Senior Profile: Herb Tanner

Senior guard Herb Tanner has wrapped up his career for the Fordham basketball team, serving as an important leader to a team of mostly freshmen and sophomores and as one of the team’s top defenders. Tanner, a Boston Mass. native who attended Catholic Memorial High School, has also displayed more of an offensive game this season, setting a career high for his points-per- game average (2.9). The Ram sat down with Tanner on Senior Night following his last home game with the Rams.   

 

The Ram: Why did you decide to come to Fordham?

 

Herb Tanner: Fordham is just a great academic institution and I knew coming here would be a great opportunity for me. When I was being recruited by Fordham, the players here, like Bryant Dunston and Marcus Stout, were a really strong group and had a lot of success and I wanted to be a part of that success.

 

TR: The teams you were on when you first came to Fordham had a lot of sucess, but the past few seasons, and especially this one, the Rams have really struggled. How tough has it been for you to experience these struggles?

 

HT: There’s no doubt it’s been tough. I didn’t come here to experience so much losing, but the struggles we’ve had as a team have taught me how to handle adversity. I know what it means to keep your confidence even in tough times and how to work hard and get better constantly.

 

TR: As the only scholarship senior on the Rams, what role do you see yourself playing as a leader and example for your younger teammates?

 

HT: I think I’m an example to my teammates of how they can be successful. I can show them how to handle adversity well and just how much work you need to put in every day to get better.

 

TR: What about Jared Grasso allows him to be an effective head coach and why do you enjoy playing for him?

 

HT: I’ve really enjoyed playing for Coach Grasso. He lets his players play and teaches us the game. Coach Grasso’s really positive and energetic and he doesn’t try to be a “rah-rah” kind of guy or yell a lot. I have no doubt Coach Grasso will be successful whatever he does after this season.

 

TR: Now that you’re graduating, Fordham basketball is at a huge crossroads and could be going through an important transition period. Do you think Fordham basketball can be consistently successful?

 

HT: I definitely think Fordham can be successful in the future. New York is the mecca of basketball; we should have a great team. As long as the school can start attracting strong recruits to NYC and puts good money into the program, we will be on the right track. The right people should turn Fordham basketball around.

 

TR: How do you think you’ve improved as a player in your time with the Rams?

 

HT: When I came out of prep school I was more of an offensive player and a scorer. The team really didn’t need me to fit that role at Fordham, and the coaches taught me how to improve my defense since I’ve been here. I’m a defense and energy guy on this team.

 

TR: You’ve been more successful scoring the ball (roughly nine points a game for the five games leading up to the Xavier game) than at almost any point in your career. What’s been the key to this success?

 

HT: I don’t normally focus on scoring the ball, but since Coach Grasso became head coach he’s been pushing me to take the ball to the basket more and to be more aggressive. I finally bought into what he was saying and it’s payed off for the team and me.  

 

TR: What’s the most memorable moment you’ve had on the court since becoming a member of the Fordham Rams?

 

HT: Without a doubt, it was when Marcus Stout hit a game-winning jumper at home to defeat Saint Joe’s my freshman year and everyone stormed the court in celebration. I always dreamed of experiencing a game like that, and it came true.

 

TR: What are your plans after graduating Fordham?

 

HT: Hopefully I’ll get a chance to play basketball overseas. If that doesn’t happen, then I don’t quite know what I’ll do but I’m sure I’ll end up working a regular old nine-to-five job somewhere. Work is hard to find these days. Anyone looking for a hard-working young man let me know!