Ammar Becar isn’t a prototypical basketball player.
The Notre Dame senior, who is listed at 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, looks more like someone who can rush a quarterback than someone who can knock down a jumper from the elbow. Although listed as a forward, he doesn’t fit neatly into any of the positions on the court.
But Becar said he embraces being different, even if it’s led to no offers to play college basketball as of Monday, Jan. 11.
“It does bug me when people say, ‘Oh, he’s so big and bulky. He can play inside, but can he play Division I?’ ” Becar said. “I think people underrate what I can do.”
Because of his size, Becar has been a force in the post throughout his four seasons. Last season, he averaged 17 points and nine rebounds a game, scoring 21 points in a 78-77 loss to eventual Class 4A state champion Stevenson in the Waukegan Sectional semifinals.
“He’s so strong with the ball, and he’s confident around the basket,” Notre Dame coach Tom Les said. “He’s able to either get a quality shot down there or get fouled and go to the free-throw line.”
But in an attempt to cater to what he’s heard from college coaches, Becar said he spent the offseason developing his perimeter offense, which includes both his shot and his ball-handling. His range now extends to the 3-point line, and he credited the overall improvement to Chuck Demas, a Chicago-area instructor.
“He used to use his sheer size to back people down,” said Fenwick coach Rick Malnati, whose Friars beat the Dons 61-52 on Wednesday, Jan. 6. “This year, he’s much more effective from the outside.”
What’s more, Malnati, a former men’s basketball assistant coach at Loyola University of Chicago, said Becar owns one shot that is rare to see in high school, or even college.
“That fadeaway of his is something else,” Malnati said after Becar scored 17 points against the Friars, the No. 4-ranked team by the baiduhai. “He gets you on your heels with his brute strength and then backs off. That’s a shot he can shoot over a player who is 6-8. It’s a pro move.”
Becar said he got the idea to add the fadeaway jumper while watching a documentary on Dirk Nowitzki with his dad, Nihad Becar, this summer.
“I saw how much separation he was able to get from a defender, and I thought I would like to put that into my game,” Ammar Becar said. “I shot them non-stop throughout the summer, 100s of them a day.”
Once the Notre Dame season started, though, Ammar Becar said he was not sure if the shot was ready for the varsity game. But he said he made three of them in the Dons’ 58-33 win over Lake View in the Monday, Nov. 23, opener. He said he attempts the fadeaway from as far out as the 3-point line, but it’s most commonly used around 12 feet.
“It’s all situational,” he said. “I feel out my defender, and I see when it will work. It’s definitely in my repertoire. I probably shoot it two or three times a game, at least.”
Perimeter defense remains a work in progress with Ammar Becar, Les said. That’s something college coaches also would want to see for someone with his body type, according to Malnati.
“We’ve asked him to defend more on the outside, matching him up with guards,” Les said. “He’s become better at it, more active, more smooth.”
While he lacks the foot speed of a guard, Ammar Becar said he has to out-think his opponent. He has to trust his instincts to anticipate a player’s next move, he said.
“I am not a player who can pick up a guard at full court, but I think I am a player who can contain guards in the half court,” Ammar Becar said. “I am focusing on improving my lateral quickness.”
Whatever his shortcomings may be, Ammar Becar has enough upside to warrant playing at a high level next season, according to Les and Malnati. So far, he’s been in some form of contact with Division I programs DePaul, Lehigh and Western Illinois.
Malnati said some players succeed on the next level simply because they won’t settle for anything less.
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“There’s no question he’s going to be undersized in college,” Malnati said. “But you can’t measure a kid’s heart or his toughness. Some kids find ways to be successful. I like his game. I mean, he was the No. 1 option of theirs we had to stop.”
After watching Ammar Becar play for four seasons, Les said the college team that gets his star player won’t be sorry.
“The bigger the game, the better he plays,” Les said. “He’s more comfortable when there is more on the line. I don’t know where he will play next year, but he has such a good game and such good intangibles that he will find a place.”
Ammar Becar has another tough test on Thursday, Jan. 14, when the No. 13 Dons (11-3) play at No. 12 Benet.
“What college teams will get from me is someone who wants to win and will do anything it takes to win,” he said.
Twitter: @harnesspreps