Though Dominant, Bryant Wants More from Prepsters

Ron Bailey, Publisher

January 31, 2009 - Last night at the school’s state of the art Hanley Center, Georgetown Prep (MD) dismantled Interstate Athletic Conference rival St. Stephen’s/St. Agnes (VA) 66-43. Though pleased with his team’s offensive production, don’t count Prep’s coach, Dwayne Bryant as satisfied.

“I’m not happy. At all” said Bryant minutes after the victory. “I didn’t think we played defense like we are capable…We can do a lot better job of defending”. Fueling Bryant’s angst was a first quarter that saw his team hold a slight lead, and SSA (6-11, 1-4) hitting several three point shots via drive and kick/isolation plays.

Junior forward John Hamilton paced the Saints with 10 points, while classmate Richard Pastorino, a point guard, contributed the same.

Markel Starks (5) defends John Hamilton in the post.

Enter Prep’s junior point guard Markel Starks (24 points, three steals); an offensively gifted player, Starks sparked the Little Hoyas on the other side of the ball with a diving steal attempt at the second quarter’s 4:56 mark. After a three pointer later in the period, Starks also stole the ball, finishing the play by fast break dunk. The play would give Prep a 30-20 advantage, a lead that stood 37-26 at halftime.

“We ended the quarter only leading 13 to 12” said Starks of what motivated his inspired effort to ‘strap’. “We needed to play defense and get some stops”.

Prep (14-3, 5-0) saw him provide similar energy in the third quarter, when he again stole the ball, this time initiating a play ending in sophomore swingman Nate Eggleston’s (8 points) lay up. Senior sharp shooter Paul Llewellyn, headed to Grove City College next year tickled the twine to the tune of 16 points.

Said Bryant of Starks, who has orally committed to play for his alma mater Georgetown in 2010, Bryant simply noted “That’s what he does for us”.

Translation: He does a whole lot. And then some.