for one to four years depending on the degree you are seeking. We would recommend starting as early as possible because this will give you the best chance of gaining a sports scholarship and potentially turning professional after college.
Basketball scholarships – How good do you have to be?
If your dream is to play at an elite basketball university, you should be devoted to improving your game and researching programs. This means attending skills development camps, playing AAU ball and reaching out to coaches. NCAA statistics show that only 4% of female high school basketball participants go on to play in college. For boys, the chances of playing at a basketball college are 3.4%.
Standing out among other college basketball recruits requires superior athletic ability and game IQ. Furthermore, coaches want players who can be good teammates and lead others. Fitting in with the team culture and filling the roles left open by outgoing players is also important. To top it all off, stellar college basketball prospects should have a good handle on academics as well. The best basketball colleges often have strict admissions standards. Even if you get a basketball scholarship, you must get accepted into the school.
To find out whether you have what is takes in obtaining a football scholarship and therefore being placed in a college team, please complete our free application form Apply Now, so the team can evaluate your potential as a possible future college athlete. A sports consultant will go through everything you need to know about the sports scholarship process.
GENERAL FACTS
The College Basketball season
The college basketball schedule is played during the NCAA’s winter sport season. This is the case for men’s and women’s basketball at all three divisions. While the exact dates of each program’s opening game will vary, seasons usually start in the beginning of November and run until the beginning of March. Each NCAA conference follows the season with its own tournament, which usually lasts about three days.
Both the NAIA and NJCAA follow a similar college basketball schedule during the winter season. Regular season games begin in November and conclude in March. Each association also has its own college basketball championship tournament.
How are ncaa college basketball championships decided?
Every division of NCAA men’s and women’s basketball crowns a national champion through a single-elimination tournament that starts in March. Dubbed March Madness, the college basketball playoffs are known for producing thrilling upsets and inspired play. All the tournaments feature 64 teams except the D-I men’s tourney, which has 68 teams.
There are two ways to qualify for the college basketball playoffs. Each conference tournament title winner automatically moves on to the playoffs. The remaining spots are filled by at-large bids. These are the best teams, as chosen by NCAA committee members, that don’t atomically qualify. From there, the tournament teams are ranked and seeded. Each tournament concludes with a title game in April.
