DLN ALL-AREA: Already a Coatesville legend, Brickus still has one more year to make history
CALN >> Anyone who watched even a little basketball in Chester County this season had to marvel at the way Coatesville junior Jhamir Brickus plied his craft.
Brickus was a whirlwind on the basketball floor, dashing to the basket with a series of crafty moves, draining a long 3-pointer or leading the Red Raiders’ fast break.
Brickus was the driving force behind Coatesville’s march to the Ches-Mont League championship, a second place finish in the District 1 Class6A playoffs and a semifinal appearance in the state tournament. Brickus averaged a remarkable 27 points per game in the regular season and went up to a 35.5 points per game average in four PIAA playoff games, including an all-time Coatesville record of 52 points in the quarterfinal round win over Chester.
It is for these lofty results that Jhamir Brickus is The Daily Local News All-Area Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
“He always wants the ball in his hands,” said Coatesville coach Fred Thompson. “He lives for the big moment and no moment is too big for him. He likes to take the big shot and he was fantastic for us this season. In close games he seemed to always rise to the occasion.”
Brickus’ game is a series of penetrating drives to the basket, almost unheard of territory for a 5-foot-10 player who was fearless against taller players in the paint.
He was also a dangerous 3-point shooter, as he drained 48 threes on the season. The Coatesville junior talked about his love for the game and the NBA star he likes to emulate on the floor.
“I really like to be like Kyrie Irving,” Brickus said. “He is my favorite player and I like the fact he has the ball in his hands a lot. I really like to take the big shot and lead my team to a win. And I like to score a lot and basketball has always been very important to me. We had a great season and I really enjoyed this past season. I like to finish at the rim and then run down the court and see those points going up on the scoreboard.”
Brickus put a lot of points on the scoreboard, as he eclipsed Coatesville legend and former NBA star Richard “Rip” Hamilton’s all-time Coatesville record for points scored in a career. And he did all that before his senior season.
Now, Brickus will take aim at the 2,000-point mark in his upcoming senior season.
West Chester Rustin coach Keith Cochran, whose team lost twice to Coatesville this season, saw enough of the Red Raiders’ star to be very impressed.
“Thing about Jhamir is he is always in control on the floor,” Cochran said. “He is a big time shot maker and he can finish at the cup and he is just fearless. He really can shoot the basketball now and you have to watch him the whole game. Every time Coatesville needed a big shot or basket he seemed to get it for them. He is a great competitor and I am looking forward to seeing him progress even further.”
Brickus teamed with his brother, Dapree Bryant, to form what was arguably the best backcourt in the the state. The pair really meshed well together, as Bryant poured in 21 points per game. Opposing teams seemed almost powerless to stop the duo and Brickus was especially tough on opposing defenses and coaches.
Downingtown East lost to Coatesville three times this season, and Cougar boss John Goodman was very impressed with Brickus’ play.
“Jhamir is just so tough to defend,” Goodman said. “He can do so many things on the court he is very hard to control. He can drive to the basket, dish off to a shooter or make a 3-pointer himself. And when he gets in the open floor he is also very dangerous. He is a very special player.”
Brickus has already garnered three Division I college offers from the University of Richmond, La Salle and Drexel, and there will be many more clamoring for Brickus’ services as he enters his senior season next year.
Jhamir Brickus is already a Coatesville legend … and he still has another year to go.
