No hibernation for Huskies

Prep Charter boys’ basketball coach Dan Brinkley doesn’t care much for roller coasters.

And he announced that to his Amateur Athletic Union team, the Hunting Park Warriors, as the group prepared for its national tournament in Las Vegas – home to some of the loopiest coasters in the country.

"No rides," Brinkley said, with his players sitting around him in the Prep Charter auditorium. "I do speed. I don’t do heights."

When a visitor mentioned the Manhattan Express at New York-New York Hotel & Casino, a coaster that takes riders 203 feet above the Las Vegas Strip, the players were intrigued.

Cullen Askew, who will be a senior in the fall, said he and his teammates will work on changing Brinkley’s mind.

"We are going to try and get him on one," Askew said. "If we keep asking him enough, he’ll do it."

Either way, the team is hoping for a fun ride.

The squad, which is mostly composed of members of the Prep Charter Huskies, left town yesterday and will return Wednesday. The hope is that the tournament will build momentum and chemistry for the 2006 Public League championship chase.

Paris Griffin, who will be a senior next season, noted some benefits of playing in the AAU tournament.

"It gives us experience as a team," Griffin said. "We give teams everything we have, and don’t back down to no one. It builds team continuity and better relationships between individuals."

For newcomer Doug Davis, who transferred from Abington Friends, it’s a chance to grow closer with his new teammates. The point guard knows the majority of the Huskies from playing summer ball with the Warriors.

"I feel like I am in a good spot," said Davis, who enjoys beating his teammates in PlayStation’s John Madden Football. "I feel like we can do a lot this year. We already have the talent, we just have to work hard and stay focused."

THE HUSKIES HAVE spent endless hours in the gym this summer to show their dedication. Brinkley holds an open gym Monday through Thursday, and most of the workouts last three hours. The coach stresses conditioning, basketball and drills.

"We are trying to get the guys accustomed to one another," the coach said.

That includes helping newcomers Davis and Josh Martin, a Cardinal Dougherty transfer, grow acclimated to their new roles. Martin, who knows most of his new teammates from the AAU circuit, said Prep Charter gave him a warm welcome.

"We are a big family and do everything together as a team," he said. "We always play around, but when we are on the court and in the classroom, we are all business."

The results were evident in Prep Charter’s performance in the Greater Philadelphia Summer League. The Huskies entered the playoffs 11-1, with their lone defeat coming via forfeit. Monday night’s win over Roman Catholic also was a forfeit.

Last month, the squad attended the Rutgers University team camp and finished with a 6-2 record, which included a win over defending Catholic League champ Neumann-Goretti. The summer victories are often the foundation to regular-season success.

Prep Charter wants to achieve even more after losing to Central by a mere six points in the Public League championship game.

"We just have to work hard," said Kevin Radford, who will be a junior next season. "My main strength is shooting, so I have to try and get as many good shots as I can."

A great effort on the court could lead to Division I college scholarships for many of the Huskies. Martin, Askew, Griffin, senior-to-be Rodney Green and twins Marcus and Markieff Morris, who will be juniors, traveled to Syracuse earlier this month to showcase their individual skills for college coaches.

The schools recruiting Huskies players include the University of Texas-El Paso, Virginia, Arizona, Syracuse, Villanova, La Salle, Saint Joseph’s, the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, the University of Maryland-Baltimore County and Rider.

Las Vegas will provide the players another golden opportunity to display their talents before 200-plus college coaches. Griffin, who is drawing a lot of interest from UMBC and Rider, said the chance at a scholarship is a motivating factor.

"I really want a full ride to a Division I school," he said. "I want to play basketball and get a good education."

Next month, Brinkley will take several of his players on a road trip to Virginia and Maryland to check out college campuses. That might work out better than Vegas because while Brinkley doesn’t do coasters, he and his athletes have similar taste in music.

"We listen to a lot of rap, but every once in a while we’ve got to switch it up with a little Marvin Gaye," he said.

First, he has to survive Vegas – and at least one coaster if his players have anything to do with it.

"He is going to go on the ride," Griffin said. "It wouldn’t be fun without him. He is our leader, and keeps us all together."