Two pick court, two pick cubicle

Going from performing in the NCAA Tournament to working in a cubicle is a difficult transition to make.

Though most Penn students graduating next month will matriculate into nine-to-five jobs, two of the four graduating members of the Penn men's basketball team will try to avoid the daily grind. Instead, they will continue to practice their game and see if they can win their first paying job on the hardwood.

Ivy League Player of the Year Tim Begley finished up two games at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, where he was one of 64 players, mainly from mid-major teams, given the chance to display their skills in front of hordes of agents and scouts.

Though his Beach Barton Ford team lost both of its games, Begley said he enjoyed the experience a great deal.

"It was like going back to summer camp all over again," he said. "I was rooming with Jackie Manuel, who two days before was winning the national championship ... There are not many experiences like it."

Begley played a total of 40 minutes at Portsmouth, including a start in the team's second game. In the first game Begley struggled mightily. He took just three shots -- making only one for his two points on the night -- grabbed two rebounds and dished out two assists.

Even in the second game, Begley's numbers only improved marginally. He was not able to show off his signature three-point shot in the first game, but he did so successfully in the second game, going 2-for-4 from downtown. The guard finished the game with six points and three assists.

Begley attributed his low shooting numbers to the fact that there were "not many shots to go around."

"It's a tough situation," he said. "People have one shot to show how good they are. I was hoping to separate myself from other guys and I got a couple shots early, but not any more until the second half."

Though he is happy about his time at Portsmouth, Begley does not expect to find a basketball job until the late summer or early fall.

Until then, he will return to his hometown in Freehold, N.J., and focus his energy on working out and attending camps with the hope of playing "in a nice country overseas."

There will be no cubicle for Begley until he has exhausted all his opportunities to continue playing basketball.

"I [had an office job] all last summer and didn't get to stay in the greatest of shape," he said. "Since I want to continue playing basketball and maximize my chances, I would rather devote my time to working on that."

Forward Jan Fikiel also plans on trying to play professional basketball overseas. Once graduated, Fikiel will return to his home in Germany and begin his job search.

"I'm planning on getting my name out there and hopefully someone will decide to give me a job," he said.

Fikiel said an important first step will be to sign with an agent.

"He will have connections because I know that is a big part of getting to try out," Fikiel said. "And a little bit of luck, too."

Despite playing at high levels in Germany before attending Penn, Fikiel expects to have to essentially start from scratch in his pursuit for a spot on a team.

"I'm a little nervous, but the season doesn't start for another four months or so, so I'm pretty optimistic about something coming up."

Fikiel also said that his previous experience with European styles of play will help him make the adjustment quicker than many players coming over from America.

"I'm sure if there are adjustments I have to make, it won't take me too long," he said. "I am going to concentrate on catching up and hopefully it will work out."

After graduation, Eric Heil will not be living too far away from Begley, but he will not be spending much time working on his jumpshot.

Heil will be moving to New York -- a far cry from his hometown of Bettendorf, Iowa -- to work as a research associate for Easton Associates, a healthcare management consulting firm.

The former McDonald's All-America nominee is not wasting any time -- he starts work June 1. But going to the Big Apple will be an exciting time in itself, as he will be much closer to his fiancee, Kelly Seaman, who graduated from Penn last year and has been working in New York for Warner Bros. for the past year.

"We're really looking forward to working only 12 blocks away and being able to see each other every day," Heil said. "And we hope to find an apartment we can share when the time comes."

Though he looks forward to life in New York, Heil admitted there are some drawbacks.

"I will miss my teammates and the friendships," he said. "But the sprints and the workouts, that will be different."

Center Nameir Majette will be the lone Quakers player remaining in the Philadelphia area. Like Heil, Majette will be spending the next year in an office, working for a local health insurance company.

However, Majette has bigger plans for the near future.

"I would like to do some type of traveling," he said.

"I was thinking about teaching English as a foreign language abroad. I think that would be a pretty interesting experience."

Majette spent part of his life in Africa and enjoyed it enough that he would not mind returning. And Majette would certainly be open to playing basketball again when he takes the trip overseas.

"I will probably try out somewhere, but if I don't make it, it's not the end of the world," the forward said. "Either way, I plan on going overseas."

Just like his fellow seniors, Majette noted the importance of enjoying his final weeks at Penn and how much he will miss Penn basketball.

"My time here has really flown by," he said. "I'll miss the bonds I built with my teammates, since there's only a slim chance I will see them more than once again in my lifetime.

"It's like starting over again."

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