When Chris Bryant attended high school in Metlakatla, he was considered one of the best basketball players in Alaska.
The 6-foot-4 all-state player was a freakish athlete who looked like a man among boys. Each time he stepped on the court he was stronger, faster and better than opponents.
The Seawolves recruited him relentlessly, but he ended up signing with Division I Drake University in Iowa.
Three years after being the one that got away, Bryant has finally landed at UAA. The senior transfer will make his debut tonight when 16th-ranked Seawolves open the season against Brevard College of North Carolina.
"It's just really exciting to be here and represent Alaska," Bryant said Thursday.
UAA coach Rusty Osborne is just as excited since the addition of Bryant boosts an already potent squad with all-conference players Luke Cooper and Carl Arts that's the preseason favorite to win the conference title.
Asked what his expectations were for the season, Bryant's answer was direct.
"Win," he said, smiling.
Bryant brings with him 78 games of Division I experience as a proven scorer, giving the Seawolves a viable threat at shooting guard. He drained 120 career three-pointers in three seasons at Drake to become the school's No. 9 three-point shooter all-time.
"Coming out of high school we liked him as an all-around player. We recruited him very hard," Osborne said. "Going to Drake is where he really became a three-point shooter.
"I don't think we want to pigeonhole him as just a three-point shooter, but he is a very good shooter and it's something we need."
Cooper, the team's starting point guard who ranked second nationally with 8.2 assists per game last season, believes Bryant will excel because he can score multiple ways.
Not only can he bury the long-range jumper, Bryant can score off the dribble.
"He finishes probably almost as well as Kemmy (Burgess) did when he's going to the basket," Cooper said. "He can take the contact and still finish, which is gonna make him tough to guard."
Bryant will compete for minutes at shooting guard primarily with freshman Kevin White, although junior Doug Hardy will alternate between shooting guard and point guard while freshman Lonnie Ridgeway will split time between shooting guard and small forward.
"We're very deep at the two spot," Cooper said. "I think Chris is gonna be one of our main go-to guys at that spot."
Bryant averaged 7.0 points over his career at Drake, although he netted double figures 25 times and averaged double digits in games that he played at least 10 minutes.
His playing time dropped from 17.4 minutes as a sophomore to 13.0 minutes as junior, which played a role in him leaving Drake for UAA.
"Going from playing a lot to playing a little took a toll on me," he said in May after announcing his transfer plans.
Bryant enjoyed his best games as an underclassmen, keyed by a career-high 26 points against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and 21 against Illinois State as a freshman. He scored 16 points at Boston College as a sophomore.
"We need somebody to step up in that two-guard position where they're a threat to shoot the ball any time they catch it," Osborne said. "I think Chris can fill that role."
The biggest transition for Bryant is going from the run-and-gun style at Drake to a more balanced system at UAA that emphasizes defense.
Bryant has struggled at times to blend into his new surroundings, Osborne said, in part because he missed nearly three weeks of practice because of strained groin.
But the Seawolf newcomer is coming around.
"The new philosophy was quite a difference that I'm still adjusting to," Bryant said. "I'm really confident in my teammates, and so it makes the transition a lot easier knowing I have that support."
Find assistant sports editor Van Williams online at adn.com/contact/vwilliams or call 257-4335.
BREVARD COLLEGE
• Home: Small liberal arts college in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina.
• Last year's record: 9-18
• Returners: Sophomore post Jonathan Whitson led the team in scoring rebounding, blocks and steals. He's the only starter returning on a squad of newcomers.
• NCAA: Final year of provisional Division II membership
• Conference: South Atlantic Conference
UAA MEN'S BASKETBALL
WHAT: UAA vs. Brevard College WHEN: Tonight and Saturday, 7 p.m. WHERE: Wells Fargo Sports Complex RADIO: Live AM-1080 TV: Tape delayed 10:30 p.m. Friday, 10 p.m. Saturday KCFT (cable Channel 19) TICKETS: $5-$7
