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Mentor and Mentee Set to Take on the State
By James A. McCray III
Prince George's County, Content Manager
When the Friendly Patriots boys' basketball team tips off its 3A state semi-final contest Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m. in College Park, plenty of seats inside of the University of Maryland's Comcast Center will be full of fans and supporters.
No, the stadium won't reach its capacity of 17,950, but for Friendly head coach Rob Garner, having one important person in the stands will be just as effective as having 17,950 fans cheering for his Patriots.
That person -- Frederick Douglass boys' basketball head coach Tyrone Massenberg.
"I always looked at him as a mentor," Garner admits of Massenberg. "He has always been there for me with his great wisdom and knowledge."
Garner and Massenberg were introduced as competitors back in Garner's days as a point guard for Potomac High School and Massenberg's coaching stint with Central High School during the same time period.
However, the two came together for county summer leagues and summer-league all-star games in which Garner would play the point guard position under the head coaching of Massenberg, an ex-point guard himself.
"He is so humble and so laid-back and low-key," Garner said of his summertime coach, "that even when I was a player, I would go to him just for casual conversations. ... When he got to the sidelines he was full of energy and he was a player's coach, but he let you know that he was in control, and I couldn't help but to respect that."
"Rob was always the smartest player on the court," Massenberg said. "He was an extension of a coach out on the floor. Rob got his the old-fashioned way by out-working his opponents. He may have not been on any highlight films, but he would out-work you on the court, and that is the same way his team plays now. ... He was always one of my favorite point guards."
Since those days, Garner has traveled to the University of Texas to play basketball, then to Delaware, and eventually moved back into the county for coaching. The two have remained close and Garner again found himself looking towards Massenberg for assistance, in particular last season, Garner's first as head coach of the Patriots.
And although many lessons have been taught throughout the years, Garner remembers one lesson that Massenberg has always preached to him.
"Patience," Garner explained. "He taught me to be patient. He told me, 'Things are not given quickly or swiftly, but to the one who endures to the end. When you are trying to build a program that can have longevity and be successful for decades, it will require patience.'"
"I try to teach all of my kids that," Massenberg said of the virtue of patience. "Things will come to you when it is time to come to you. If you work hard, things will come. The formula is not hard."
Massenberg has put into practice the value of patience as he earned his first regional championship with Douglass after 22 years of coaching -- he had previously fell short in two regional championship games as the head coach of Suitland.
"I was happy to see him to perform well in the playoffs," Garner said. "It wasn't a shock. ... Look at his track record, he is a changer, he comes in and he changes things. He did it at Suitland, he is doing it now, he has done it for P.G. County. That's just Coach."
Less than 24 hours after winning the 2A South region championship with Frederick Douglass, Massenberg, the mentor, was in the back hallways of Henry Wise High School to congratulate his mentee Garner on his 3A South region championship --his first with Friendly-- with smiles and hugs aplenty.
"That felt great to see him win it," Massenberg said. "It is pretty exciting to see someone follow in my footsteps."
And as the two have been separated by their respective schools, it is the Comcast Center that will bring them together again as Friendly prepares for its 3A state semifinal contest and Douglass prepares for its 2A state semifinal game to be played Friday night at 7.
And as Friendly plays early Thursday afternoon, Massenberg is making it a point to be in one of those Comcast Center seats to support his mentee.
"I am cutting my practice short to go up and watch," he said.
"Tyrone is in my circle," Garner said. "I have a very small circle, but he is one of those people I will talk to about anything. I respect him and what he does."
E-mail: James A. McCray III
No, the stadium won't reach its capacity of 17,950, but for Friendly head coach Rob Garner, having one important person in the stands will be just as effective as having 17,950 fans cheering for his Patriots.
That person -- Frederick Douglass boys' basketball head coach Tyrone Massenberg.
"I always looked at him as a mentor," Garner admits of Massenberg. "He has always been there for me with his great wisdom and knowledge."
Garner and Massenberg were introduced as competitors back in Garner's days as a point guard for Potomac High School and Massenberg's coaching stint with Central High School during the same time period.
However, the two came together for county summer leagues and summer-league all-star games in which Garner would play the point guard position under the head coaching of Massenberg, an ex-point guard himself.
"He is so humble and so laid-back and low-key," Garner said of his summertime coach, "that even when I was a player, I would go to him just for casual conversations. ... When he got to the sidelines he was full of energy and he was a player's coach, but he let you know that he was in control, and I couldn't help but to respect that."
"Rob was always the smartest player on the court," Massenberg said. "He was an extension of a coach out on the floor. Rob got his the old-fashioned way by out-working his opponents. He may have not been on any highlight films, but he would out-work you on the court, and that is the same way his team plays now. ... He was always one of my favorite point guards."
Since those days, Garner has traveled to the University of Texas to play basketball, then to Delaware, and eventually moved back into the county for coaching. The two have remained close and Garner again found himself looking towards Massenberg for assistance, in particular last season, Garner's first as head coach of the Patriots.
And although many lessons have been taught throughout the years, Garner remembers one lesson that Massenberg has always preached to him.
"Patience," Garner explained. "He taught me to be patient. He told me, 'Things are not given quickly or swiftly, but to the one who endures to the end. When you are trying to build a program that can have longevity and be successful for decades, it will require patience.'"
"I try to teach all of my kids that," Massenberg said of the virtue of patience. "Things will come to you when it is time to come to you. If you work hard, things will come. The formula is not hard."
Massenberg has put into practice the value of patience as he earned his first regional championship with Douglass after 22 years of coaching -- he had previously fell short in two regional championship games as the head coach of Suitland.
"I was happy to see him to perform well in the playoffs," Garner said. "It wasn't a shock. ... Look at his track record, he is a changer, he comes in and he changes things. He did it at Suitland, he is doing it now, he has done it for P.G. County. That's just Coach."
Less than 24 hours after winning the 2A South region championship with Frederick Douglass, Massenberg, the mentor, was in the back hallways of Henry Wise High School to congratulate his mentee Garner on his 3A South region championship --his first with Friendly-- with smiles and hugs aplenty.
"That felt great to see him win it," Massenberg said. "It is pretty exciting to see someone follow in my footsteps."
And as the two have been separated by their respective schools, it is the Comcast Center that will bring them together again as Friendly prepares for its 3A state semifinal contest and Douglass prepares for its 2A state semifinal game to be played Friday night at 7.
And as Friendly plays early Thursday afternoon, Massenberg is making it a point to be in one of those Comcast Center seats to support his mentee.
"I am cutting my practice short to go up and watch," he said.
"Tyrone is in my circle," Garner said. "I have a very small circle, but he is one of those people I will talk to about anything. I respect him and what he does."
E-mail: James A. McCray III
