March 5, 2013
Written by Michelle Human, USD media relations student assistant -
Four years ago a two-time high school MVP out of Oakland California by the name of Ken Rancifer chose to play for the University of San Diego, and made his childhood dream of playing Division I college basketball a reality. The 6'5" forward appeared in 27 games in his first year at USD while leading his team in three-point shooting (.500). The following season he appeared in all 30 games, and while scoring in the double digits in 13 contests including a season best 19 points at New Mexico (11-28-10), he didn't have a difficult time proving to head coach Bill Grier that he belonged on the team's permanent starting roster. During his junior year he started in 24 of the 31 games and helped lead his team into the quarterfinals of the WCC Tournament, notably with the 12 points he scored against Pepperdine in the Torero's first round victory.
Now a senior about to step on the court for final games of his collegiate career, Rancifer says the feeling is bitter-sweet. The Toreros will enter the second round of the WCC tournament with a 14-17 overall record in the No. 6 seed to begin post-season play on Thursday March 7th to face Pepperdine once again. Though his playing days representing the University of San Diego will be ending, he seems confident in his development as both an athlete and person and is prepared to take the next step in his life.
"It's finally starting to hit me...I wish I had four more years," Ken Rancifer said. "But when it comes down to it I do feel like I've given everything I have to this program. You can't always win, but I know I've tried my hardest and even though there are a lot of emotions going into the WCC Tournament, I'm also excited for the future."
The colloquial term of senioritis used to describe a lack of motivation in college students nearing graduation doesn't seem to have an effect on Rancifer. During the Toreros' final two home contests with the San Francisco Dons and Pepperdine Waves, Rancifer scored 17 and 13 points respectively. He enters the WCC Basketball Championships with 119 career games under his belt and 937 points. Back on December 11, 2012 he scored a career high of 27 points as the Toreros defeated Arizona Christian, and shortly after he was honored by the San Diego Hall of Champions as an amateur star of the month for December.
In the future, Rancifer hopes to continue his basketball career on the next level, and credits his family, including his mom, his dad who played high school basketball and got him involved in the sport, his four siblings, and his coaches for getting him to where he is today.
"My coaches have taught me so much about the game and I'm so thankful for them, but I wouldn't even be here without my family," he said. "There were a lot of guys that played basketball in Oakland, some who were better than me--but what made me stand out is the support I had from my family. From helping me get exposure to colleges back in high school to cheering me on at games, they're the reason I'm here, and they inspire me to return to the court and play my hardest each day. I just hope I'm making them proud."
The Torero also credits his success to his teammates, two of which stood beside him in last Saturday's senior recognition ceremony, preceding the last conference game of the year in which the Pepperdine Waves bowed to the Toreros for the second time this year with a final score of 76-69 (Toreros also won their first match against Pepperdine 62-50 on Jan 12). Rancifer recalls meeting seniors Chris Manresa and Cameron Miles during their freshman year when the men "hardly had facial hair." His favorite part about being a Torero has been growing up as both an athlete and as a person with his teammates and friends, who he is sure he will stay in touch with long after graduation.
This May, Rancifer will graduate with a sociology degree. Though he is uncertain of where he will go, he knows basketball and the people he has met on the court will play a big role in his future, explaining that the sport has had a significant impact on his confidence, demeanor, and determination to go after his goals. Emotions will run high for the three seniors as they begin their final post-season drive against Pepperdine, in Las Vegas, NV. On paper, San Diego has the advantage with a higher winning percentage and a roster energized by Saturday's victory against the same opponent, but Rancifer is determined to stay focused and end his last year on a high note.
"Everyone's going to be a little tense knowing that it could be our last game. The numbers don't really matter. Anything can happen in basketball, so we have to focus and come out hard," he said. "It's game time."
