By Harry Minium
When you first meet Loren Brill, you are drawn to his smile. Even when times are tough, and it's been a difficult season for the Old Dominion basketball team, he always seems to exude positive vibes.
He's always upbeat, always encouraging his teammates, always working to make the team better, always setting a good example.
As for his work ethic, I've rarely seen an athlete who busts his rear end more than Brill. He is often in the weight room before and after practice. He spends a lot of his "down" time in the gym, shooting baskets.
He attacks each practice like he's in the Final Four. He dives for loose balls and bodies up and plays physically against guys
"He has without a doubt left a mark on Old Dominion basketball," coach Jeff Jones said.
Yet, I'd bet that most ODU fans don't recognize his name.
Brill is a walk-on. He and teammates Quishon Harris and Drew Lakey are playing for the love of the game, not scholarship dollars.
"He's the ideal kid to be a walk-on," assistant coach John Richardson said. "He works so hard and he helps us win."
Not so much on the court as in practice.
Heading into Sunday's 2 p.m. game at Chartway Arena against Florida Atlantic, Brill has played 8 minutes in seven games and has three points, 2 rebounds and an assist to show for it. The highlight of the season for him was when he swished a three-pointer at North Texas two weeks ago.
During practice, it's a different story.
"He's on our scout team, and it's the most important team we have," Richardson said. "Loren knows the team we're going to be playing so well that they he teaches our guys what's coming. And during a game, he's talking to them about what to expect."
Last season, when the Monarchs won the Conference USA championship, he won the Trey Freeman Practice Player of the Year Award.
And did I mention that he's absolutely brilliant? Brill maintains a 3.8 grade-point-average in economics.
"Loren does all the right things on and off the court," Jones said. "People don't think of walk-ons being leaders, but he leads by example. He holds himself and other people accountable. He's a great communicator with his teammates and his coaches.
"It's not that he talks all that much. But when he does, it's positive and it's meaningful. He's been a joy to be around and a joy to coach."
All of which made it so much sweeter for Jones earlier this semester when he asked video coordinator Gus Fraley to interrupt a session in ODU's film room to congratulate Brill.
"I thought it was an academic award," Brill said. It wasn't. Fraley then announced that Brill had been put on scholarship for the spring semester.
"All of my teammates piled on me," Brill said. "There was a lot of love in that room."
Brill is a self-described Navy brat, a term used to describe a child whose father was in the Navy. He settled down at a young age in Maryland and was a pretty fair high school player at Georgetown Prep. He then prepped for a year at South Kent School in Connecticut.
He had some Division II partial scholarship offers, but elected to walk-on at Cal State Fullerton just outside of Los Angeles. But after a few months, he grew homesick.
"I loved the Cali lifestyle, but I just wanted to get back with my family," he said.
Then ODU assistant coach Kelvin Jefferson knew Brill and offered him the chance to walk on with the Monarchs.
"It was the best decision of my life," Brill said. "When I came here, it felt like home. It had a family feel. And my family was able to get here from Maryland for games.
"I have family in Virginia Beach and they're always helping me out with food or anything else I might need.
"I've got the best of both worlds here. I get to do something I love, and I get the chance to work hard at something I love. But at the same time, I'm surrounded by all of this support."
He and Aaron Carver, a senior from Elizabeth City, are roommates and have become best friends. Carver also played at South Kent, but not at the same time as Brill.
Coincidence or not, they both stayed in the same dormitory room at South Kent. They didn't put two and two together until Brill walked on at ODU two years ago.
"We have similar morals, a similar work ethic and a similar desire to be great," Carver said. "He's the hardest working guy I know and I've always been attracted to people like that, people who want to be good in everything they do."
Carver said Brill has many talents, including playing the piano, something that he displayed recently when he and Carver had dinner with other students at the house of President John. R. Broderick.
"We're sitting there eating," Carver said. "And Lo goes over there and starts playing the piano.
"He knew what would happen. All of these girls go over and say go him, 'Oh Loren, you're so talented.' "
Brill acknowledged that sometimes it's difficult to work so hard and play so little in games. It's been especially difficult this season, as the Monarchs are 11-17 with three games to go.
"I've got great guys around me," he said. "My teammates tell me to keep my head up.
"My role is to make our guys better so that when they get out there, they know what the other team is going to do because we've done it in practice.
"In practice, I try to bring energy. I look at my teammates and I know I owe it to them and to myself to work hard. If I don't give my best, I'm selling myself short and selling my teammates short."
Brill isn't sure what he'll do with his degree. He's considering getting a Master's degree, but after graduating from ODU next year, says he'll likely head to the Philippines to play basketball with his older brother.
Basketball runs in his family His father was captain of the national team in the Philippines and his two younger sisters are playing basketball at Maryland schools.
His parents immigrated to America from the Philippines, yet Brill says he never learned Tagalog, the language spoken by many in the island nation.
He said the only time he heard Tagalog at home was "when my parents were mad at me," he said.
"I'm pretty much a tourist when I go over there now. That will change when I go there to play basketball."
Brill said among the toughest things he's experienced at ODU is maintaining stellar academics while also playing basketball.
"My family has kept me grounded. They told me there will be a lot of distractions but that I had to ignore them, that school always comes first," he said.
"When things get tough, I remind myself that this is bigger than me. I'm doing this for my family."
I'll let you in on a secret. Jones asked me to write this story. He thinks so much of Brill and his work ethic that he approached me after a game and made the request.
He's never asked me to write anything before. That shows how much he thinks of Brill.
"He's a great, great kid," Jones said. "I hope there will be people who read your article who, when he finishes school, will want to hire him.
"I want to be around Loren Brill when he makes it. He's going to do great things."
Contact Minium: hminium@odu.edu