"I love to dunk."
The words of freshman standout Shaun Gee are of little surprise to anyone who has watched the six-seven, 210 pound basketball player from Nebraska. After all, who wouldn't love to dunk when they could do it as successfully as Gee has?
And who wouldn't love to be having the rookie season that Gee has put together so far, as the substitute forward has come off the bench to shoot a .667 percentage from the field.
For Gee, the success here at Dartmouth is surprising yet at the same time not shocking.
"I think over the summer I improved a lot," Gee said. "I knew I was getting better, but I didn't know what it would be like here. Everybody here is so good. Everything moves a lot quicker. You just have to work a lot harder because everybody does everything so well."
Gee gradually has become one of those everybodies that does everything so well.
"We figured he was going to be a pretty good asset, but he thought he was raw," Head Coach Dave Faucher said. "I think he's a little better than we expected. I feel we are fortunate to have him here. He has been a real asset to our program. He's a hard worker and a strong kid. I think he's going to be a real fine player here."
Teammates agree Gee's athleticism is evident.
"I was definitely impressed by his athletic ability and how he played so hard," senior starting point guard Kenny Mitchell said. "What he offers in terms of his strength, agility and ability to finish plays is something that we have not had at the four position, so he offers a new dimension."
Substituting at the forward position for senior Keith Stanton, Gee is a large factor in the success the Big Green have had this season.
"He's come off the bench and given us rebounds and scored points when needed," Faucher said. "That position is becoming a strong part of our team as a result of both Keith's and Shaun's hard play."
Gee, who has been averaging 15 minutes per game (sixth highest on the team), has earned the respect of his teammates through his performance on the court and in practice. And to earn the respect of this experienced squad which boasts six seniors, four of whom start, is something to be said in itself.
"From the start, Shaun has impressed me as a tremendous athlete," three-time first team All-Ivy selection Sea Lonergan '97 said. "He is strong and athletic, and most importantly, he knows how to use it to his advantage on the court. Ever since the first day, I must admit, I have had a little trouble guarding him."
Mitchell recalled witnessing a few of Gee's beloved dunks.
"My first impression of Shaun Gee was great," Mitchell said. "We were playing pick-up during the preseason and within the first two days he had already dunked on two of his classmates and one of mine."
For Gee, who was wavering between going to Dartmouth and Princeton, the choice to play for the Big Green is not regretted.
"I love it here," Gee said. "It's great -- the people and the atmosphere. The team is awesome. They have taught me to take everything with a grain of salt. Sometimes things don't go well, but they've taught me I just need to keep my head up and keep going at it."
This sense of team is evident in Gee's attitude and performance.
"Shaun adds athleticism and energy to the team and brings along a sense of selflessness," P.J. Halas '98 said. "He doesn't complain about not getting shots. He just goes in and realizes that his role is to rebound and play good defense and that his shots will come as a result of his hard work."
Hard work is something Gee is used to. After all, he had something to prove this season.
"Everyone said last year that I wasn't big enough or strong enough to play Division I basketball," Gee said. "It's nice to be doing so well."
The adjustment for Gee was difficult at first, but Gee was accustomed to adjustments. After his junior year in high school, Gee decided to transfer high schools so that he could play more competitive basketball. He began his career at Palmer High School and started their his freshman through junior years. But Palmer, a Division D school in Nebraska with only 30 students per class did not have a competitive enough program for a player who dreamed of making it to the Division I level.
As a result, Gee found himself playing for Grand Island High School his senior year where he averaged 17 points and 12 rebounds per game. Grand Island was 20 miles from home, but Gee lived most of the year at the home of a friend and teammate.
"There were only about 400 people who lived in my hometown," Gee said. "I was close with the team there. We were best friends because we grew up playing basketball together."
For Gee, the decision to move away from home his senior year was not too difficult though because of his love for basketball, even though Gee said "people" questioned whether or not he would be able to make it at the Class A Grand Island.
Gee has made a point of proving people wrong. Or at least proving people in Nebraska wrong, for his teammates at Dartmouth have nothing but the highest expectations for the youngster.
"I think that he has the ability to be one of the biggest stars in the Ivy League in the future because he is hard to stop unless his competitor is also possessed of the same combination of strength and athletic ability," Mitchell said. "He is definitely someone talented and proven who the coach can build a team around if he continues to work hard and improve."
"He has some things to work on, but I think he should be a great Ivy League player," Coach Faucher said. "There's no question about that. He practices hard, and you are only going to be as good as you practice as a team, so that's great for us."
Gee's overall relaxed attitude is what stands out and helps him in getting along with his teammates and in playing good basketball.
"He's a great kid," Faucher said. "He comes from a large Nebraska family. He's just down to earth and is a lot of fun. He's just a great kid to be around. I think he resembles what our program is all about."
