Point guard Patrick Antonelli leads Bishop England basketball

He’s listed as a point guard on the Bishop England High School boys’ basketball roster. But the way Coach Bryan Grevey talks, Patrick Antonelli is more like a volunteer assistant coach.

“He’s a true extension of a coach on the floor,” Grevey said. “He runs the offense, sets up the defense. He has the keys to the car. Sometimes, I will suggest one thing and he will suggest another, and more often than not, he’s right because he’s out there on the court.”

Antonelli is a 5’11” senior who has basketball smarts and a family legacy in the sport. His mother is Debbie Antonelli, who played at the college level and continued her career as an expert analyst on the sport on some of the biggest sports networks, including ESPN.

Antonelli also is big reason why the Bishops opened the season with an 11-0 record, matching the school’s best start since 1984. The team was scheduled to play Ridgeland last Monday night in the championship of a tournament in Orangeburg.

Antonelli is averaging 16 points a game with a nice touch inside and outside. He’s hitting 66% from the field, including 40% from 3-point land. His 91% mark from the foul line isn’t too shabby either. He’s averaging 4.3 rebounds and 4.2 steals per game. But what jumps out, what makes him stand out, is his distribution rate and deft passing. He’s averaging 7.4 assists per game.

“He could average 20-25 points per game if he wanted to, but he’s so unselfish that he would rather make a great pass than score a basket,” Grevey said.

Antonelli shared his philosophy, “I don’t think about scoring or stats when I’m on the court. I just want to win. That’s the main stat I worry about. I’d rather let the other players score. I’ve never been a score-first guy. I’m a pass-first guy.”

Antonelli is an excellent student. He has a 4.4 GPA on Bishop England’s grading system. He’s a member of the golf team and is a member of Key Club, a group that focuses on community service.

He could play basketball at the next level if that is on his wish list.

“If he wants to, he should have the opportunity to play at the next level,” Grevey said. “The interest in him continues to grow and has increased in the last month and a half. Right now, I’m just glad he’s on my team.”

Grevey might sound a little biased about Antonelli. But he feels blessed to have him in the roster.

“I think he’s the best point guard in the Lowcountry and even the Lower State,” Grevey said. “If there’s a better point guard out there, I haven’t seen him. I’m not alone. Many coaches tell me the same thing.”

Antonelli’s future is up in the air. He’s applied to four major universities, including the University of South Carolina. But he is strongly considering playing hoops at the NCAA Division III level. He plans a career in sports management.

But first, he will chase his ultimate goal, and it’s not a scoring title.

“It’s getting to the state championship,” Antonelli said. “And, it’s winning the state championship.”