KO's Dapper excels at football, basketball

Even when Bryan Dapper runs a play the wrong way, he still makes things happen.

During a basketball game last season, Keystone Oaks needed a 3-pointer to send a game against West Mifflin into overtime. Dapper was supposed to get the ball, but he ran the play wrong and didn't get the ball in a good position to shoot. But with his athletic ability and playmaking ability, Dapper made do.

"He caught the ball, dribbled between his legs and ended up shooting a fade-away," Keystone Oaks basketball coach Ben O'Connor said. "My assistant was yelling because he ran the play wrong. But just as he was yelling, I knew the shot was going in. If it looks like a bad shot, then it's a good shot for him. He can shoot the ball just inside halfcourt with consistency. When he's on, he's on and there's little you can do to stop him."

Dapper, a senior, has used his uncanny athletic skills to help Keystone Oaks improve from laughing stock to contender in both football and basketball.

"He's probably the best athlete in the school," O'Connor said. "There are not too many Bryan Dappers. It's an honor to coach someone with that kind of ability."

This past season football season, Dapper caught 33 passes for 668 yards and a school-record 10 touchdowns as the Golden Eagles won the first football playoff game in school history.

"He's a great athlete," KO football coach Nick Kamberis said. "He's a long-armed and long-legged kid. He looks like he his is effortless. He makes it look easy."

So far this basketball season, Dapper is averaging 19 points per game for the Golden Eagles, who entered this season with a lot of expectations as four starters return from a team that reached the WPIAL Class AAA quarterfinals.

"Each game he does something that stands out," O'Connor said. "I never realize the things he does until I watch the video. I rewind and watch and say did he shoot if from there?"

But for Dapper and his classmates winning is nothing new.

"My grade has always been good," Dapper said. "We've never lost. When we were smaller in baseball, we were good. We're used to it. In the past KO has never won, but it's nothing knew to our age group. We expect to win."

And Dapper is the consummate big-game player. The KO basketball coaches joke with him that he has a constant poker face, no matter what is happening during a game.

"God could come down and say to Bryan, 'if you don't make this shot you are going to die' and he would have the same look in his face," O'Connor said. "I don't think pressure gets to him. If he misses a shot it's because he wasn't on, not because pressure affected him. He stays even-keel the entire ball game."

At 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, Dapper is better suited to play football in college. He's being recruited by Division I-AA and Division II schools. But so far, Division I schools haven't been interested.

"For a kid 6-2, 190 and that can run, you wonder why he doesn't have any DI scholarship offers," Kamberis said.

Dapper has run the 40-yard dash in less than 4.6 seconds and has very good hands. Dapper could walk-on at a Division I school, but he would rather receive scholarship money and get a chance to play right away.

"I have nothing wrong with playing Division II football," Dapper said.

O'Connor hopes Dapper does choose a smaller school.

"You only get a chance to coach a Bryan Dapper once every 10 years, but if goes Division I there are going to be 100 Bryan Dappers. He has a chance to be the big fish in a small pond."