Fast break: Bishop boys open 2023-2024 basketball season 4-1

Bishop England High School boys’ basketball coach Bryan Grevey is closing in on a milestone. But if you know the venerable veteran of the hardwood, you know his story is about the players and not himself.

 

Grevey is closing in on 200 career victories, and if the team’s fast start is any indication, Grevey could reach that milestone by the time the curtain closes on the 2023-24 season. Grevey began the season with a 180-136 record at BE, and the number is now at 184 as the Bishops began the campaign with a 4-1 record.

 

Grevey comes from a basketball family. His father, Norman, was a coaching legend in Hamilton, Ohio, and his four sons played Division I basketball, including Bryan, who played for the South Carolina Gamecocks. Kevin Grevey is considered one of the greatest players in the University of Kentucky history while Scott Grevey and Norman Grevey also played at the next level.

 

Coach Grevey has been at Bishop England since the 2011-12 season, and his best season was the 2019-20 campaign when the Bishops opened the season with 20 consecutive victories and finished with a 26-3 record and the Region 7-AA championship. He is second in career victories at BE. Tommy Lavelle, who coached from 1977-97, is the all-time leader with 287 victories.

 

Grevey’s 2023-24 squad is off to an impressive start.

 

“I feel this is a very good group of talented players,” Grevey said. “We have picked up some good wins. We beat Pinewood Prep, and they always have a strong team. We beat Wando. Any time you win at Wando, it’s an accomplishment.

 

“The win over Pinewood showed character,” Grevey continued. “We were down by 11 points at half. When you get behind by 11 points against Pinewood, you usually are not coming back. But we locked down in the second half and got the job done.”

 

The Bishops, who were scheduled to play Hanahan, North Charleston and Lucy Beckham this week, play a challenging schedule to prepare for Region 7-AA play.

 

Jack van de Erve, one of the better players in Class AA last winter, is off to an impressive start, leading the team in three per game major categories:  14.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.2 steals.

 

Aidan Alexander and Andrew Puckhaber will contribute this winter. Alexander is second on the team with 11.2 points per game while averaging 5.4 rebounds per outing. Puckhaber collects 9.4 points and 6.6 rebounds a game.

 

Grevey said two of the team’s biggest concerns are rebounding and playing better defense. But what coach doesn’t say that?

 

The Bishops’ biggest strength is its depth. Grevey said he can use nine players as starters, and his team wouldn’t miss a beat.

 

“I’m comfortable with any of the nine players,” Grevey said. “Sometimes when you get past the five starters, you give up something when a player comes off the bench.

 

Other players who will log time include Ellis Rollins, Lang Tarrant, Ty Fasano-Barton, Andrew Pride, Ronnie Fazio and Will Mazur.