Grant senior Braylon Gray has seen just about everything in basketball.
That comes with being the Bulldogs’ starting point guard since his freshman year.
Now in the home stretch of his high school career, Gray wants his lasting impact to be measured not only by wins but also by the example he sets for players who will carry the baton after him.
“It’s been like that for a while, probably since sophomore year, when coach (Wayne Bosworth) wanted me to take that leadership role,” Gray said. “I’m aware of younger guys seeing me, so I always make sure I’m locked in, doing all of the little things that are important.”
Leave it to a point guard to be concerned with the little things, and often those aspects of Gray’s game don’t show up on the stat sheet. Swinging an extra pass to an open teammate or directing traffic to exploit a defensive hole are plays that come second nature to Gray.
“He’s special in terms of being a true point guard and is really good at getting guys involved,” Bosworth said. “He does a great job getting us into transition and is one of the most positive guys on the team. He’s a luxury to have for a coach.”
Gray’s impact on the Bulldogs (9-6, 2-1), who begin the heart of their Northern Lake County Conference schedule on Wednesday with a game at Wauconda, has become more pronounced since all-conference senior guard Landon Enters suffered a season-ending torn ACL on Dec. 3.
“That was hard to see happen because he’s been such a big part of the team,” Gray said. “He helped a ton with scoring, so when he went out, I knew I had to take on more of a scoring load.”
And Gray has done that, averaging 14.4 points along with 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals as Grant finished 2024 with seven wins in nine games. Much of that scoring came on drives.
“Getting past the defender and getting to the basket, that’s something that has always come naturally,” he said. “I feel like I’m pretty well-rounded on offense, but that’s definitely what I’m best at.”
But Gray hasn’t been the only player picking up the slack. He has made sure others get more involved too. Sophomore guard/forward Charles Schlicht has reached the 20-point plateau twice during Enters’ absence, and junior guard Damarrion Smith averaged 18.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists during Jacobs’ Hinkle Holiday Classic, where Grant went 3-1 and won the consolation title.
“He’s always telling us to keep confident, and if something breaks down, he talks to us,” Schlicht said of Gray. “He knows how to keep the team together and keeps us out of our own heads.”
Grant senior forward Brandon Wolkowitz has long admired Gray for what he does on the court. They spent countless hours together playing pickup games outside their homes when their families lived across the street from each other.
Wolkowitz pointed to one moment during open workouts in the fall as an example of Gray’s dedication.
“We were running in transition, and afterward I told him I was open,” Wolkowitz recalled. “He listened and wanted to correct it the next time.
“He inspires me to be my best because he plays the game the right way. I’ve never seen anyone more committed to a sport.”
Gray has also received advice from his father, Bobby, who played safety for the Chicago Bears from 2002 to 2004.
“No matter what the sport is, there are the same ups and downs, and he’s always told me not to get too high or too low,” Gray said. “It’s a blessing to have him to guide me.”
Gray, who has drawn interest from Elmhurst, St. Norbert and Loras, wants to guide Grant to more victories this season.
“I try to keep everyone on the same page and believing that we can win,” he said. “Our goal is to win conference, and if we all stay together as a team, we have as good of a chance as anyone.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
