After bad breaks, Bryan Antoine is feeling good about basketball again
The last time most people saw Bryan Antoine play basketball, it was in front of a crowd of 70,000 people and a national television audience in the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four.
Ten months later, after he transferred from Villanova to Radford for his senior season, the former Ranney School star performs in a markedly different setting. On Wednesday he tallied 16 points, six rebounds and three steals to lead the Highlanders past host Winthrop before 1,014 spectators in Rock Hill, S.C.
“At Villanova we were always ranked, sold-out, played in NBA arenas,” Antoine said by phone Thursday. “This is different, but I’ve grown up and I realize it’s not about where you play or who’s there. I just wanted to get back to having fun playing basketball. It doesn’t matter if it’s sold out or there’s 10 people there. My focus is trying to get back to the Bryan I was.”
The first step was getting on the court. After three injury-plagued seasons at Villanova, Antoine finally is feeling healthy. The 6-foot-5 guard averages 9.8 points and 3.1 boards in 27 minutes per game. He’s shooting 36.5 percent from 3-point range and 89.3 percent from the free-throw line. Perhaps most significantly, he’s played in all 18 of Radford’s games; the Highlanders are 9-9 overall and 3-2 in the Big South Conference.
“I feel like day by day, I get a little piece of the old me, I have another moment when the old Bryan comes out,” he said. “So now I build on that.”
Bad breaks, fresh start
The old Bryan was a sensation at Ranney, where he teamed with fellow guard Scottie Lewis to lead the Panthers to the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions title and became the Shore Conference's all-time leading scorer. Rated five stars by the national recruiting services, both played in the McDonald’s All-American game before parting ways with great expectations. Lewis logged two seasons at Florida before turning pro; he was in the G League before suffering a broken leg during an NBA Summer League practice in July.
At Villanova, Antoine was sidelined by a knee injury and multiple shoulder injuries. Each bad break brought a dose of perspective.
“I was raised by great parents, so I feel like I already had a great view on life, but I would say injuries and all that stuff shaped me into thinking about the game,” he said. “In high school I had all the accolades, played in all the prestigious all-star games, had highly ranked colleges (calling), got used to having the spotlight on me. But coming to college and not being able to do what was expected of me because of injuries, I’ve come to understand balance. At a certain point I was all the way up, then I was all the way down. I understand now how to handle both the ups and downs.”
Seeking a fresh start last spring, he transferred to Radford because he already had a good relationship with head coach Darris Nichols. A public university with an enrollment of 8,000 students, Radford is located in southwestern Virginia, not far from Virginia Tech’s campus in Blacksburg.
Though he arrived with big-stage experience, Antoine doesn’t walk around waving his resume.
“Nobody here feels like they’re above anyone else,” he said. “If someone isn’t sprinting back on D, then someone else will say something. I wouldn’t say anyone leans on me (for guidance), but they know I’ve played in the Final Four, and they’ve seen how I approach every game as very important.”
‘Not everyone’s journey is the same’
Antoine keeps tabs on Villanova, which is struggling with an 8-9 record under new coach Kyle Neptune, and stays in touch with his friends on the team there. No regrets. After so much time on the sidelines and in the trainer’s room, he’s living in the moment.
“It does feel good to play,” he said. “It feels great to have somewhat of an impact for the team I’m playing for.”
Radford was picked to finish tied for sixth in the Big South’s preseason poll but right now has the second-highest ranking according to the analytics website Kenpom.com, behind only preseason favorite Longwood. If Antoine helps the Highlanders reach the NCAA Tournament, it would be one heck of a story.
“To be at the forefront of that, to help push the team to that point, it would mean the world,” he said.
No matter what happens, Antoine has learned a valuable lesson he’d like to impart on high school athletes of all stripes.
“Not everyone’s journey is the same,” he said. “Just because your journey doesn’t have the flashing lights and all that stuff doesn’t mean you should give up on it. Everybody has highs and lows. It’s about how you react to those lows. If you truly love what you’re doing, keep pushing.”
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. He is an Associated Press Top 25 voter. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: At Radford, Bryan Antoine is feeling good about basketball again
