Page B6 (Cjje jflortlanfr ©bsseruer March 10.2004 S ports All-Team Approach Grant coach empowers players by J aymee R. C vti T he P ortland O bserver Grant High School's varsity boy’s bas­ ketball coach has a lot to be proud of. T rue, the team fell short of playing in the Class 4A Tournament after a 48-58 defeat to Redmond High School last week. Yet, Coach Tony Broadous extends his pride to his players, a 12-member team, who have trained really hard and stayed fo­ cused despite a trying year off the court. The team 's intensity landed Grant a standing as second in Portland Interscho­ lastic League going into preliminary games last weekend. Broadous came to Grant last year, after coaching at Roosevelt High School for 10 years. An alum of Jefferson High School, Broadous played baseball, football and basketball, and was named Senior Athlete of the Year in 1985. He went on to play baseball and basketball at Lane Commu­ nity College in Eugene and graduated from Oregon State University. “Last year was the first year in six that Grant has been in the playoffs. W e've made it to playoffs both times in my first two years. I’m pretty proud of that." -3 photo by M ark W ashington /T he P ortland O bserver Grant High School Boys Basketball Coach Tony Broadous discusses a game plan with first team All-Star players Donnie Harrison-Davis (left) and Dominic Waters. His coaching attitude is that every man makes up a team. "I’m a big believer that you have 12 guys because you’re a team. Everybody is important, from your first starter and lead scorer to your last guy who doesn't play that much,” he said. Broadous added, “We give thanks to God. We pray before each game and thank God for having the opportunity to play each game and God is pretty good to us.” Despite a solid pre-tournament record, the team was severely challenged by inju­ ries and personal crisis. Broadous himself, broke his wrist play­ ing basketball in the beginning of the NNMNMM season. Shortly after that, his sister had brain surgery. Junior point guard Dominic Waters had an emergency appendectomy and another player's mother had emergency surgery. Combined with the death of a player’s Grandmother, and another key player off the bench for a broken hand, Broadous said it was challenging to keep the empha­ sis on the game. “It’s been a season of ups and downs, off the court,” said Broadous. “On the court, the guys have been able to play through different distractions, injuries and off court issues and continue to perse­ vere.” Broadus says he talks to his team about being the “total package.” "We talk a lot about being a solid player, a solid student and a solid person with high values and high character,” he said. The cumulative grade point average for the team is 3.2 out of4.0 with six players on honor roll. In Broadous’ first year at Grant, eight of the nine seniors went on to college and this year, all six seniors on his team will be in college, with four on athletic scholar­ ships and one on an academic scholar­ ship. Some notable players are being heavily recruited by colleges. Senior Donnie Harrison-Davis and Waters were named first team all stars. Broadous describes Ndam ukong Suh as a “big time w arrior.” Suh, a junior center, is being recruited in football by schools across the country. He was named as second team all star this year. Aaron Dickson, a senior, accepted a football scholarship to Portland State. Broadous says he demonstrates that total package with strengths in scoring, pass­ ing and picking up rebounds. Nick Green, a 6 foot 7 inch senior forw ard, is an exciting player to follow for his dunks and block shots. He was given honorable mention for the all-star team. Ryan Carroll, a sixth man off the bench, is a decisive, sharp shooter. MHMNMM Baseball Coaches Clinic Saturday 2004 PIL Basketball All-Stars Peninsula Little League and Jefferson High S chool’s main Je ffe rso n High S chool are gym, 5 2 1 ON. Kerby. It will start at partnering with the Active and Old- 9:30 a.m. and end at noon. Partici­ Timers Baseball Association to hold pants can bring their personal a coaching clinic aimed at reviving baseball and softball gloves and the sport of baseball in north and bats to actively participate in northeast Portland. hands-on techniques and prac­ The session for new and exist­ tice. ing baseball coaches, sports pro­ “ We need skilled and p ro fes­ gram adm inistrators and parents sional coaches who can create will be held Saturday, March 13 at a venue o f o p p o rtu n itie s for north and n o rth e a st P ortland youth who aspire to becom e pro fessio n al baseball p la y e rs,” said A rt L arrance, A ctive and O ld-T im ers B aseball A sso c ia ­ tion president. J e ffe rs o n B a se b a ll C oach Michael M angum said the effort also is aimed at giving local kids a deterrent to gangs, drugs and other non-productive activities. Alcohol and drug addiction is color blind... 2004 PIL Boys 2004 PIL Girls Player of the Year: Player of the Year: Brian Morris, Jefferson Brittney Davis, Jefferson Coaches of the Year: Coaches of the Year: Marshall Haskins, Jefferson and Tony Broadous, Grant Floyd Hall, Franklin and Milt Adams, Jefferson First team: First team: Germain Jordan-Brown, Wilson Brian Morris, Jefferson Dominic Waters, Grant Andre Ferguson, Roosevelt Donnie Harrison-Davis, Grant Mac Hopson, Jefferson Brittney Davis, Jefferson Hannah Oken-Berg, Lincoln Toya Hill, Grant Lauren Greif, Lincoln Brea Douglas, Benson Ericka Volker, Grant Simone Jordan, Jefferson Second team: Bryan Martin, Benson Jeremy Lathan, Benson Cedric Burton, Jefferson Cody Aker, Wilson Ndamukong Suh, Grant Omar Leary Lincoln gender neutral... Second team: Amanda Boggan, Benson RosaundaJackson, Benson Katie Curtis, Cleveland Joyce Oniah, Franklin Amanda Peterson, Franklin Shadae Smith, Jefferson Whitney Barton, Wilson Heartbreak for Jefferson Girls Jefferson High School was the only P o rtlan d In te rsc h o la stic League team to make it to the Class 4A Girls Basketball Tournament at ...and targets all ages. the University o f Portland' sChiles Center. But it was heartbreak for the Democrats. The team was crushed Peninsula Little League 2004 and the Active and Old-Timers Baseball Association Invites you to a free baseball & softball But help is available. Call our free and confidential HelpLine: Jefferson L » e G ym 800-923-HELP OREGON PARTNERSHIP Preventing Substance Abuse. Changing Lives. www. copartnership. org Bring your bat and glove and get involved in the hands-on techniques and practice. For more information call 503-997-1776 www pemnsulalittleleague org in a 56-64 defeat to Sheldon last Thursday and in the Friday conso­ lation game lost to Central Catholic, 63 to 69. Disappointment for PIL Teams All four Portland Interscholastic League boys basketball teams were shut out of the 4A Tournament in Eugene after losses in preliminary games. W ilson’s 53-64 loss to South Eugene last W ednesday ended their hopes for a place in the tour­ nament. Jefferson defeated Bend, 74-47 in the first game of the preliminary tournament, but ultimately suc­ cumbed to Sunset on Saturday in a 66-68 loss. G rant beat C e n tra l V alley W ednesday, 82-79, but lost to Redmond on R edm ond's home court on Saturday. 48-58. It was anybody'sgam e until the last quar­ ter, when Central Valley rallied to put the game out of reach. Benson’s tournament aspira­ tions ended last Wednesday when it lost to Lake Oswego, 39-43.