Only get one shot
Luke Cughan has spent countless hours attempting to perfect his shot. Now he will shoot his shot for PhD Hoops' Team USA this summer in Paris.
The opportunity of a lifetime was one the Columbia County Christian graduate never saw coming. Players typically apply for a spot on the team, but after needing another guard, a teammate of his at Cairn University, Kevin McNicholas, who plays on the U23 team, recommended Cughan to fill the void.
"I had no knowledge of it before. [PhD Hoops founder Richie Schueler] reached out to me and said they needed another guard," Cughan said. "I was excited about it, but nervous about having to come up with the money to pay for everything. After sending him some high school film, I prayed on it and thought about it -- I couldn't pass it up."
Cughan's friends and family couldn't contain their excitement either, contributing significantly to the 20-year-old's $4,500 sum needed to make the trip to France on June 23-30. The money covers his plane ticket, tournament fees, transportation for the week and two meals a day. Cughan, who majors in sports management with a minor in sports ministries, put money toward the cause by helping his friend with house renovations, serving as an AAU coach at camps and clinics and officiating some basketball games for the PIAA — something he will look into doing more after his playing days are over.
"I'm thankful for everybody who donated and gave me this opportunity," Cughan said. "Many of them are my support system, my family. They helped get me not only to France, but to this point in my life."
Aside from the experience he'll gain playing basketball for two days against some of the world's elite competition, along with some of his Division II, Division III and JUCO college peers, Cughan is most excited for the sightseeing the team will mix in with practice during the first four days they're in Paris. He can't wait to see the Eiffel Tower, and also has hopes of seeing Normandy and some of the historic sites associated with St. Bartholomew's massacre, a subject Cughan did a 20-page report on in school.
"Not many people we know get to say they got to see the Eiffel Tower like that," Cughan said. "It'd also be cool to see some of the sights I did my paper on."
He also can't wait to try some of the food, but is ruling out escargot.
Though he wants to take in the whole experience, Cughan knows he is there to play the best basketball he can. For someone who strives to take 150 shots a day, he still wants to grow as an offensive player and leader, gaining qualities he hopes to apply to a full season as a junior for the Highlanders. Already proven he can lead, Cughan, who sports a 3.93 GPA, was one of five players picked by his teammates to participate in Cairn's leadership development study — a program the Highlanders institute in place for captains. Still, Cughan is hoping to gain more knowledge and skills against some of his best contemporaries in France.
"We had an older team with some transfers [this past season]. I played about a third of the minutes with the team having high expectations. We ended up losing in the second round of the [United East] conference tournament, which was disappointing," Cughan said. "This year, I want to work on everything in the game. I feel I have improved dramatically, but I have room to grow. Having an opportunity to get on the court [in France] against high competition and get minutes will be great.
" ... I want to bring everything together offensively and be a leader on the team," Cughan said. "I want to bring the best out of everyone on the team with focus, energy and consistency."
Cughan can't begin calculating the hours he spent shooting a basketball with his family— parents and former coaches Jennifer and Jim, as well as his brother and former teammate Pierce — in the alleyway or with his teammates at CCCS, AAU in Lewisburg, or Cairn. It's all accumulated with him getting an opportunity to take his biggest shot yet.
"It's a cool experience because I live and breathe basketball," Cughan said. "It's cool to compete with USA on my chest. To represent the country on my chest is super cool and something I'll remember for the rest of my life."
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