Ball State University Athletics
9 Players, 9 Days: Rob Giles
November 04, 2007 | Men's Basketball
9 Players, 9 Days:
By Andrew Lentz NOTE: The fourth in a nine-part series on each of the Ball State men's basketball players, exclusively on ballstatesports.com through Nov. 9.
Rob Giles
Athletics Communications & Marketing Student Assistant
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Some define winners by championships and some define winners by their attitude and confidence level. Junior guard Rob Giles, a junior college transfer, has both.
Giles is fresh off of helping Mott Community College to its second National Junior College Athletic Association Championship in four years and a school record 35 wins. During his two-year tenure at MCC, Giles averaged 10 points per game, while shooting close to 43 percent from the field.
The experience not only gave Giles bragging rights, but made him a better player.
“Coming out of high school, I was a little chunky and wasn't really in shape,” Giles said. “Coach (Steve Schmidt) got me in shape and taught me some good defensive principles, which I'm still learning. I wasn't that good at defense, I was just a shooter. He helped perfect my game and stayed on me”
The Detroit, Mich. native led Crockett H.S. to a 48-12 record in three years and brings an attitude that will be vital to the Cardinals' swagger.
“I can bring another winning attitude,” Giles said. “We have a winning coaching staff and we have a team that wants to win and prove itself after last year.”
The Ball State basketball program suffered through the worst year in its 86-year history, posting a 9-22 record a year ago. The MAC News Media Association predicted the Cardinals to finish last in the West Division in its 2007-08 preseason poll and many view this as a rebuilding year. However, Giles quickly dismisses that notion, making a prediction of his own.
“Forget rebuilding, we are reloaded. We have a good team, and a good coaching staff, so I have confidence in our ability to contend for a MAC title."
It didn't take his championship experience at Mott to infect the 6-foot-4 guard with confidence. Growing up in Detroit, he was always raised that way.
“I was always taught to have confidence,” Giles said. “My father has been a huge influence on my life and he's a big reason I am where I am today.”
Another reason Giles has made it to where he is today is due to his hard work ethic, which is a byproduct of motivation from all of his critics. He was predicted to play Division-II or III and many said he couldn't make it to the highest level of competition in collegiate basketball.
At that point, Giles's father advised him to go to junior college. Two years of hard work and improvement later, Giles has silenced his critics, but isn't satisfied yet.
“I can accomplish anything I want to by working hard,” Giles said. “My ultimate goal is for this team to win a MAC Championship.”
If the Cardinals have any chance of competing, it will take team chemistry. Growing up with six siblings, Giles should have no problem accommodating that. Giles grew up with three brothers (Jamal, Marcus, and Tabari) and three sisters (Tempest, Tiffany, and Toriana) and relates it to playing on the court with his teammates.
“It's like a team, sometimes you don't agree with what your brother or sister says, but you're going to work it out in the end because you want to make it work,” Giles said. “That's the same thing it is on the court. We are family and if we stick together, we're going to win.”
A player with Rob Giles' mindset will always give their team a chance to win.
"Opening Night at Worthen Arena"
Ball State opens the 2007-08 season with one of Indiana college basketball's most heated rivalries -- Nov. 9 vs. Butler in Worthen Arena. The Cardinals and the Bulldogs will be meeting for the 99th time in the all-time series.
"Opening Night" festivities include free men's basketball schedule posters to the first 1,500 fans courtesy of C.S. Kern, the NBA halftime act The Extreme Team (formerly the Bud Light Daredevils) will entertain fans at halftime, while the Muncie Civic Theater cast of Annie will perform the National Anthem.
Plus, opening night will mark the debut of the brand new look of the No. 1 student section in the Mid-American Conference -- "The Nest". All BSU students in "The Nest" will get a free t-shirt and other gameday items to help create an electric atmosphere.
Ball State Athletics is offering a variety of ways to get fans to the game Nov. 9. The "Opening Night Youth Penny Promotion" offers up to four youth tickets to the game for just a penny each with an adult general admission ticket. That equals one adult and four kids admission to the event for just $8.04! Information is available by calling 1.888.BSU.TICKET or get your tickets online!
Attention schools, youth groups and non-profit organizations! You may be eligible to bring your group or organization to the Nov. 9 game for FREE. For more information, contact Chris Taylor in the BSU Athletics Communications & Marketing Office at 765.285.8242.
