By ADAM KUJAWSKI, Staff Writer
Defense wins championships.
The Hanna Golden Eagles earned a share of the District 32-6A title thanks in part to Ed Messbarger’s increased contribution on the defensive end of the court.
In years past, Messbarger had been more of a one-dimensional threat for the Eagles. But Hanna coach Todd Barckholtz sought more from his senior this season.
“We set out some goals and asked him to take on some different responsibilities and not just be a scorer and a shooter,” Barckholtz said. “We really wanted him to focus on being that defensive presence, especially on the inside.”
Messbarger averaged nearly a double-double this season and was productive in each defensive category. His 11.9 points per game complemented his 9.5 rebounds, 3.2 steals and 0.9 blocks.
His ability to effectively guard the inside has earned him The Brownsville Herald’s 2014-15 All-Metro Boys Basketball Defensive Player of the Year award.
“I’m honored to be defensive player of the year,” Messbarger said. “I worked really hard for it, it feels good.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes to get the ‘W,’” he added when asked what it takes to be solid defensive player. “You’ve got to have a lot of heart. You can’t be afraid to get hurt, you’ve got to be real physical, and for me I like to get into people’s heads. You’ve got to be mentally strong, physically strong, and you can’t be afraid to get dirty.”
The grit and determination displayed by Messbarger was a key component in the Eagles’ success this season. Hanna won a co-district championship and earned a bi-district win in the postseason.
“He did what we asked, and it maybe didn’t contribute to points or it wasn’t necessarily seen by the people that watch the game,” Barckholtz said, “but as coaches, we realized without having Ed doing all his stuff defensively, we would never have stopped people.”
Adam Kujawski covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @adamkujo1.