By Knox Hargis
MTN Sports Reporter
Father Ryan senior Luke Gdowski committed to play basketball at Christian Brothers University last weekend.
Christian Brothers is located in Memphis and competes in the Gulf Conference at the Division II level in the NCAA.
“I love the coaching staff, the campus, the education, and the opportunities that come with being in a big city,” said Gdowski. “I started talking to them at the end of the regular season and they sent a coach out to our last four games, so I could tell they were very invested in me.”
Christian Brothers will be getting a great teammate and land a smart player according to Father Ryan head coach Doug Bontrager.
“There were a couple of games we almost lost this season and Gdowski just took over the game to lead us to victory,” said Bontrager. “He can see the floor so well and identify mismatches very quickly, making everyone’s job easier.”
Gdowski’s basketball career has not always been on a linear path, however, as a head injury kept him sidelined throughout his junior season.
“I had concussion symptoms for months,” said Gdowski. “I learned so much from the coaching staff which I believe helped me so much this year on the court.”
Coach Bontrager praised the way Gdowski was able to handle the adversity.
“He was able to sit on the bench with us that whole year really absorbing what us coaches were saying and I think the injury is really what gave him a hunger to be great this year,” said Bontrager. “It was like we had an extra coach out there with us.”
Gdowski’s teammates also greatly admire his leadership by example and are very proud of him, especially junior guard Luke Conger.
“He would call me early in the mornings and say, ‘Hey we are going in to shoot and you are going,’” said Conger. “He made me work when I did not want to and that’s why he made me and everyone else better. I think that’s the definition of a true leader.”
Gdowski was a very unique player at the high school level and is determined to carry over his leadership and abilities to the college level this fall.