Franklin forward Drew Byerly is second on his team in rebounds, first in assists and is the Grizzly Cubs’ undisputed leader when it comes to ambidexterity.
The sophomore shoots basketballs left-handed but throws footballs right-handed, and that back-and-forth carries through the rest of his day-to-day life.
He swings baseball bats and golf clubs as a southpaw, but he writes and holds a tennis racket with his right hand.
Basketball might be the one time he uses both.
Byerly was 4 when he began demonstrating a knack for using either hand or foot during athletics competition.
“The first sport we started was soccer. I remember Drew could be running and still kick the ball with either foot,” said Byerly’s father, John.
“He played baseball until he was 13 and hit some long home runs.
“I still remember him hitting one left-handed in a game in Lafayette. Drew was 12, and I want to say he cleared the right-field fence, which I think was 275 feet.”
On a Franklin basketball team loaded with proven perimeter shooters — the Grizzly Cubs average 16 attempts per game from behind the 3-point arc — the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Byerly uses his sturdy frame to keep opposing defenses honest in the paint.
Oddly, Byerly usually will shoot the ball right-handed when underneath the basket but is more inclined to release a shot as a lefty the further from the goal he is.
“When I was young I shot a basketball with two hands. I guess I was more active with my left hand, so around third or fourth grade I just started shooting with that hand,” said Byerly, who threw for 1,393 yards and rushed for 547 more as Franklin’s starting quarterback in the fall.
“I love both sports equally. It’s whatever is in season, I guess.”
Currently, it’s basketball with Byerly, who’s good for averages of 9.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists. Franklin made it to the title game of last week’s Johnson County Tournament and is 7-5 entering its Mid-State Conference game at home against Whiteland on Friday.
Byerly broke into coach Brad Dickey’s varsity rotation last season as a ninth-grader, and that experience enabled him to come into this season much more confident.
He’s upped his offensive productivity even more of late, with 14 points in a conference win against visiting Mooresville and 19 in the Cubs’ 73-67 defeat of Edinburgh in a first-round game at the county tourney. Byerly is averaging 13 points in Franklin’s past four outings.
In addition, he’s displayed an ability to distribute the ball — Byerly has had three or more assists in nine of Franklin’s first 12 games.
“With the (graduation) of Hunter Gross, he’s getting even more touches in more situations,” Dickey said. “Our guys, they like throwing it to Drew. He makes good decisions and is an excellent passer, too. He likes to help his teammates.”
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Name: Drew Byerly
Age: 16
Born: Indianapolis
Family: Parents John and Stacey; brother Reece, 12
Favorite TV show: “SportsCenter”
Favorite food: Steak
Favorite movie: “The Blind Side”
Favorite athlete: Peyton Manning
Favorite team: Indiana Pacers
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