Alex Zampier, a 6-foot-3 senior guard for Yale, is playing himself onto the all-Ivy team. His phenomenal performance this season has him ranked first in points per game (17.8) and free-throw percentage (.869), second in steals per game (2.6) and tied for fourth in three-point FGs made (39). In addition, Zampier has already been named Ivy League Player of the Week twice this season.
Zampier’s play in high school was no different. While at Columbia High School in East Greenbush, N.Y., he was a four-year starter, second all-time leading scorer in school history (with 1,381 points), and a New York all-state selection as both a junior and senior. Though he chose to play basketball in college, Zampier’s athletic ability extended to the baseball field as well. In fact, he hit three grand slams in his senior year to claim a New York state single-season record.
Coming out of high school, Zampier said, “I was recruited by a lot of big schools. I was actually going to go to Indiana, but when Mike Davis got fired, I was out of a scholarship. Luckily, Coach Jones came into the picture.”
It would be fair to say that both Yale and Zampier have benefited from the relationship.
Regarding the transition into college play, Zampier said, “The talent is just much higher. Everyone knows the game a lot better, and they know what they have to do. The style of play is a lot more physical, so I had to be more physical. I had to learn to make quicker decisions as well.”
Zampier’s segue was eased thanks to his pure athleticism. His coach said, “He has a great quickness. He has very good footwork. He also has the quickest hands I’ve ever seen.”
Zampier’s role and level of play have improved dramatically throughout his four years at Yale. Jones says, “He started in freshman year as our backup point guard. Now, he’s our leading wing.”
Since his first year, Zampier’s minutes and points have increased from 12 minutes and 2.8 points per game to 30.4 minutes and 17.8 points per game.
Zampier is an integral part of Yale’s style of play. “We are a physical inside basketball team,” Jones said.
His top player agrees: Zampier defines Yale basketball as “physical." “We focus on defense a lot, and on offense we try to go inside out,” Zampier said. As Jones points out, “He complements what we do at the basket.”
Zampier said of his role on the team, “Leadership is the biggest thing. I’m the leader. I’m the captain. I’m also the guy who can put the ball in the hoop when we need somebody to.”
In addition to leading by example, Zampier also said, “When people are down, it [leadership] is about keeping their spirits up. It’s about keeping people together during the bad times.”
Because of his production this year, Zampier has found that “there are usually two guys on me.” To overcome the extra attention defenses give him, Zampier said he has to “move hard without the ball and use his teammates to get open.”
Looking forward, Zampier thinks that this Yale squad, currently 8-13 (2-2 Ivy), has a lot of potential. Although he admits that the team has been “very inconsistent,” Zampier said, “Once we get more consistent, I like our chances a lot.” Yale could be a team to watch out for if Zampier’s prolific play continues.
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