Mount View’s Brown answers challenge
By JONATHAN GREENE
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
WELCH — At the start of the season, Mount View head coach Gary Brown challenged Maurice Brown.
The junior center took note.
Last week, Brown scored 34 points in Mount View’s two games and led the team in rebounding in both which earned him Pocahonatas Coal Association/ Bluefield Daily Telegraph Player of the Week honors.
“He led us in rebounding and scoring both nights,” coach Brown said. “That’s what we’re asking him to do. He needs to get better as a defender though. But if he keeps improving, he can be a real nice prospect for any institution after high school.”
Brown scored 13 points in a loss to Mingo Central before helping the Knights snap a three game losing streak with 21 points in a win over River View.
“I was just doing what coach asked me,” Brown said. “I’m just working hard and getting better. The whole team is just trying to get better.”
While the Knights have more loses than wins on the season, Brown has been a consistent player on the inside.
“Right now, our team is not where we feel like we should be,” coach Brown said. “Even though [Brown’s] game has been pretty steady as far as scoring and rebound, but he has a lot of room for improvement. He means a lot since we need him to do those types. For us to get to another level, he needs to get even better.”
Maurice added, “It’s going better. I like the challenges put in front of us. I just want to do the best I can. Hopefully, the team can do better.”
Currently, Mount View is 3-5 after their 43-40 overtime win against River View. Two of their three wins have come against the Raiders with the other a 68-27 victory against Van.
“Every season is journey and has ups’ and down’s,” coach Brown said. “We’ve had those. I’m taking everything day-by-day and game-by-game.
“We’re trying to improve and get better each day and give a good showing come tournament time. Next year everyone will be back and we should be a team to reckon with.”
For that to happen though, coach Brown challenged his players including Maurice.
“It was hard at first,” Maurice said. “But it pays off. I’ve become a better player. It’s helped me do a lot of stuff better and have a better season.”
Coach Brown added, “To be honest, Maurice has probably not been used to the way we go about challenging young men to get the best out of them. Sometimes we’ve had our up’s and down’s, but he’s been here for us.
“We talk a lot about certain things he needs to be a strong young man. As he matures this year and next year, he will take more of a leadership role. If he can do that, it will make him a better player and us a better team.”
As the 6-foot-4 center grows into his role as a leader, he still knows basketball is a team game.
“I’m happy that he feels that way,” Maurice said of being a leader. “We need to be team though. Everybody needs to do well. One person can’t win a game. Everyone has to step up and keep improving.”
Basketball isn’t the only sport for Maurice either. He’s also a running back and wide receiver for the football team and an outfielder and third baseman for the baseball team.
“Football is my favorite sport,” Maurice said. “I don’t know why. I just like the action. It’s more enjoyable I guess.”
When he’s not playing one of those sports, Maurice is working hard in the classroom. Coach Brown said he’s a “great student. That’s another plus. We don’t have to worry about him not being eligible, because he’s at the top of his class.”
“Because I’m a student first,” Maurice said of why he works hard in the classroom. “I always get my work done and keep my grades up as well as I can.”
Those good grades keep Maurice on the hardwood which means the Golden Knights are always a dangerous team.
“We can be as good as we want,” he said. “We just have to work hard and keep at it. We need to be more of a family than we were last year.”
— Contact Jonathan Greene
at jgreene@bdtonline.com
HONORABLE MENTION
for Dec. 26-31
Bland County (1-0 during the week): Darryl Clark, 26 points vs. Rural Retreat; Asher Dillow, 24 points.
Graham (0-3): Spencer Sheets, 32 points; Corey Coppola, 14 points vs. Grayson County; Lamont Edwards, 19 points vs. Auburn; Gray Baker, 14 points vs. Radford.
Mercer Christian (1-2): James Beckner, 46 points.
Mount View (1-1): Ishmyle Sawyers, 23 points; Teddy Hazzard, 12 points vs. Mingo Central.
Pipestem Christian (2-0): Austin Peyton, 46 points including 28 vs. Mercer Christian; Aleks Lane, 26 points.
Princeton (1-0): Hunter Walters, 13 points vs. Lincoln Co.; Kyle Caron, 11 points; Darnell Palmer, 11 points.
River View (0-2): Leshon Benton, 12 points vs. Mt. View; Zach DeHaven, 11 points vs. Mt. View.
Summers County (1-0): Scott Hannah, 16 points, 11 rebounds vs. Independence; Isaiah Brown, 17 points; T.J. Smith, 16 points; Josh Graham, 13 points.
Tazewell (1-0): Blake Hash, 19 points, 6 steals vs. Patrick Henry; Jalen Jordan, 16 points, 5 steals; Christian Lewis, 10 points; Noah Walker, 9 points, 8 rebounds, 6 blocks; Ryan Hankins, 7 points, 8 rebounds.
Wyoming East (2-0): Marcus Schofield, 38 points; Taylor Smith, 25 points.