photo by Nick Gerhardt

Albert Lea’s Colby Strilaeff shoots a free throw at practice Tuesday night in the high school gym. During the summer Strilaeff met and worked out with Golden State guard Jamal Crawford.

Playing with the pros

Published Wednesday, November 26, 2008

It was a pretty good summer for Albert Lea junior Colby Strilaeff.

His VFW baseball team qualified for the state tournament and then after the season he got to hang out with an NBA star.

After baseball Strilaeff went out to Seattle to spend time with his dad and at the health club he met Golden State guard Jamal Crawford, but it wasn’t just a one-time meeting. Strilaeff and American University senior guard Garrison Carr spent part of the time working out with Crawford at the health club.

Strilaeff and Carr have known each other for 10 years. Their fathers met playing basketball at the health club and have been friends ever since.

Strilaeff recognized Crawford at the health club one day and the two became quick friends. Crawford grew up in Seattle and graduated from high school at Rainier Beach High School.

Crawford and Carr helped Strilaeff with his game — his shooting and tips on how to create more offensively. All three have a lot in common as players. Each can hit the 3-pointer exceptionally well and each is known as a pure jump shooter.

“Just to get his perspective on basketball was a big opportunity and I learned a lot,” Strileaff said.

Strilaeff worked with Crawford and Carr for six weeks during the summer, twice a week for a couple of hours a day. Carr is the leading scorer for American, a team that made the NCAA tournament last season. The Eagles faced Tennessee in the first round and Carr scored 26 points against the Volunteers in that game. He averaged 18.4 points a game to lead the team.Carr is averaging 20 points a game through five games.

Strileaff’s friends didn’t believe him when he told them about working out with Crawford, but the evidence will likely show on the court this season.

Strileaff already has the reputation of a silky smooth shooter around the gym. He set a school record for 3-pointers made in a game with nine last season. He also set the school recored in 3-pointers made in a season with 64.

Strilaeff, Carr and Crawford are all adept at shooting the 3-ball. Carr shot 44 percent from behind the arc last season. Crawford nearly tied a Knicks record for 3-pointers made in a game with eight in 2002. Crawford also lit up the heat for 52 points two seasons ago. Crawford told Strilaeff about that game and how he was a zone that night. In that game Crawford hit a staggering 16 consecutive shots, no player had done that in 10 years.

Strileaff averaged 13 points a game for the Tigers last year and he’s looking to find more ways to score after defenses collapsed on him.

Strileaff said he’s trying to create more shots off the dribble to add to his offensive arsenal.

Crawford is shooting 45 percent from 3-point range. He was traded from the New York Knicks to the Warriors last Friday for Al Harrington. He is averaging 19.6 points per game.

Strilaeff and the Tigers open the season with Blue Earth next Friday in Blue Earth.