“At that point, I was wondering what I was going to do. I have a very basketball-centric family,” Flaherty said. “I couldn’t help but hold my head down. It was difficult. Basketball is in my blood.”

Flaherty’s grandfather played collegiately at University of San Francisco. His dad played at City College of San Francisco and San Francisco State University. His sister played on Notre Dame-Belmont’s Central Coast Section championship team in 1999. His brother also played at Mills and spent some time at Cañada College as well. To not make any basketball team was never even thought about.

Now, having recently received his AA degree from Skyline College, the 6-foot-8 Flaherty is headed to Houston Baptist University on a full basketball scholarship. The Huskies are in the second year of a four-year transition from Division II to Division I.

“[Houston Baptist has] an assistant who had spent some time in California and he came out and saw us play when we played Ohlone,” said Skyline coach Justin Piergrossi. “They needed a post player. He has a very good chance to walk in and play a lot right away. That was important for him. They flew him down for a visit … and they just fell in love with him.”

Flaherty developed from a player that was just taller than everyone else in high school into a legitimate low-post basketball player. He doubled his numbers across the board from his freshman year at Skyline to his sophomore season, all the while developing into a Division I-caliber player. Piergrossi said a number of Division I programs were recruiting Flaherty.

“He’s a legitimate back to the basket scorer, which is hard to find these days,” Piergrossi said. “It feels great because we’ve seen Mario totally transform right before our eyes. I’m happy for him. The hard work paid off. I would have been just as happy and proud if he went to a Division II school. I don’t think in his wildest dreams he thought he would be a DI player. And now he’s done it.”

Flaherty’s basketball ego took another shot after graduating from Mills. Despite having a good senior season — and being 6-7 — one would have expected some four-year school to recruit Flaherty.

Instead, nada. Nothing. Zilch. No interest from one four-year college. It was another moment of crisis.

“Coming out of high school, I had no looks and was wondering what I was going to do,” Flaherty said.

Enter Skyline College. Piergrossi, who is entering his fifth season with Trojans, has done a good job of sending players on to the next level. Of the 12 players that have played two years under Piergrossi at Skyline, 10 have received scholarships to four-year colleges. Flaherty is the first Division I recruit of the Piergrossi era.

Flaherty is the classic example of hard work paying off and also what motivation can do — and growing a foot between his freshman and sophomore years of high school. Flaherty said being cut his freshman year at Mills was a wakeup call and he decided then and there that you needed more than pedigree to succeed in basketball. You needed to want it.

Flaherty really wanted it.

“Working hard is one thing,” Flaherty said. “But you don’t want to just say you want to work harder than anyone else, but (think) I’m better than everyone else. My goal was to go to a Division I school.”

Flaherty said he chose Houston Baptist because he fell in love with the school, the city of Houston and the basketball program, adding that he, the coaching staff and the players all hit it off immediately.

But he also wanted to get out of his comfort zone. He said it was time for him to grow up and learn how to be an adult.

“I’m still that guy whose mom still does his laundry for him and packs his lunch,” Flaherty said. “I love my mom and all, but it was time for me to get out of the house. Going to Texas is going to be an eye opener. It’s time for me to grow up and time for me to live on my own.”

Flaherty leaves for Houston next week. He’s enrolled in summer school and wants to not only get a lay of the land but also to keep working on his game so he’s ready to play a schedule that includes games against San Jose State and Fresno State.

“Overall, I’m more excited than nervous,” Flaherty said. “I’m ready to get in the gym. I’m ready to become a better player and person on and off the court.”

Now that he’s reached his goal of being a Division I player, Flaherty is starting to think about a future in the game. He plans on a double major of business administration and marketing but hopes to keep those plans on the backburner as long as possible.

Has he thought about playing professionally? It’s not far fetched. The Huskies had a player declare for the NBA draft before rescinding that decision and returning to Houston Baptist. Flaherty said the program has sent a number of players to pro leagues overseas over the years.

“That’s the dream overall, being paid for doing something I love to do,” Flaherty said. “Why not dream?”

Flaherty has proven dreams can come true — provided a person really wants it is willing to work for it.

Nathan Mollat can be reached by e-mail: nathan@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 117.