Dylan Blair is the DLN Boys Basketball Player of the Year
The athletes we remember — the ones who are indispensable to their team’s success; the ones who compete at the highest level for the entire contest — are truly the special ones.
This season Downingtown West’s Dylan Blair played almost every minute of every basketball game. Blair was the leader of the Whippets on and off the floor.
He leaves Downingtown West as the all-time scoring leader in school history with 1,563 points.
During his senior season, Blair averaged 19 points per game, dished out five assists per game and totaled 540 points. The senior point guard led the Whippets to 22 wins, the Ches-Mont League championship and to the second round of the PIAA 6A tournament.
These lofty accomplishments are the reason why Dylan Blair is the Daily Local News’ Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year.
“I like the responsibility of having the ball in my hands and doing whatever it takes to win,” Blair said. “We were a family and I wanted to get my teammates involved in the game anyway I could. I took it as a personal challenge to be in the game as much as I was.”
Blair — who will play his collegiate basketball at West Point — was a four year starter for coach Stuart Ross and was named first team All Ches-Mont league four straight seasons.
Ross depended on Blair to be an extension of his wishes on the court as the Whippets point guard and Ross talked about his star guard.
“A point guard-coach relationship is very special and is similar to a quarterback and head coach in football,” Ross said. “He has to be an extension of the coach on the floor and having that relationship, or rapport, with him was special to build over four years.
“Some say Dylan is a generational talent but that is not for me to decide, but I will say he left a lasting legacy of hard work, the will to win, leadership and he set the bar for point guards to aspire to.
“He is leaving Downingtown as the greatest boys’ basketball player in school history, and is in the conversation with Tina Nicholson and Tora Super for scoring prowess. He did all this by only playing 12 games in his sophomore season due to COVID. He was a special player.”
Blair led the Whippets to their first PIAA win in school history. In his senior season area coaches had to game plan to stop him every time he took the court.
After a mid-season win over West Chester East, Vikings coach Tom Durant had this to say about the Whippets point guard: “I mean Dylan is something else,” he said. “We threw every defense we had at him and he still did what he does. He is a special talent.”
Blair leaves Downingtown West as the best player in school history and after his four years as one of the best Ches-Mont League players of all time. Dylan Blair and Downingtown West will forever be linked in basketball fans’ memories.
He was a consummate team player, leader and prolific scorer. He was a transcendent talent that will be remembered for a very long time.
