Alter Fulfills Dream of Reaching Division I Basketball

On the surface, the chances of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School senior Kevin Alter becoming a Division I basketball player seemed like the definition of a long shot.

Alter is a point guard generously listed at 5-foot-8 who was not a starter until his junior year of high school. In addition, he played at a small-school program that had not even advanced to the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals in its long history until this past winter.

Also, the Bulldogs had not produced a Division I player who signed right out of high school in at least the last 20 years, so it's not like they were a regular destination for college recruiters. (Former 7-footer Will Martell played a prep year at The Hun School before signing with Rhode Island in 2007).

However, take a look a little bit deeper, and it made sense why the Rumson fan favorite known as "Pookie'' found a way to accomplish his goal by signing his National Letter of Intent to play for  Navy, a Division I program.

“It was always my dream to play at that level,’’ Alter said. “The biggest thing for me was that in order for someone to believe in you, you had to believe in yourself first. I started to gain the self-confidence that I had the ability to play at that level, and Coach ‘Shemp’ (head coach Chris Champeau) was a big inspiration for that.’’

"We all believed in him, and we're very proud of him,'' Champeau said. "I'm very happy for him because he worked hard and he deserves this.''

Despite the fact that Navy head coach Billy Lange recently announced that he is leaving to take a job as an assistant head coach at Villanova, Alter said his commitment to Navy is still firm.

“I was bummed out, definitely, because coach Lange is one of the big reasons I wanted to go there,’’ Alter said. “It’s tough losing him, but it seems like a good family to have down there, so I’m excited about heading down.’’

When it came to securing a Division I look, Alter knew that many coaches would simply cross his name off their lists because of his height, so he had to find other ways to stand out. He developed NBA range on his 3-point shot and did his best to use his quickness to his advantage against bigger players, exciting fans with his high-energy play. He lived in the gym, spending every free moment working on his game.

“I always tried to play with a chip on my shoulder,’’ he said. “At 5-8, I knew I had to play hard and play tough, and not let anyone push me around. I definitely had something to prove.’’

Heading into his senior year, he had some interest, but no concrete scholarship offers. Everywhere he turned, it was seemingly the same refrain.

“So many coaches came up to me and said, ‘If you were 6-3 or 6-4, you would be going to any conference you wanted,’’ Alter said. “That was tough. I may be small, but I think of it as an advantage. You’re lower to the ground, and have a better ability to handle the ball. All I wanted was a chance.’’

Alter certainly helped his cause with a banner senior season, averaging 17 points per game along with 6.8 assists and 3.2 steals per game. He also shot 79 percent from the foul line on 130 attempts and nailed 62 3-pointers for a team that won 18 games and also reached the Central Jersey Group II semifinals before a two-point loss to Group II finalist Ewing.

He led the 13th-seeded Bulldogs on a historic ride in the SCT, as they reached the championship game for the first time in school history before losing a hard-fought contest to Raritan.  In the SCT semifinals against Point Beach, Alter dropped in 20 points and hit a crucial 3-pointer to help seal the win. In the SCT final against Raritan, Alter scored 24 of his team's 35 points in an eight-point loss to the Rockets.

When he was given a chance to go down to Navy and show his talents, he sufficiently impressed the staff enough that the Midshipmen made him his only Division I offer. He also had previous ties to the school, as his grandfather is a graduate, which only added to the allure.

 “I just seized the opportunity to show them what I could do as a player,’’ he said.

Alter was somewhat apprehensive about the five-year military commitment that comes with enrolling at Navy, but said his official visit there shortly before he committed helped calm any fears.

"I was a little apprehensive at first about the five years of service required after I'm done playing, but after talking with the guys and hearing what they had to say about it, I think it's a place that really fits my personality and my mentality in the way I pursue my life and my basketball career,'' he said. "It's a big commitment, but I'm looking forward to that atmosphere.''

In committing to Navy, Alter joined Point Beach’s Jarelle Reischel (Rice University), Christian Brothers Academy’s Matt McMullen (Colgate) and Monsignor Donovan’s Sean Grennan (Seton Hall) as Division I recruits from the Shore Conference Class of 2011.