CLEVELAND — It all started with a fascination with jerseys.
“It was a LeBron jersey and a Michael Jordan jersey, and I think it was a Kobe jersey. I still have those jerseys to this day,” said Ben Sternberg.
He’s loved basketball since he was 5-years-old.
“I instantly fell in love with it,” said Sternberg. “Every aspect of it.”
This Cleveland kid’s dream has always been to play at Cleveland State University. This season, he got his shot.
But his path there wasn’t straightforward or easy. His official stat said he’s 6-feet-tall.
“I’m about 5’10”. But yes, I am 6 feet,” he said with laughter. “Growing up, I was always the smallest kid. I was 4’11” my freshman year of high school.”
Sternberg played two years at Lakeland Community College, but he never gave up on what he really wanted.
“I would come out to the open gyms. You know, I did whatever I could to get in front of the coaches. I finally got in contact with Coach Gates and, you know, he gave me the opportunity,” said Sternberg. “Really a dream come true.”
Last season, CSU’s Head Coach Dennis Gates put him on the team.
“I really thought that this kid had a passion regarding our institution. He had Cleveland State University in is heart,” said Gates.
First, he was a manager for the Vikings. And this season, the 22-year-old is proud to be a guard and “bench captain.”
“You see me going absolutely berserk on the bench, but, you know, my job is to energize the team. I take that role very, very seriously and, you know, it’s really an honor to have that role,” said Sternberg.
But he had to earn his spot by getting his grades up, and commitment knows no off-season.
“First off, I was going to do anything it took,” he said. “I don’t care what, you know, the obstacle was, what the challenge was. I was going to do anything it was.”
Sternberg embodies what it truly means to be a team player. No ego, just team.
“The family chemistry that we have here — these are my brothers, man,” said Sternberg. “It wasn’t just about scoring the points.”
But he did get a chance to score points at the game versus Youngstown State.
“It was surreal,” he said. “Seeing my teammates on the sidelines go crazy when I made the shot. It was just, it was amazing.”
Sternberg believes the lessons learned on the hardwood also play out in life.
“If you really want something, you have to go get it,” said Sternberg.
This season isn’t just a big deal for Sternberg — it’s huge for the whole team. The Vikings won the Horizon League Championship game for the first time in 12 years, earning them a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Friday’s game against Houston marks Cleveland State’s third March Madness appearance ever in the team’s history.
