Munster’s Crisman hopes to help resurrect Loyola program

• Reprints

MORE ONLINE

Mark Lazerus catches up with Cory Johnson, who’s playing in Finland: blogs.post-trib.com/lazerus

Also, a preview of today’s women’s game vs. CSU.

Article Extras

Updated: February 21, 2012 8:32AM

One of the first things Porter Moser did when he was officially named the Loyola men’s basketball coach in August was call up one of previous coach Jim Whitesell’s recruits, Joe Crisman.

But that’s not all Moser did.

He went to Munster High School to meet Crisman and Mustangs coach Mike Hackett. He went to Crisman’s home and sat down with his parents. He gave Crisman the full-court press.

“I wanted to let him know I really wanted him,” Moser said. “When a new coach comes in, a kid wants to know if he’s going to still be a part of it. We wanted him, and we wanted him to know that.”

Moser wanted Crisman because he knew all about the guard’s ability from watching his AAU team, the Illinois Wolves. Moser wanted Crisman because he was an Indiana All-Star. Moser wanted Crisman because he averaged 17 points per game as a senior.

But the biggest reason Moser wanted Crisman?

Because Crisman’s a winner. And Loyola desperately needs winners.

“Joe brings a great toughness and a winning culture,” Moser said. “That’s something we need to implement at Loyola. We haven’t won in a long time. Being from that high school, Joe’s used to winning. Even when he was in grade school, in every sport he played, Joe’s always been on a winning team. I’ve been a part of a couple turnarounds (at Arkansas-Little Rock and Illinois State), and you have to have guys that put winning first. That’s the culture Joe’s from.”

But it doesn’t happen overnight.

A preseason injury to Loyola’s senior point guard, Courtney Stanley, put Crisman in a position to start right away as a freshman. He has started all but one of the 13 games in which he’s appeared, and he’s fared well — averaging 7.8 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.

But Stanley’s injury also meant the Ramblers would struggle mightily — again. Loyola is 5-12 overall, 0-7 in league play heading into tonight’s home game against Valparaiso (one of Crisman’s suitors after Whitesell was fired) at the new Gentile Arena.

In fact, because he missed Loyola’s four-game mid-December win streak with a broken hand, Crisman has experienced just one win in his 13 games.

It’s a foreign feeling for a guy whose Munster teams went a combined 73-6 over the past three seasons, twice coming within three points of the state championship game.

“Growing up, it was me and Brian Stolarz, we didn’t lose very much,” Crisman said. “I feel like all that winning, it’s all been motivation for me to keep working hard, because I can say I’m addicted to that winning feeling. But I understand it’s going to be a process, with a new coach and a new system and things like that. But it’s all motivation for us, to get to that point.”

Crisma’s other trait that Moser so coveted — his toughness — also has been on full display this season. Crisman suffered the broken hand in the final minute of Loyola’s 69-58 loss to DePaul, a game in which Crisman matched a career high with 14 points and three steals. A DePaul player’s elbow came down hard on the back of Crisman’s left (non-shooting) hand and broke it.

Crisman missed just four games. He’ll play tonight with his first two fingers on his left hand taped together, just as he has the past five games.

“It was a pretty nasty injury,” he said. “It was painful, and I’m still getting treatment. But I want to be out there for my team. Coach Moser’s big on attitude and changing the culture at Loyola, and that’s what I want to do. I want to be out there.”

Moser said it’s pretty clear that the injury — one of many Crisman has dealt with this year — has affected the freshman. After averaging nearly 10 points per game in nine games before the injury, Crisman has averaged fewer than five points in the five games since. He’s just 4-of-22 from the field in his last four games, all Horizon League losses.

But the effort — and the example — is what Moser wants.

“He’s been a walking Band-Aid,” Moser said. “He’s been through the wringer. He’s had a concussion, a two-week walking flu, the broken hand, an ankle sprain — I think it’s all taken a toll on his shot. He just hasn’t been completely healthy all year. But how he has handled it, he’s as tough as they come. Every day in practice, he’s all about winning. He’s 100 percent brough into the culture we’re trying to create here.”

It’s all part of the process — one Crisman is happy to be part of from the very start. And one he expects to come to fruition sooner rather than later.

“We believe we can win now; we’ve had some close games with some really good teams,” Crisman said. “We’ve just got to get over that hump. We feel if we keep playing together, those wins will come.”

That’s what Moser wants to hear. And that’s why Moser wanted Crisman so badly.

“No one wants to win more than Joe,” Moser said. “He’s obviously struggling with (the losing), like we all are. But it hasn’t affected his effort. Sometimes, when things don’t go people’s way, their attitude is the first thing to go. That’s not the way Joe is. Things haven’t gone our way, but his effort and attitude has been a 10. That’s a credit to his foundation — he has phenomenal parents, and a phenomenal high school coach. That’s what character is, how you react when things don’t go your way. That’s what we covet here, and that’s Joe Crisman.”