Josh Herbeck's high school success translates to strong start of college career
Father Gabriel Richard graduate Josh Herbeck (right) was named the Patriot League all-rookie team after his first year at Army.
Courtesy of Army Athletic Communications
This year, Herbeck traded in his parochial school uniform for a military one, and his Fighting Irish jersey for that of the Army Black Knights. The accolades continue to roll in. He was recently named a member of the Patriot League’s All-Rookie Team.
"It was a great honor,” Herbeck said. “It feels great. It's definitely good motivation to keep seeing bigger and better things."
Herbeck was his team’s fourth-leading scorer and played his best late in the season, averaging 9.2 points over his last five games. He saved his best performance for the game that mattered most, scoring 16 points against rival Navy. Army finished the season 11-19.
“College is such a different game,” Herbeck said, explaining his steady improvement this season. “It's a time commitment unlike high school. And there's school work on top of that. It took me some time to get fully adjusted.”
Army coach Zach Spiker said Herbeck became a better player as the season went on, but he contributed a lot to the team from the moment he stepped on the court.
“He ended the year as a starter and was the best player on the court in some of those games,” said Army coach Zach Spiker. “When you go from high school to the college game, it’s a great unknown. There are so many variables. I thought he did a good job. He was able to contribute from the start to the finish.”
With a full season under his belt, Herbeck enjoys basketball more than he did a year ago and has seen significant growth in his game.
“I've gotten a lot more confident with the ball,” he said. “I think my passing ability has improved. I can play at a faster speed than I could before. I've always loved basketball. Being around it more, the more you care about it and the more it means to you.”
Another big change for Herbeck was the absence of football from his calendar. The three-year varsity quarterback led Gabriel Richard to a Catholic High School League C-D Division championship in 2009.
"I definitely miss football, especially when it was fall time and football season was in full swing,” he said. “I haven't had many opportunities to throw the ball around.”
Herbeck said he hopes to start taking on more of a leadership role with Army next season.
“You make the most progress from your freshman to sophomore year,” Spiker said. “He now understands the pace that this game’s played at this level. We’re excited about moving toward next year.”