Making a Name for Himself

"And this was coming from people who knew the game. Like Leo Rautins. If Leo is talking about a kid in the third grade, you know that's a special kid. I guess they were right."

Those early huzzahs were heard nearly a half a lifetime ago for Triche, who was 8 years old then, is 15 years old now and just might be the best high-school basketball player from here to . . . well, a long, long way from here.

And if you doubt that, fine. It is your right. But before you dismiss the semi-child-prodigy idea completely, consider the words of Dolph Schayes, our legend-in-residence whose eyes are good and whose basketball perspective has been molded through much of his 78 years.

Indeed, Dolph was among the HoopHall Classic gathering a week ago this evening in Manley Field House where Triche pretty much stole the show from those five imported Syracuse University recruits - Donte Greene, Jonny Flynn, Rick Jackson, Scoop Jardine and Sean Williams, each of whom is older and more experienced than the youthful Red Ram with the throwback game.

And Dolph, who has seen an athlete or two in his time, was wowed.

"That kid threw passes I haven't seen in a while," said Schayes, a Hall-of-Famer who was named among the 50 greatest players in the history of the

NBA. "He threw bounce passes with a little curl that allowed the ball to get around the defender. He sees the whole court because his head is always up. And when he shoots, his form is flawless. I mean, that guy just looks like a basketball player. And to think he's only a sophomore."

Uh huh. That's all Brandon Triche is. A sophomore. A 6-foot-3, 200-pound sophomore. And yet he's averaging more than 20 points per game, almost 10 assists per game and some seven rebounds per game. And, remember, a week ago this evening, he went for 31 points (along with eight assists and six rebounds) while being guarded for a while by Flynn, the senior from Niagara Falls who is considered among the Top 25 high-school players in all of America.

Which means we have an old-fashioned phenom right here in our midst. A phenom, by the way, who sounds not at all as if his horn is stuck.

"I'm a quiet kid," offered Brandon, who is the youngest of three boys born to Debra and Melvin Triche . . . and, yes, is the nephew of Howard Triche, the former Orangeman. "I really don't say too much. I'm kind of laid-back, so I try to let my game speak instead of me. I don't have a big head. I'm not cocky. Nobody really likes cocky guys. It's a bad image."

Oh, this fella is a beaut, all right. He'd rather pass than shoot, he flogs himself for not rebounding better, and he zeroes in on what he did wrong rather than on what he did right during post-game assessments of his performances. And that approach, mixed with his talent and moxie and willingness to roll up his sleeves, has resulted in a couple of things:

1. The Red Rams are 28-3 in his two years as a starter, and

2. He's already being romanced by the likes of SU, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Virginia, Maryland, St. John's, Clemson, Georgia, Virginia Tech, St. Joseph's, Miami . . . and Utica College, which was bold enough to send Brandon's first-ever recruiting letter back when he was in the eighth grade.

So . . . how?

How has Brandon Triche, who led Section III in scoring last year as a freshman, gotten so good so young? How have his skills been developed to such a profound degree that he's already traveled to, and played in, Nevada and Virginia and Texas and Florida and other far-flung states? How did he turn the ballyhooed Greene, Jackson, Jardine and Williams (who combined to score only four more points than Triche last Sunday) and, to a lesser degree, Flynn (who did score 33) into members of the chorus there at Manley Field House?

Well, his dad has forever nudged him into competition against bigger and older guys . . . his brothers, Melvin (22) and Michael (19), have been only too happy to accept their big-brother responsibilities by knocking him around on whim . . . and his uncle, Howard, has always provided the sage, technical advice. And, don't forget, the basketball gods were very kind to the kid, who has repaid their thoughtfulness with a stevedore's work ethic.

"Brandon is just really good," explained Howard Triche in the simplest of terms. "He gets up and down the floor, he's dunking with both hands, he really understands the game. I fool around with him, and he can really shoot it. We haven't had the chance to play one-on-one lately, and I probably won't because my back won't let me. But I think I've missed my opportunity to beat him."

It may comfort Uncle Howard to know that he stands in a very long line . . . and that it's only going to get longer if his nephew's words bear fruit.

"I have to get better," said Brandon. "I have to get faster and quicker. I have to work on my hops. There's a lot I have to do."

He's 15. He's a high-school sophomore. He's Doogie Howser with a jumper. Crane your necks, folks, and take a peek.