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On a basketball team comprised almost entirely of players with a Maine connection, Gerald McLemore is something of an enigma. Rather than attend a university on his native West Coast, the 6-foot-3-inch freshman travelled east to the University of Maine.
McLemore comes to us all the way from San Diego, Cal., a place he accurately describes as “the polar opposite” of Maine.
“I always wanted to go to school on the East coast,” McLemore said. “I’m from the city in San Diego so I wanted something rural. All of a sudden Maine popped up and I thought, what better place?”
His logic may be hard to follow for someone who has had their pipes freeze one too many times in harsh Maine winters, but for him, it’s just a change of scenery: “You know, I border Mexico and Maine borders Canada,” McLemore said, “so I just thought it would be a great experience to come here for four years.”
This experience is lost on many potential students and student-athletes who wouldn’t consider coming to Maine for fear that they will be sent home for winter break on a Popsicle stick.
McLemore’s dismissiveness of the winter is refreshing to hear in a place where threats by friends and relatives pack up and move to Florida are as pervasive as the cold.
“It’s just something you get used to,” he said “As long as you have the right material – clothes, coats and boots, you’re good.” A smile crossed his face as he added, “but I did learn the hard way. I only had sneakers and shorts for the first month when I got here.”
That kind of get-up could make walking through the mall in a blizzard a veritable nightmare, but when he steps on the basketball court those sneakers are all he needs to pursue his dream.
McLemore’s basketball aspirations began when he was four years old and his father, his biggest basketball influence, put a ball into his hands. From there he climbed from one level of competition to another, until it became clear that basketball could be more than just a game for him.
“I first knew when I hit eighth grade and went into high school,” McLemore recalls. “I started playing varsity as a freshman and I realized that talents can take you further than just playing in the back yard … you can go play college ball and get a free education so I really honed in and focused up.”
His hard work rewarded him both on and off the court. His skills earned him national recognition by scouts and a leading role in Scripps Ranch High Schools first-ever Division II championship in his senior year.
“It was a great experience for me. My school was never known for basketball,” McLemore said. “I feel like I really grew as a person through that senior year.”
That growth has served him well so far while playing for the Black Bears.
McLemore came into a lineup that returned five guards-three of them starters-and added four more to the 2008-2009 recruiting class. The prospects of him having a major contribution in what seemed a less-than-ideal situation appeared slim, but those prospects soon changed. By the time tip-off came for UMaine’s first game, McLemore had already earned himself a spot in the starting lineup.
He responded by leading the team with 24 points in 30 minutes in a victory, exceeding all expectations – perhaps even his own.
“Our first game, I was just really surprised. I came out and scored 24 points, but I was like, what is going on here?” McLemore recalled. “The first game I was just totally shocked … but the games now I just go out and I’m playing with the guys.”
Whether that means effortlessly dropping in a three coming off a screen, locking down his defender, or finishing on a dazzling drive like the one that sent the game against UNH into overtime on Jan. 19, McLemore has made it clear that he has what it takes to succeed at the Division I level.
But success is not only measured on the court. McLemore knows that he has a chance to open a lot of doors for himself in the next four years and plans to open as many as he can.
“I haven’t signed a major yet,” McLemore said, “but my main goal is to get my degree and to keep improving myself. I’ve always liked sports medicine or sports psychology. I don’t have it quite narrowed down yet, but if I could play basketball overseas, that would be great. If not then something will come up.”
If his determination on the court is any indication, when something does come up Gerald McLemore will surely be ready. Whether that means continuing to play basketball or continuing his education, the enigmatic young man from Southern California will brush off defenders, just like he does winter in Maine.
