The Times Standard had a nice article on David:

Height isn't everything you know: Despite his size, Broome packs quite the punch for the Jacks
Ray Aspuria/The Times-Standard
Posted: 01/26/2010 01:30:24 AM PST


It's easy to lose track of David Broome among the gargantuans who litter the hardwood landscapes of the California Collegiate Athletic Association.

Humboldt State's sophomore guard is listed at 5-foot-5 and looks even smaller when he's on the court.

?I'm about 5-foot-4 and three-quarters,? Broome said after HSU's team meeting on Monday. ?It's actually close to my real height. I guess I look shorter though.?

In a sport where height often takes precedence, it can be easy to overlook the diminutive Broome.

However, doing so isn't a very smart move.

?I'm kind of like a target,? Broome said. ?Teams think, 'This guy is small.' But after a couple of times up and down the court, they know I'm here to play.?

A tape measurer can give you exact height, but it can't measure the amount of heart.

And Broome has plenty of it.

?It's fun to play that way,? said Broome when asked about how much effort and heart he plays with. ?It's the way I have to.?

Often playing against much taller opponents and acknowledging his own shortcomings, Broome has to do the best he can with what he was given.

?I'm not a great shooter. I wouldn't even call myself a good shooter,? he said. ?But on defense, it's a pride thing. I've never scored a lot of points, but my man isn't going to score, either.?

Broome is right.

Looking at his statistics alone, Broome could be easily dismissed. Sixteen games, no starts. Only 22 points scored in 181 minutes of basketball played.
But like he said, scoring isn't his forte.

Broome has 26 assists, 13 steals and 22 total rebounds in that same span. Not bad for a kid who stands at 5-foot-5.

?I'm not going to be out-jumping anyone,? Broome said. ?But I can judge where the ball is going pretty well. I have a sweep-under technique and I try my best. Not many teams think of boxing me out and I can get in there.?

That has to be frustrating for the opposition, to see the smallest guy on the court grabbing crucial offensive and defensive rebounds. And Broome is quite proud when he flusters opponents. On many occasions, opposing guards who have had the opportunity to guard or be guarded by Broome have walked into timeouts shaking their heads in disbelief over how hard the sophomore plays the game.

It's that kind of effort that has engendered Broome to the Lumberjack faithful. When he is on the court or gets the ball and does a shifty spin move, or strips the ball out the opponents hands, the Lumberjack Arena crowd goes wild.

Just don't expect Broome to rub his antics in the opposition's face .

?I'm not a big talker on the court, but I'm not going to let myself get talked to,? he said. ?I know I'm doing my job if they are frustrated.?

Coming in as a freshman last year out of Castro Valley High -- a team that featured both Broome and Jack teammate Will Petty -- Broome notes there was a definite adjustment period.

?I didn't know what to expect,? he said. ?Senior year in high school, I was playing all the time.?

With experienced guards ahead of him, Broome had to toil on the bench for a while. But when head coach Tom Wood went from the traditional substitutions to the five-man platoon sub style, Broome got his chance.

But even then, he wasn't sure what to expect -- until HSU played Western Oregon.

?I came in late and scored my first bucket and relaxed,? Broome said.

This season, No. 3 is part of the regular platoon rotation.

When Zac Tiedeman comes out, Broome is the man with the ball at point guard.

?Our unit is the scrappiest of the two groups,? he said. ?We want to make the game frantic. We're meant to bring energy.?

Broome definitely brings a ton of energy onto the court whenever he's on it. That's something he learned during his prep career.

?In high school, there was more variety,? Broome said. ?When you played your best, you can win. But other teams, if you didn't play your best, you can win. For me, I played with the mindset that every game is important.?

And by playing in the ultra-competitive CCAA has only cemented that philosophy into Broome.

Don't expect his high-octane, uncanny style of play to change soon.

?I just want people to know -- other than my height -- that he brought it every game. You knew he was playing hard,? Broome said.

Wood Chips: While fans see the fiery side of head coach Tom Wood, Broome is fond of comical coach. ?He's really funny. There's never a dull moment. He knows his stuff and is really competitive,? Broome said. ... Broome has liked his tenure at HSU and he doesn't have anything to complain about ... well, maybe the rain. ?I hate it. It sucks coming out of practice when it's raining. And those 8 a.m. classes in the rain are not very fun. That's why I chose an indoor sport,? he said. ... The Lumberjack Arena crowd surprised Broome at first. But now? ?I think we're getting spoiled. I'm surprised when it is not packed.?