4 The Compass Tuesday, December 7,1993
ECSU’s Nate Higgs: A rising star
who leeps his feet on the ground
When some people think of
athletes, they think of dumb
jocks. But that thought will
never enter your mind whenyou spend
an evening watching the Charlotte Hor
nets defeat the Orlando Magic with
ECSU's basketball star,Nathan Higgs, Jr.
On the screen victorious Qtarlotte fans
shouting "Hoops, there it is!" remind
Higgsof a rewed-up ECSU crowd shout
ing, "Shoot the ball, Nate!" as the 23-year
old senior goes up for the dunk.
'It's good to hear the crowd cheering,"
says Higgs, "but I try to block them out
b^use you have to concentrate on the
court When 1 am out on the court. I'm
aggressive. I play to win. I've wanted to
play pro ball ever since I was a kid."
Higgs, a native of Tarboro, N.C., has
been playii^organized basketball for the
past six years. The 6" 7' senior averages
23 points a game.
It is no secret tiiat Higgs has been a
likely candidate to play professional bas
ketball since his sophomore year. Ob
servers say Higgs is one of the best play
ers in the CIAA.
"Nate is just one of the best pla)«rs,"
says Reg Worlds, spwrts editor of The
Compass. "He can do it all—d\oot, re
bound, play defense."
Higgs attended a couple of pro-ball
camps this past summer, where pros
evaluate talent for professional players.
Playing with prof^ional playere from
the Boston Celtics and the New York
Knicks taught him that "you have to be
tough to play in the league, especially the
NBA."
Althougji Higgs hopes to go pro he is
level-headed enough to understand that
even though basketball may be his ticket
to success, a good education is also im
portant. And if his pro hopes don't mate-
rialize,hehasotherdreams,other irons in
the fire.
"If basketball doesn't work out. I'm
going to have to work somewhere. There
are a lot of things I can do. I eventually
want to go on to grad school."
Lor^ term plans also include teaching
and coaching. "I'llprobablyendupteach-
ing your kids one day," he says with a
lau^.
Higgs, who promised his mom "I was
going to come home with a degree," is
double majoring in sociology and social
science with a concentration in history.
Higgs attributes his aspiration to become
a professional basketijall player to his
parents who have encourag^ him to
work hard, and be successful in life.
"My hero is not an athlete, it's my
father," he says. "My parents taught me
right from wrong. If s carried me a long
ndokfJmitiartlm
Nate Higgs, ECSU’s star baskettal player, a kely pro prospect after graducation.
ve been through hell, but!’ m still here. Vma warrior
I can survive.”
Nate Higgs
way. I learned a lot from my dad. He has
always been there for me."
Higgs' parents taught him that "you
get out of something what you have put
into it"
Higgs feels basketball is his "second
chance at life." It kept him off ttie streets
and gave him the opportunity to go to
college. 'Tve been through hell, seems
like, but I'm still here," he says. 'Tm a
warrior. I can survive."
Higgs, whose pet peeve is "petty gos
sip," admits that people sometimes make
assumptions about him because of his
skill and talent on the court
'Teople will look at me and because of
basketl^, they already think I'm a big
headed person. They tWnk I'm mean, but
they don't know me. When they say petty
stuff, I let it go over my head. I want
people to respect me and what I work for.
I work hard for everything I've accom
plished in life and in school. I don't take
anything from anybody who works hard.
I respect them."
Although his dad is his role model
Higgs fe^ he has two qualities in com
mon with retired Chicago Bull star,
Michael Jordon: 'Tm agressive and I'm a
competitor," says Higgs, adding tiiat he
hopes he'll one day get an opportunity to
play vrtth the Chicago Bulls. "They play
my style of ball."
Higgs says his most embarrassing
moments are whenhemissesopendunks.
"WhenI saw Jordon missone,itwasall
right," he adds.
When Higgs is not on the basketball
court or in class he's in his room playing
Sega. You also nught even find him walk
ing around campus with his headphones
on, bobbing his head to his favorite tunes.
He likes jazz, soul, R & B, rap as well as
"older muac" by Marvin Gaye and A1
Green. Music is an importantp^ofNate
Higgs'life.
"Music teaches me a lot," he says. "It
keeps nnegoing, picks meup,helpsmego
to deep, and motivates me before the
game."
On a warm day, you may even see
Higgs on his way to his favorite fishirig
spot with his fishing rod and bait 'Tish-
ing helps clear my mind," he says.
Higgs has been working with the Na
tional Youth Sports Program for the past
two summers. He hopes basketball will
allow him to achieve a variety of his
gpals. Even if he doesn't play profession-
aDy, he's not gping to give up on his
ambitions. Although his ej^ nnay be on
the stars, he keep)S his f^ on the ground
whenhelooksatthebigpictureofhislife.
He realizes that today's vyrinner can be
tomorrow's forgotten man.
"Basketball can take you just a little
distance but it won't take you aU the way.
My basketball career covild end at any
time."
Higgs believes strongly in African
Americansowningtheir own businesses.
He says blacks need to help one another
instead of back stabbing.
"We as black people are far behind in
the world. We're not where we're sup
posed to be. If we pull together and give
our 110 percent, we'd be further up the
sralp. We can't be content vydth what little
success we have. We have to get past the
stereotypes and jump at every opportu
nity that we may have."
Higgs says he f^s pretty good about
the upcoming season.
"We're strong on defense this year. As
longas weasa team re^>ect each other's
abilities and as men, we'll be all right."
Higgs says he has great respect for his
teammates, along with Coach Mackey,
and assistantCoach Alfred Johnsort And
he appreciates the advantages of playing
at a sn^l school like ECSU where you
"get more personal attention."
Higgs, who admits that teams from
smaller schools don't get the same re
spect as the larger ones, is quick to add
that is happy at ECSU and never
thought about transferring. He is espe
cially pleased with the personal relation
ships he has formed.
'Tm learning about my ovm culture,"
he says. "Being here helpsme to find out
about us. When I go to a white school, I
can handle myself.
Higgs admits that ECSU has some
drawbacks, including "lack of exposure,
everybody being in your buaness, and
tl«factthattheschoolislocatedinasmall
place." Despite these drawbacks Higg
has nothing but praise for his teammates,
coaches and the ECSU basketball
program."The ba^etball program has
come a long way in the five years I've
been here."
Given his idealism and his pragma
tism, Higgs can't settle for secoixl best
when it comes to the woman in his life.
"My ideal woman can stand on her
ovmfeet," hesays. "Sheis willingto work
hard at life, and she wants something out
of it She will be serious, but still have fun,
too."
Higgs wants someone "who likes me
for who I am arni not what I do."