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Nate Fortman couldn’t keep up with opposing guards. Fortman, who spent most of his sophomore season sidelined with a broken wrist, only played in eight of Birdlebough High School’s (Phoenix, New York) games. When he did play, poor speed led to a limited role.

Thus, Fortman made it his mission to increase his athleticism by working out every day last summer. He lifted weights, worked on cardio and put shots up at his local YMCA daily. Fortman lost 30 pounds, increasing his agility and to help him have a breakout junior season.

“It’s almost like he kind of turned a corner in his adolescence because he went from this little kid to this adult,” Fortman’s mother, Angela Stebbins, said.

Fortman’s role drastically increased as a junior. In 2023-24, he was the Firebirds’ second-leading scorer with 14.8 points per game. Additionally, the guard averaged 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists while knocking down a team-high 49 3-pointers, helping Birdlebough to a 14-7 record.

It was a complete 180 for Fortman. After playing junior varsity as a freshman, Fortman wanted to carve out a role on varsity in his second season. Though Fortman made the team, his wrist injury mostly forced him to the sidelines.

“I was pretty angry, but I was just trying to stay positive,” Fortman said. “I went to everything. I was more of a team manager the rest of the season.”

Fortman always had a passion for basketball, which Stebbins enhanced. When Fortman made his middle school team, his mother often provided constructive feedback on his game.

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During that time, Fortman met Nick Perioli, Birdlebough’s head coach. Perioli spent time with middle schoolers, scouting out future potential players. Fortman always stood out.

“No matter the age that he was, he always just did what he was supposed to do,” Perioli said. “He was always following his schedule for workouts or practices. He was always showing up.”

Despite making varsity as a sophomore, Fortman was entrenched in a battle with other kids in his grade to make the roster. His classmates talked down on him. Fortman wanted to prove them wrong.

He showed glimpses as a sophomore but averaged just 1.6 points and hit only three 3-pointers in a limited role. The Firebirds finished 11-11 and went 3-3 in Onondaga Suburban High School League play. Birdlebough lost 50-33 to General Brown in the Section III Class B Section Championships First Round.

After transforming his body, Fortman showcased vast improvement defensively as a junior. Teammate Tallen Prior said Fortman is the most vocal player on the team defensively, which helps their communication.

But it was his polished offensive skill set that shined. Fortman created his shot off the dribble and became a deadly marksman from beyond the arc, where nearly half of his field goals came from.

His offensive repertoire was on full display throughout the season, only being held under 10 points three times. The guard’s signature performance came in a 62-55 win over Skaneateles, where he scored 20 points.

After a slow start, Fortman heated up in the third quarter and “took over the game,” Perioli said. Behind Fortman’s stellar display, Birdlebough took down Skaneateles, a top team in the Firebirds’ section.

The Firebirds finished the 2023-24 season 14-7 and 5-5 in conference play. Their performance earned them a spot in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Section III Class B Section Tournament.

In the first round at home against Cazenovia on Feb. 21, Fortman scored 12 points but Birdlebough fell 62-58, ending its season. Ahead of Fortman’s senior year, Perioli named him a captain.

“(His teammates) look at him as that leader because of the work he puts in and because they know he’s probably our best player,” Perioli said. “They’re willing to say, ‘Hey, what do you see, Nate?’”

Now in his senior season, with offers from Division III SUNY Oswego and Cortland, Fortman has his eyes locked on making it past the first-round hump and embarking on a championship run.

“If we had any year, it would probably be this one,” Fortman said. “I feel like we’re more talented this year than the last two years by a lot.”

Published on December 3, 2024 at 12:12 am

jaglick@syr.edu