- February 15th, 2006, 10:59 am
#4329
In case you were wondering whatever became of Travis:
There is a game action picture of Travis at the above link that I can't get to work.
Published: February 14, 2006 11:40 pmhttp://www.tribune-democrat.com/college ... 34043.html
Eisentrout’s travels
By MIKE MASTOVICH
The Tribune-Democrat
Perhaps it’s irony or maybe just coincidence. Either way, Berlin’s Travis Eisentrout will play one of the final basketball games of his college career a mere 40-minute drive from his hometown.
The California University of Pennsylvania senior guard and his teammates visit Pitt-Johnstown at 7:30 tonight in a key East Regional matchup.
The journey home has followed a wending and sometimes tumultuous path. Eisentrout scored 2,824 points at Berlin and led the Mountaineers to their first District 5 Class A title in 24 years back in 2001. But it’s taken five years for him to truly settle into the college game.
“I’ve had my ups and downs over the past few years,” said Eisentrout, who’s been part of three programs, sat out one year and was snubbed by a Division I coach since his high school graduation. “But I’m just trying to go out on top and be as successful as I can be individually and as a team.”
A four-year starter at Berlin, Eisentrout averaged 26.9 points a game. As a senior, he tallied 1,055 points and averaged 35.7 points and 10 rebounds a game as a first-team All-State selection. Eisentrout netted 57 points in a single game.
He verbally committed six months early to play under scholarship at Division I West Virginia University. But the Mountaineers never sent the official scholarship papers to Eisentrout.
“The day I was supposed to sign, they backed out on me,” Eisentrout said of former WVU coach Gale Catlett and his staff. “I was verbally committed to them for six months and a lot of schools weren’t recruiting me anymore.”
His next option was at Division I Liberty University, where Eisentrout started as a freshman. But the head coach was fired and Eisentrout transferred to Division II IUP, where he collected an Indians-best 292 points in 2002-03.
IUP and Eisentrout weren’t a comfortable fit. He transferred to California and sat out the 2003-04 season.
Last year, Eisentrout averaged 8.3 points a game while playing with mononucleosis.
“Obviously when you experience down times it’s frustrating but I think it’s a test of character whether you can bounce back or not,” Eisentrout said.
This season, he averages 7.8 points a game for the 16-7 Vulcans.
Next up, UPJ.
“There’s supposed to be a lot of people coming to the game,” Eisentrout said. “I’m just going to go and try to play my game and get the win for Cal. UPJ has a quality team this year. Both of us are fighting for regional playoff position.”
UPJ is 18-5 after Monday’s one-sided 109-78 win over Mount Aloysius. Chris Gilliam leads the Mountain Cats with 19 points a game. Steve Scorpion, who went over 1,000 career points on Monday, averages 11.8 points and Kyle Goldcamp, 11.3.
California leads the all-time series 16-9, but UPJ has won two straight. Last season, the Cats edged Cal 86-80 at Hamer Hall. Two years ago, host UPJ won 72-70.
“They’re pretty close to us as far as the rankings go,” UPJ coach Bob Rukavina said. “It’s just a huge game because they’re a good team.”
Under different circumstances, Rukavina might have Eisentrout in his lineup.
“I tried to get him both times he transferred,” the UPJ coach said.
While he never played for the Mountain Cats, Eisentrout did work for UPJ.
“I did an internship up there this summer in the athletic department,” Eisentrout said. “I know about half of their team.”
There is a game action picture of Travis at the above link that I can't get to work.
However, his choice of transfer school...quite questionable. Ugh. I went up there for grad. school. Thank God the program was only one year. Cal. U. definitely not up to par with LU. I saw Travis when I was up there...he was doing well there.
- By paradox