We, not me, is the world according to Grant

Kevin McCarthy
 

High flying dashes of flash. Unconscionable jacking up of shots. A me-me-me-me-me selfishness. Appearances on the court considered private showtimes. Yes, all of this pops up far too often in the world of prep and ...

Shawn Grant

Shawn Grant measures 6-foot-4 and tips the scale at 170 pounds. Yet because of his team’s roster makeup, the St. Francis of Mountain View senior-to-be most often found himself inside the paint battling the Drew Gordons, Jorge Camachos, and Kevin Greenes during West Catholic Athletic League (WCAL) play. Fulfilling such a role is what Coach Steve Filios and fellow players needed from him and he dutifully complied. He willingly sacrificed because it benefited his team even though vying against taller and larger foes wasn’t necessarily a task best suited for his size or skills set.

This begs the question of what is wrong with him? Why isn’t he going with what too often constitutes the flow? Well, a thorough examination has turned up nothing amiss.

Shawn Grant

Besides his 16 points and six rebounds per game WCAL averages, Grant sports a 3.1 grade point average, is mixing his prep coursework with college classes and plans to tackle the SAT next month. Yet what he offers when asked about these achievements is "I have a really good school counselor."

He began participating in sports, as he describes it, "since I was little." His time was filled playing football, baseball and basketball but the hard court won out over the others because "I was always the most excited about playing basketball, I was the happiest when that season rolled around," he said. Another element that factored into his eventual choice of sports was because "there’s always action in basketball, it’s not like baseball or even football."

Not that the gridiron staff at St. Francis haven’t tried to convince him to put on pads. "The football coaches at my school say I would make a great wide receiver," Grant said.

His choice is beginning to pay off.

Grant’s willingness to perform whatever role is asked of him has also paid dividends. He has been noticed, having been contacted by a number of Division I college coaches, receiving calls and correspondence from the likes of Davidson, Loyola Chicago, Stanford, Oregon, Portland, Utah State, George Mason, UC Davis and both Montana schools.

"The idea of a college basketball scholarship first really hit me when I got a call from Davidson in the summer after my sophomore season," Grant explained, adding "my very first letter came from Stanford." But he thoroughly understands the fluidity of recruiting and how both parties in the equation can have a change of mind from one day to the next. "Letters are nice but calls mean something."

Aiding his rise as a recruiting target is the exposure he has received as a member of the West Valley Basketball Club (WVBC) during the spring and summer. Grant is positioned as the 2 guard with WVBC which dovetails with his self-described strengths. "My best skills are my mid-range jumper, which sets me apart from most, and people tell me I rebound well for my position," he said. "I’ve worked hard on it and think my most improved talent is my three-point shooting range." With the club team season just beginning, Grant is averaging 20 pointa a game and nabbing seven boards a contest.

He acknowledges the area he now works on the most "is my defensive intensity, putting in a good effort on every possession."

West Valley Coach Al Grigsby’s assessment: "Shawn is a very tough player who has become even tougher as a result of having to play night after night in a physical league. He has always been athletic and able to score."

There were six Div. I type talents on the West Valley squad last season and Grant drew comments from a number of college coaches about his being one of the best on the team.

Filios, Grant’s retiring-from-coaching mentor at St. Francis, absolutely concurs. "Shawn is a dedicated athlete who has worked really hard to maximize his abilities, plus his willingness to do what it takes to win dovetails into what college recruiters are looking for," Filios said. "He is great in the mid range, he doesn’t usually take threes but he can make them, he has a nose for the ball, is a good rebounder and takes pride in defending guys bigger than himself. [The WCAL] is a pretty intense league. We scout teams and watch film and the coaches try to limit the big scorers. Shawn makes adjustments during games and displays a great deal of maturity in not worrying about his scoring numbers."

As for his future on and off the court, Grant said "I’m looking for a program that has my preferred style of play which is getting up and down the court quickly" and he currently has no preference regarding a college in or out of state. "It doesn’t matter, the personal fit is the most important factor."

Grant is looking to major in psychology and down the road sees himself using such a degree to help others but he would like to continue playing basketball at any level for as long as he can.

What stands out the most for Grant from the just concluded high school season was his winning tip-in to beat Oak Grove 65-64 on December 29. He got that final basket against 6-foot-7 opponent Tyree McCrary, a personal friend off the court but obviously a foe during game-time and a college prospect himself.

But here’s the reason why this memory stays with him: "It had been about 10 years since St. Francis won its holiday tournament so getting that championship for the school and having everyone pour out on to the floor after the game ended was great."

Pure Shawn Grant.