Early in the season, Greenwood boys basketball coach Joe Bradburn had senior Gavin Dowling camped out on the block on offense — and why wouldn’t he? With surprising agility to accompany his beefy 6-foot-4, 255-pound frame, Dowling was extremely difficult to stop in the post.
But he was even better as a playmaker — and by moving Dowling to the high post and utilizing him as a point center, Bradburn also unlocked the potential of the rest of his team.
Dowling willingly accepted a different role — one that might have had a detrimental impact on his stat line but also helped the Woodmen to their most successful campaign in many years and their first sectional title since 2002.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]
For his efforts, Dowling is the Daily Journal’s Player of the Year.
It shouldn’t be at all surprising that Dowling was willing to embrace the role of facilitator; his favorite player is LeBron James, largely because Dowling admires his versatility and his passing prowess. It’s something he has always tried to emulate, even having spent his entire basketball life playing down low.
“I kind of embrace my own gifts, and I try to bring passing to a position that’s not really typically known for being a passing position,” Dowling said. “Guys like Nikola Jokic and Magic Johnson, taller guys who can pass the ball and be able to play down low as well, that’s something I always strive to be.”
He finished the season with a team-high 65 assists, many of those coming either on kick-outs to open 3-point shooters or high-low dumps that produced open layups.
Bradburn, who calls Dowling the best passing big man he’s ever coached, appreciated that he was willing to sacrifice his own numbers — Dowling wound up averaging just 10.8 points when he could have scored far more — for the good of the team.
“That took away some of his post touches, and it took away a little bit of his scoring,” Bradburn said, “but the production from everybody else picked up and it made us harder to guard.”
As efficient as Greenwood was on the offensive end with Dowling serving as the center of the wheel, it’s defense that was the Woodmen’s calling card this season — the team allowed just 39.6 points per game, easily the lowest total in Class 4A and second among all IHSAA schools.
But Dowling was the straw that stirred the drink on that end as well, patrolling the center spot in the team’s 2-3 zone and collecting 28 blocked shots, 26 steals and 22 deflections while also watching his teammates’ backs and serving as the chief communicator.
“It’s kind of like being … the middle linebacker, I guess I could say,” Dowling explained. “Just knowing where everything’s happening or where everything’s going to happen and where it’s going to go. Just kind of helping out other guys, which is super fun.”
Dowling plans to spend the rest of his life helping others. He has committed to play college basketball at Anderson University, where he also plans to study music education with the goal of becoming a middle or high school music teacher and a coach, preferably in basketball.
Bradburn isn’t at all surprised that Dowling would choose such a career path.
“Gavin’s very instinctual,” the coach said. “He understands things really well, and he also knows how to talk with people. He has a good presence, and he was able to talk with his teammates and coaches and officials from a basketball standpoint, but he can step off the court and he has a good rapport with a lot of people.”
A year ago, Dowling missed the final 11 games of the season due to a heart condition, and the Woodmen clearly missed his presence; they dropped five of their final six games. With him back healthy this winter, Greenwood won 19 games, its most in at least a quarter of a century.
The time he missed made him all that much more determined to make the most of his last go-around with his teammates.
“With everything that happened last year, I didn’t want to take anything for granted,” Dowling said. “The biggest thing was that I just had a goal with my whole team, and we just wanted to be the best that we could be for the team — and I think we proved that this year, that we’re a really special group of guys.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”All-County team” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
The 2020 All-County team for boys basketball:
Mason Britt, Indian Creek junior: The offensive centerpiece for one of the best Braves teams in years, producing 17.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.6 per game for a 17-win squad … Earned All-WIC honors.
Drew Byerly, Franklin senior: Carried a massive workload for a young Grizzly Cubs team, leading the way in points (19.7), rebounds (7.5) and assists (2.6) per game … Finished with 1,123 career points … Will play football at Marian next fall.
Gavin Dowling, Greenwood senior: Led the Woodmen to a 19-6 record and their first sectional title in 18 years, topping the team in scoring (10.8 ppg), rebounds (165), assists (65) and blocked shots (28) … Will play at Anderson University next season.
Champ McCorkle, Greenwood Christian senior: Was the driving force for the 24-1 Cougars, who won their first-ever county tournament title … Posted team highs in points (15.3), rebounds (6.6), assists (4.4) and steals (2.1) per game.
Derek Petersen, Greenwood Christian senior: Transfer guard proved to be the missing ingredient for GCA, which won Johnson County and sectional championships … Finished with averages of 14.1 points and 3.9 assists and knocked down 71 3-point shots.
Honorable mention
Spencer Aaron, Greenwood; Andrew Anderson, GCA; Ben Cooney, Center Grove; Caleb Dewey, Edinburgh; Damon Dickey, Franklin; Nick Duffey, Greenwood; Rasheed Elemikan, Greenwood; Xavier Ferris, Indian Creek; Landin Hacker, Center Grove; Travis Jones, Edinburgh; Brock Kincaid, Greenwood; Styles McCorkle, GCA; Ian Raker, Greenwood; Max Sullivan, Whiteland; Logan Willoughby, Whiteland
[sc:pullout-text-end]
