BE student-athlete siblings soaring and scoring for their teams
A sister and brother act at Bishop England High School is scoring some attention on the athletic stage. Student-athletes Katie and Daniel Brooks already own state championship rings and are hoping to increase their haul in the near future.
Katie plays basketball for coach Paul Runey’s team, and she plays it quite well. She was selected as one of the top five seniors in the state coaches association’s preseason survey and continues to enhance her status as one of the Palmetto State’s top players. She owns a state championship ring in both soccer and basketball, and hopes to get another one in March when the state hoops championships are contested.
Then there’s younger brother Daniel. He’s a 6-6 sophomore who plays hoops for coach Bryan Grevey’s squad. But his future will be in baseball. He’s highly regarded in the elite baseball travel ball circuit, and picked up his first state championship ring last spring as a member of the Bishops’ baseball team. His playing time as a freshman was limited last spring, but he should be a main cog for the Bishops, who, this season, go for a three-peat.
If there was a disappointment for the Brooks, it came last February when the girls’ basketball team was denied its fifth straight state title. It hurt last winter, but serves as motivation for Katie this season.
“Winning a state championship my senior year has been my main goal,” she said. “The players, the fans and the coaches expect to win. We want to win the state this year. We want to rebuild the respect.”
Katie said being tabbed as one of the top five players in the preseason poll was an honor and surprise.
“You are always surprised when you are honored for something like that,” Katie said. “Obviously, there are a lot of young people who are talented. It’s nice to be up there with the best of the best.”
Katie has had a big role in the Bishops’ 2018-19 season. They entered Tuesday night’s game against Georgetown with a 16-1 record and the top ranking in the state. She leads the team with 10.7 points per game and is on – or near -- the top in almost all categories. She’s averaging 5.4 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 2.1 assists per game.
Daniel, meanwhile, has been a contributor for the boys’ hoops team, which sported a 10-7 record heading into this week’s action.
After basketball season, it will be time for Daniel to move to the baseball diamond where he really excels.
Daniel begins the 2019 season as the Palmetto State’s top firstbaseman for the class of 2021 by Perfect Game, a service that tracks top players. Diamond Prospects, meanwhile, ranks him as the No 4 overall infielder for the class of 2021.
“I’ve had a good experience in both basketball and baseball,” Daniel said. “Basketball has been a learning experience, and baseball, too. I got to learn from players who earned scholarships to play at the next level. I want to play at the next level. I want to play Division I baseball and beyond.”
“I like to learn because baseball is a difficult game,” he added. “I’m always looking for ways to improve.”