Camaren “Cam” Sparrow, a 6-foot-4 guard from Baltimore, turned in a productive freshman campaign for his hometown team, Coppin State. He started 24 of 26 games before an injury kept him out down the stretch of the season. He averaged 6.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 28.5 minutes per game.
The one bright side of Coppin State’s disappointing 2-27 season is that young players, like Sparrow and fellow freshman and Maryland native Ryan Archey, got to learn on the job and play through mistakes. Coppin State head coach Larry Stewart has been preaching the importance of paying attention to detail and doing the little things right, and Sparrow has been taking that to heart.
“Just pay close attention to the little things,” Sparrow said. “They could make you or break you. You could win a game off the little things or lose a game off the little things.”
Sparrow joined the Bleav in DMV Hoops podcast, which profiles coaches and players from the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area (DMV), to discuss how they can turn things around this season, what he worked on in the offseason, and how his role will expand in his sophomore season.
In an era of college basketball with unlimited transfers, it would not have been surprising for a productive freshman like Sparrow to look to relocate to a more successful program. Sparrow explained that was never in consideration based on his rapport with the coaching staff.
“I tell everybody that they were always big on me, just doing the little things, and they gave me a shot in college,” Sparrow said. “So, I had to come back. I had a good relationship with my coaches. So it just felt right to come back.
“Just to continue to absorb information, just continue to grow,” he added regarding what message his coaches had for him this offseason. “They’ve been playing basketball for longer than I’ve been alive, so they know a lot. I’ve just been trying to grasp everything they teach me and then learn and expand off that.”
The guard emphasized the impact Stewart has had on his playing career
“I just look for a coach that’s going to keep it honest with me at all times, and he does that,” Sparrow said. “Sometimes you’re not going to like what he says, but it’s true. He’s a players’ coach. He understands a lot. You can come to him with anything. He’ll sit down, have a regular conversation with you.
“For me,…
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