Granted this is a long way out but
should that day ever come, he seems like a quality kid.
Dominique Taplin on his choice of Santa Clara
John Wooden once said, "Young people need models, not critics." Granted, it's a wise precept but we'll add the query, "what if certain young people are the models?" -- with Dominique Taplin specifically in mind.
juniors and seniors consisting of one student-athlete who played at the varsity level prior to this
season. As Oakland High Coach Orlando Watkins puts it, "Now is super tough but we'll benefit in the long run."
Taplin is doing his best to make it easier for his coach and teammates. Already possessing a grade average in the 3.5 range in the classroom, the youngster quietly does what is asked of him on the court, currently including performing as a power forward.
Here's more from Watkins: "Dominique is more of a two guard, wing-type player but he is a freak of an athlete. Right now, he's playing the four man for us and leading in rebounds and blocked shots."
But that won't be where he is positioned a few years hence. Taplin has verbally agreed to autograph a national-letter-of-intent with Santa Clara University come early November of his senior year. He will be joined there in the backcourt by sophomore teammate T.J. Taylor.
The duo's plan for the future was longstanding -- wanting to play together collegiately -- but coalesced quickly, almost about the same time Taplin realized a D-1 athletics scholarship was looming for him.
"I was surprised that Santa Clara offered so early but I gave it a lot of thought," Taplin said, adding "we talked a lot as a family, knowing it was a good educational school, with a lot of alumni in the Bay Area. Plus, I liked what Coach Keating is building."
Taplin is thinking about majoring in engineering as he has a relative who works for East Bay Municipal Utilities District.
Dominique's father, Anthony Taplin, is a Bay Area native and graduated from Linfield College in Oregon. His take on Santa Clara: "My best friend went to school there and it's a good academic university. Our emphasis is going somewhere to get an education -- the focus is always on the education -- plus the campus and other players were nice."
How the elder Taplin was informed of his son's decision is fascinating. "I got a text message saying 'it's done.' I called and Dominique told me 'we committed.'"
Dominique and T.J. Taylor have been best friends for years, playing for the same club team during the summer and attending the same high school. The lure of having the opportunity for getting Santa Clara back into the mix of the West Coast Conference also worked in the Broncos' favor. As Anthony Taplin put it, "Santa Clara used to be the Gonzaga of the WCC."
Here's Coach Watkins with more on his charge: "We want him to get to the basket a little more and become a better passer and he will -- he's a hard worker who wants to get better. Nobody has seen the best of him. Santa Clara can also bank on Dom being tough."
Here's how Taplin self-describes his best skills: "My rebounding, athleticism and defense."
Asked what he considered his best basketball moment to date, Taplin thought and replied, "I'm still kind of looking for that moment. I have a lot of work to do."
He also answered the query of how his friends would describe him with "Real quiet and humble but sometimes I'm too quiet and need to be more vocal on the court."
Following an archetypical path appears to be in opposition to blazing an atypical one but young Dominique Taplin is deftly achieving both. Consider him the model John Wooden had in mind.
Dominique Taplin on his choice of Santa Clara
John Wooden once said, "Young people need models, not critics." Granted, it's a wise precept but we'll add the query, "what if certain young people are the models?" -- with Dominique Taplin specifically in mind.
The 6-foot Taplin is in the midst of his sophomore year at Oakland High. The Wildcats are not unexpectedly struggling this basketball season, what with half
the team being underclassmen and the
 |
| Taplin hasn't signed, but he's sealed and delivered |
Taplin is doing his best to make it easier for his coach and teammates. Already possessing a grade average in the 3.5 range in the classroom, the youngster quietly does what is asked of him on the court, currently including performing as a power forward.
Here's more from Watkins: "Dominique is more of a two guard, wing-type player but he is a freak of an athlete. Right now, he's playing the four man for us and leading in rebounds and blocked shots."
But that won't be where he is positioned a few years hence. Taplin has verbally agreed to autograph a national-letter-of-intent with Santa Clara University come early November of his senior year. He will be joined there in the backcourt by sophomore teammate T.J. Taylor.
The duo's plan for the future was longstanding -- wanting to play together collegiately -- but coalesced quickly, almost about the same time Taplin realized a D-1 athletics scholarship was looming for him.
"I was surprised that Santa Clara offered so early but I gave it a lot of thought," Taplin said, adding "we talked a lot as a family, knowing it was a good educational school, with a lot of alumni in the Bay Area. Plus, I liked what Coach Keating is building."
Taplin is thinking about majoring in engineering as he has a relative who works for East Bay Municipal Utilities District.
Dominique's father, Anthony Taplin, is a Bay Area native and graduated from Linfield College in Oregon. His take on Santa Clara: "My best friend went to school there and it's a good academic university. Our emphasis is going somewhere to get an education -- the focus is always on the education -- plus the campus and other players were nice."
How the elder Taplin was informed of his son's decision is fascinating. "I got a text message saying 'it's done.' I called and Dominique told me 'we committed.'"
Dominique and T.J. Taylor have been best friends for years, playing for the same club team during the summer and attending the same high school. The lure of having the opportunity for getting Santa Clara back into the mix of the West Coast Conference also worked in the Broncos' favor. As Anthony Taplin put it, "Santa Clara used to be the Gonzaga of the WCC."
Here's Coach Watkins with more on his charge: "We want him to get to the basket a little more and become a better passer and he will -- he's a hard worker who wants to get better. Nobody has seen the best of him. Santa Clara can also bank on Dom being tough."
Here's how Taplin self-describes his best skills: "My rebounding, athleticism and defense."
Asked what he considered his best basketball moment to date, Taplin thought and replied, "I'm still kind of looking for that moment. I have a lot of work to do."
He also answered the query of how his friends would describe him with "Real quiet and humble but sometimes I'm too quiet and need to be more vocal on the court."
Following an archetypical path appears to be in opposition to blazing an atypical one but young Dominique Taplin is deftly achieving both. Consider him the model John Wooden had in mind.
