By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
HIDALGO — Three years ago, Stanley Asumnu was pondering the next step in his pro basketball career, wondering whether he’d remain in the country after five seasons with the Rio Grande Valley or latch on with a team overseas.
After one deal fell through in Spain, another was in the works with a team in Germany. His agent worked on negotiating a contract, and Asumnu spent his down time training in the Valley. Out of nowhere, IDEA Mission had a coaching vacancy.
Asumnu interviewed and landed the job. Three weeks later, his agent called with another offer.
“I needed to make a decision,” Asumnu said. “I ended up talking to the coach in Germany. I said, ‘Give me a week to figure things out.’ I told him what I was going to do (by staying at IDEA Mission) and he respected my decision. I told him I wished the deal had come through before I got to the school. But sometimes things don’t work out as planned.”
“It was a tough decision because obviously I love basketball,” he continued. “An opportunity to play in Germany, not a lot of people turn that down. But I thought of the bigger picture in helping the kids. I wanted to take the program, which was kind of small, and try to put them on the map and give them exposure.”
Since taking over the job, IDEA Mission has hit several benchmarks. For the first time in its history, it beat a public school in Monte Alto in Asumnu’s first season. Last week, it repeated that with a win over Zapata. In the past two seasons, the team has finished as district runner-ups, advancing to the state tournament in his first year and coming within a win of making a return trip last season, losing in the regional championship game.
This year they’re off to an 8-12 start, though it’s hardly a call for concern. IDEA Mission, which is 2-1 in district, picked up a rigorous non-district schedule, playing in the Mission Tournament, Craig Smith Tournament and this week it’s in the Pirate Classic.
“For me, I look at it like we have nothing to lose and everything to gain,” point guard Jacob Tamez said. “I look at it like a challenge for us to go out and get better. We just go out with heart and compete. That’s what’s going to make us better, it’s the mindset we go out with.”
In tournaments featuring mostly public schools — some 5A and 6A programs — IDEA Mission certainly stands out.
They’re getting their first real look at some of the top competition in the Valley. And on Friday, they played a school from Houston for the first time in their history.
It ended with a 100-21 loss to Houston Wheatley, which is making a push for the tournament title.
“My kids are upset when they lose like that, and they should be. I don’t like losing like that, either,” Asumnu said. “I like that the bus ride was quiet and no one was talking (after the game). They were processing what happened. But the thing is, I know it’s going to make us better.
“I’m going to use it as a teaching tool. ‘Look how hard they get on defense. Look how they box out. This is the way you need to play when you step on the floor.’ My kids are upset, yeah, but we just have to shake it off. I’m not ashamed to walk out of the gym (after a lopsided loss) as long as my kids walk with their heads held high.”
Francisco Cruz, who was a freshman when the team advanced to the state tournament, has seen the team take on a different identity with Asumnu the past few years. IDEA Mission isn’t only looking to be competitive among the charter schools, but it’s also hoping to earn some recognition in the Valley.
“We love the way Coach pushes us,” Cruz, a junior, said. “We’re just getting better day by day. We know these teams are tough. But at the end of the day, it’s going to make us better. We want to be that team that can compete up there (with the Austin and San Antonio schools). So by playing in these tournaments, we know what to expect.”
Asumnu said he hasn’t received any backlash for scheduling tough teams. If anything, he said, people commend him for pushing his players.
“I know that we’re challenged. But my job is just to get my kids ready,” he said. “‘Just go in there and go with confidence. Have confidence in your abilities and make it a competitive game. Don’t worry about the outcome. Just know that when we get into our league, we’re going to take care of business.’”