GREENWOOD: Scored in double figures in every game but one
Classic and was voted to the allleague team in what is a very tough Golden Empire League for the second straight year.
And after being named to the Appeal-Democrat All-Area first team as a junior, the 6-foot-2 inch Greenwood has now been selected as the A-D’s Player of the Year for 2016-17, marking the 12th time a player from Marysville has taken home the honor in its 35year history.
“When (Easter) first pulled me up, I was kind of nervous and it was different because of the change of speed. What I learned is you have to pace yourself. It’s not all about speed and quickness and rushing into everything, you have to take it slow,” Greenwood said. “It wasn’t the same as JV, but I’m glad he did it because in the long run, it only made me better. By the time I was a sophomore, I felt it was something I could do.”
As the first person off the bench, Greenwood averaged 8.8 points per game as a freshman and 9.5 points as a sophomore before taking over his junior year when he averaged 20.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 3.6 steals per game to earn All-GEL and All-Area honors.
This year, he shot 50 percent from the field and scored in double figures in every game but one. That came when he scored eight points in a 71-30 blowout victory over Wheatland.
“When he first came up he was a little immature, but this year it all came together. He was the one calming the players down and he did a great job being a leader. I think playing as a freshman and a sophomore with those older players really helped him,” Easter said. “He’s 6-2, but his wingspan is like 6-10, so he’s so much longer than you think. There’s plays he makes defensively that you wouldn’t think he could get to.
“He’s a flat-out athlete who learned how to play the game. He always knew he was an athlete, but he learned all the nuances to become a great basketball player.”
When watching Greenwood play, the first word that comes to mind is smooth. He makes the difficult plays look effortless, is a slick passer and has a knack for finishing in traffic around the basket.
He was actually a post player when he was younger, earning a reputation as one of the area’s best middle school players when he was at Yuba Gardens. But once he hit high school, Greenwood worked on becoming a point guard, modeling his game after Cleveland Cavaliers’ allstar Kyrie Irving.
He also draws inspiration from other NBA players, from the emotion of Russell Westbrook, the passing and ballhandling of Chris Paul, and of course, the all-around game of the great LeBron James.
“I told myself I wanted to become a guard, so I did everything I could to become one. Ballhandling, shooting, coming off screens, I had to work on all of that,” Greenwood said. “I prefer playing point guard because I can see the floor and get my teammates open shots. That’s what I like to do. I like to score, too, but I like to get my teammates into it first.
“I want to make my teammates better and not just shoot the ball.”
The only thing that was missing this season was postseason success.
The Indians won two early-season tournaments while winning their first 14 games, but ended 1611 overall after being forced to forfeit four league wins due to using an ineligible player.
On the court, the Indians actually won 20 games and likely would have had a first-round home playoff game if not for the forfeits. Instead, they were a No. 13 seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV playoffs and lost to No. 4 Ripon, 66-51, in their playoff opener.
Greenwood finished with a team-high 21 points, five rebounds and three steals in his final prep game.
“Coming into the season, we were winning almost every game, but not everything can be perfect,” Greenwood said. “I’m not upset with what happened. I wish it could have ended better, but I’m proud of what my teammates accomplished and what we’ve done. You can’t take anything away from us.”
Though he’s had looks from several colleges, Greenwood is holding off on making his decision and is looking to impress scouts on the AAU circuit with Easter while playing for Hoop Skills Academy this spring.
He was an All-Area and AllGEL selection in football last fall as a wide receiver/defensive back, and recently helped the Indians’ varsity track and field team to a league title as a hurdler and long jumper.
“He isn’t one of those kids who makes a mistake and then hangs his head. He always comes back and plays harder, and that’s what I love about that kid,” Easter said. “He’s just a kid who plays hard all the time.”
“I just have a love of the game,” Greenwood added. “You can always learn from your mistakes and always get better.”