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My brother, my teammate

Tandems of brothers are having great seasons at Boca Ciega, Lakewood and Oldsmar Christian.

By JOHN C. COTEY, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published January 30, 2002

Boca Ciega coach Randy Shuman doesn't always get what he wants these days, especially when he calls a player's last name.

If he shouts "Lampley," he could get Tommy or Lewis.

If he screams "Brooks," he might get Willie or Marquel.

If he beckons "Hardwick," Javon or Justin might show up.

"It can get a little confusing sometimes," Shuman said. "I've had brothers on my teams before, but never three sets of them."

This season, a handful of talented brothers are playing together on county teams, and Boca Ciega has a lion's share. The Pirates might even have the best set with the Brookses, a nice accomplishment considering Lakewood's super tag team of Marcus and Sean Morrison.

Or maybe not.

That debate could be settled when Boca Ciega and Lakewood meet next week, but this much is certain: A coach can't go wrong with either.

Though Sean Morrison hasn't had much of an impact at Lakewood because he's a freshman and the team is full of veterans, the Brooks brothers are clearly the 1-2 punch that makes the Pirates go.

Monday night against Bradenton Manatee, Class 5A's No. 4-ranked team, the brothers scored 53 points in the Pirates' 79-69 victory. Willie scored 33.

"Usually, it's one or the other," Shuman said. "(Monday) night, it was both of them."

Marquel Brooks is averaging 17 points per game this season and Willie averages 13.6. Marquel is the better rebounder (10.5 per game) but Willie has more 3-pointers. And from the free-throw line, both shoot 75 percent.

For pure statistical comparison, though, no one matches twin brothers Larry and Bobby Bache at Class A Oldsmar Christian. They don't face the same level of competition as the Brookses and Morrisons, but it's hard to ignore Larry's three 40-point games (and 25-point average) and Bobby's 11 assists a game (including games of 18 and 21 last week).

"He knows where I'm going to go and I'm always moving, but no matter what, he doesn't even have to look," Larry said. "Most of his assists are to me."

For sheer excitement, no one matches the Morrisons. Marcus is the most gifted and acrobatic player in the county, a sure Division I recruit, and Sean is the state's most promising freshman according to the Web site break-down.com.

"It's fun watching (Sean) develop," Marcus said. "Before, I was just straight out trying to beat him, but now I try to coach him a little, show him what I've learned. He listens. But you (always have to be careful), because we're brothers, and there is that line."

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