Meadowbrook High recently announced the newest addition to their coaching staff with Sam Bryant taking the helm of the boys’ basketball program.
“I’ve been in the hallways. I’ve been over there,” Bryant said. “The best thing about those hallways is that they are filled with tall and athletic basketball players.”
Bryant, a Benedictine Preparatory graduate, played under Warren Rutledge. After a season at Camden Military prep school in South Carolina, he went on to play collegiately at Newberry College. As a coach, he has spent the last 15 seasons at Armstrong High School as an assistant under coach Daryl Watts.
“I like to play at a fast pace, bringing experience as a player and a coach, and the coaches that I’ve played under,” Bryant said. “We need to be a disciplined team, and coming from a military school background should make that easier.”
The Monarchs will operate in what may be a faster-paced offense, relying on full-court defense and constant pressure to create easy shots for the offense. When the half-court set is needed, Bryant plans on having his team prepared.
“We want a team that will play hard from when the first horn blows until the end of the game,” he said.
Bryant hinted at hard practices, as those types of challenges prepare student-athletes for the college game and other potentially challenging obstacles in life.
A mix of three seniors and several rising juniors and sophomores will fill out the roster for Meadowbrook this season, and Bryant has a talented and spirited trio to lead the way. He will rely on Isaiah Richardson, a gritty point guard who will serve as a second coach on the court.
Alphonso Mason is a big-bodied “bully” type of player who will bring strength to the post, while 6-5 swingman Robert Smith, a lefty, could be an exciting scorer for the Monarchs. Bryant said Smith is due to have a breakout season.
Meadowbrook enjoyed a successful stint under previous coach Jake Oliver, who left to coach at Mills Godwin High School. Oliver help many student-athletes and sent several to the college ranks, most notably Marvin King-Davis, who enjoyed a standout career at Delaware University and played in the NCAA tournament.
Bryant hopes that during his tenure, he’ll bring even more roar to the Monarchs.
