Transition to coaching going well for Batavia grad Bryant

While it has only been 8 years since he was a local high school basketball standout, David Bryant enjoyed a reunion of sorts when he returned to Batavia High School last month.

Bryant, a 3-time All-Area and All-Western Sun Conference selection at Batavia (2005-2009), found himself watching from the opponent's bench during the annual Jim and Sylvia Roberts Night of Hoops held Jan. 28 in Batavia.

These days, Bryant serves as the sophomore basketball coach at West Aurora, which faced Batavia in the finale of the 8-game (4 sophomore level, 4 varsity) hoops extravaganza.

"It was fun," said Bryant, who greeted several well-wishers during varsity warm-ups. "It's always good to be back in the Batavia gym."

Bryant played for longtime basketball coach Jim Roberts at Batavia, where he was the sixth man as a freshman when the Bulldogs advanced to the Class AA sectional finals before suffering a 63-57 loss to West Aurora in 2006.

"It's nice that they dedicated the event to Coach Roberts and Mrs. Roberts," said Bryant, who cherishes his own Night of Hoops memories that include a double-overtime loss to top-ranked Simeon before a standing room only crowd his junior year. "I talk to him (Roberts) on a regular basis.

"It was great to be back home. I just moved to a place by Batavia High School so I drive by there every day. I talked with Coach (varsity assistant Anthony) Williams - I just saw him scouting West Aurora a couple days earlier. It was nice to see Mr. (Rudy) Dubis (public address announcer) and several familiar teachers."

Bryant, who averaged 16.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3 assists per game as a senior, went on to play 4 years at Lewis University, where he appeared in all 117 games, making 57 starts.

"Overall, Lewis was a good choice for me," said Bryant, who averaged 8.1 points per game and made 44 percent of his 3-point attempts (41 of 92) as a freshman playing for Flyers head coach Scott Trost in 2009-2010.

"Playing Division II - it is high-level basketball. I worked my hardest in college. I learned a lot about the game from Coach Trost."

After making 23 starts and averaging 7.4 points per game as a sophomore, Bryant's numbers dipped to 5.7 points per game his junior season as Lewis posted a 17-13 record and qualified for the NCAA Division II Tournament.

Bryant saved his best for last.

As a senior, the 6-foot-4, 185-pound guard started all 28 games for the Flyers, averaging 12.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2 assists per game while shooting 46 percent from beyond the arc (65 3-pointers) and 89 percent at the free-throw line (59 of 66).

"I took it to heart that it was my last year," said Bryant. "I took a leadership role my senior year. It probably was my best year. Our team finished 19-9 but we didn't make the NCAA (Division II) Tournament.

"Two of the best teams I ever played on were my freshman year at Batavia - 'we had great chemistry' - and my senior year in college."

While Bryant made a name for himself at Batavia, his family ties to West Aurora run deep.

His dad, John, was a captain on the Blackhawks' basketball team that took third in the state in 1973.

His uncle, Jay, was a starting point guard on the Blackhawks' 1976 team that lost to Morgan Park on Laird Smith's buzzer-beating jump shot in the state championship game.

Three other uncles also played for legendary coaches John McDougal and Gordon Kerkman at West Aurora.

"I have a great deal of respect for both schools and communities," Bryant said of Batavia and West Aurora.

Bryant, who teaches Language Arts at Washington Middle School in Aurora, began his coaching career at the sophomore level during Kerkman's final season in 2014-2015.

He is currently in his third season as the Blackhawks' sophomore coach on Brian Johnson's staff.

"Obviously, he was a heck of a coach," Bryant said of Kerkman. "The year I had with him, I learned a lot about game preparation and teaching of the game.

"I also enjoy working with Coach Johnson. The varsity went from a senior-led team to a young team last year but they've improved this season."

Is there head coaching in his future?

"I don't know," said Bryant. "I'm taking it year by year. I love coaching and appreciate the opportunities the game has given me."

You can reach Craig Brueske at csb4k@hotmail.com