Early in the second half of the Baltimore Catholic League championship Wednesday, the ball was doing its best to avoid going through the hoop on a Towson Catholic offensive possession. Enter Donte Greene. The 6-foot-10 forward snagged the ball among a pack of players, who parted ? half out of respect, half out of fear ? as the Syracuse recruit took out his aggression on the Reitz Arena rim.
“He rose above everybody and flushed it down,” Owls coach Josh Pratt said. “That?s the type of talent he has.”
It was just another in a series of highlight reel clips accumulated by the high-flying talent for the No. 1 Owls (31-4). For his performance, Greene was named the tournament?s most valuable player. And in his senior season, the Owls finish up the BCL and Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association seasons undefeated with a pair of championships.
“I?m just going to enjoy this moment,” Greene said after the Owls? win at Loyola College. “We?re going to go up to Alhambra and try to get DeMatha back.”
Greene scored 14 points Wednesday ? many on huge dunks. Teammate Malcolm Delaney credits Greene?s knack for being in the right place at the right time.
“It pumps us up,” said Delaney, a Virginia Tech-bound guard. “If we?re on a momentum swing, and he gets a dunk, that can change the game.”
Pratt said that critics might look negatively on Greene?s penchant to play outside the paint despite his size. But Pratt points to his versatility as a key in the Owls? success this season.
His combination of size and physical talent makes Greene a freakish talent. Recruiting Web site Scout.com has Greene tabbed as the No. 7 overall player and No. 2 at his designated position ? power forward.
But Greene might be destined to play small forward, as he models his game after Houston Rockets versatile big man Tracy McGrady.
His true coming-out party might take place March 28, when he plays in the prestigious McDonald?s All-American game in Louisville, Ky. The game will air live at 8 p.m. on ESPN. Just as exciting as the game, perhaps, is the dunk contest. Greene promises he hasn?t shown off his entire repertoire.
“I have a couple dunks,” he said, though he remains up in the air about taking part in the Powerade Jam Fest on March 26 at 7 p.m.
As for the game, Greene is looking forward to helping top-ranked recruit O.J. Mayo, a USC-bound guard from West Virginia, lead the East team to the title.
“They?re sleeping on us,” Greene said. “Everybody thinks our team is weak. O.J. and I are going to go out there and carry it.”
First, though, is the Alhambra tournament. Legendary DeMatha coach Morgan Wooten once described the eight-team Catholic school showcase as “the most prestigious Catholic High School tournament in the country,” as stated on the tourney?s Web site ? www.alhambratournament.org.
“Winning these two tournaments,” Greene said of the BCL and titles, “should put us back in the national rankings by the end of the season.”
