Romelo Burrell's journey to Central Michigan, and how he's helping to chase NCAA Tournament bid
Central Michigan forward Romelo Burrell interacts with teammates after the Maroon and Gold Scrimmage Oct. 22 at McGuirk Arena.
He leaped in the air and tapped the ball back into the basket.
Central Michigan junior forward Romelo Burrell scored his first points of the 2019 season after rebounding a miss from senior guard Kevin McKay. It was a tip-in and extended the Chippewa lead to 31-27.
It was his only made field goal of the night, and he scored just three points. However, the 6-foot-7 Chicago native played 14 minutes in the season-opening 102-62 victory over Michigan-Dearborn, indicating that he will take on a much larger role in year two with Central Michigan.
Burrell averaged 11 minutes per game last season, scoring 2.5 points per contest. He was thrust into action right away due to a lack of depth in the frontcourt and a late-season injury to then-junior forward Rob Montgomery.
The role Burrell was forced to take was perhaps heavier than he could handle at that stage of his development.
“He’s a guy who got forced into action last year, maybe even earlier than he was ready to,” said Central Michigan coach Keno Davis.
In his second year with the Chippewas, coming after a one-year stint with John A. Logan College in Carterville, Illinois, Burrell is primed to have an increased role within Davis’ scheme.
How he got here
Burrell made a reputation for himself right out of high school, winning the Illinois 2017 state championship at Morgan Park High School. He then looked for an opportunity to continue his career at the college level.
While the Division one schools weren’t calling, opportunity knocked.
“Melo came from a very good program at Morgan Park and obviously was a winner,” said Kyle Smithpeters, the head coach at John A. Logan College.
From the second Burrell stepped on the floor with the Volunteers, he made an impact. In his one year, he shot 61% from the field, a percentage that ranked in the top 40 in the NJCAA, while averaging 10 points and seven rebounds. The Volunteers were ranked 22nd in the NJCAA at one point, in large part thanks to Burrell’s contributions.
Smithpeters reiterated the fact that Burrell possesses a winning pedigree.
“He was a winner,” Smithpeters said. “He wanted to win every race and every drill. He was a sponge for information.
“So much fun to coach players like that."
Although acknowledging that his junior college experience was difficult, Burrell is thankful for the time he spent at that level and the lessons he learned from it.
“You’ve got to be tough, you’ve got to grind it out,” Burrell said. “But it was also pretty fun. I played with a lot of good guys.
“It taught me to always get after it and never give up, even when things are getting rough.”
After his one year at the junior college level, Burrell knew he could play at the highest level college basketball has to offer.
As the 2017-2018 season neared its end, the Vols were playing in a jamboree showcasing some of the best talents in the Illinois area. Among the many scouts in the audience was Central Michigan’s then-assistant coach Kevin Gamble, who took a liking to the way Burrell played the game.
Gamble had a connection with the coaching staff at Morgan Park, and he was able to set up an opportunity for Burrell to continue his career with the Chippewas.
Burrell seized the opportunity and committed to the Chippewas before the start of the 2018-19 season.
Where he’s going
Burrell played in every game last season but struggled to find his footing early on. He shot just 38% from the floor and made only two of his 17 3-point attempts. However, he was able to contribute in multiple forms, both on the court and off it.
Both Davis and Smithpeters emphatically noted the positive effect Burrell has had on his teammates throughout his career.
“Melo was a joy to have around every day,” Smithpeters said. “He worked very hard and always wanted to win. He was always excited for his teammates and their success as well.”
“Always had great energy, great effort, and a great attitude,” Davis added. “Very pleased with Romelo.”
As for Burrell, he’s eager to get going and show off the improvements made to his game. He noted that driving and shooting are two things he spent time focusing on in the offseason.
Barring an injury, Burrell may not start a game this season for the Chippewas. However, he will take on a bigger role than last year and, with a year of Division I experience, is poised to show improvement in a way that will be beneficial for his squad.
“We expect to improve on what we did last year, and we want to surprise some people,” Burrell said. “We want to get to the (NCAA) Tournament this year. That’s our main goal.”
To achieve that goal, the Chippewas would have to win the MAC Tournament for the first time since 2003, which would require major contributions from bench players like Burrell.
As he travels down his college basketball road, Burrell is looking to make an impact on his second stop.
He certainly did so on his first.
“Melo was a joy to have around every day,” Smithpeters said. “He worked very hard and wanted to win. He was always excited for his teammates and their success as well.
“You know you have a good one when that is the case.”
