Rory Friel can make things look easy with his silky-smooth shot on the basketball court. But the Saint Augustine Preparatory School senior has contributed a lot of sweat equity in becoming a dynamic basketball player. It’s something he learned at a very early age.
“I’m a hard worker,” Friel said. “Once I put my mind to something, I don’t usually give up. I just want to keep pushing through it, no matter how hard it gets. I think it’s a good quality. I definitely got that from my parents.”
Friel’s parents come from Philadelphia, where both grew up in some pretty cramped living quarters. His dad is from Southwest Philly, and his mother grew up in the Grays Ferry section of South Philly.
“My dad grew up in a house with 12 siblings in three bedrooms. My mom grew up with five siblings,” Friel said. “They both pulled their way and got me into this school. I can’t thank them enough. I’m just trying to do everything for them, and the hard work is what I really need to do to get there.”
The family now lives in Washington Township, and Friel is making the most of his education. He is part of the school’s broadcasting and spirit clubs, and he plans to study accounting next year while likely playing college basketball. He’s still building his resume on the court, but he’s making some significant strides during his senior year.
Last year, he became an impact player, averaging 13.6 points per game as a junior. This year, through his first 11 games, he averaged north of 20. Friel’s career-high game came Dec. 23 at the Boardwalk Classic as he buried 37 points against Riverside High School from Leesburg, Va. Friel, a forward, hit five 3-pointers and also grabbed a dozen rebounds. He even pulled off the rare four-point play as he was fouled while making a 3-pointer.
“It’s a great feeling to have the energy going and have all those shots falling,” he said.
Friel could have easily broken the 40-point mark, but attempted only two shots in the fourth quarter. There were more important things on his mind as the Hermits were 0-3 at the time, facing a previously undefeated Riverside team.
“We needed to get into the win column. We needed to get a win under our belts,” he said. “I think we can make a lot of noise this year.”
That game turned the tides for the Hermits, who were a drastically improved 6-5 team through Jan. 12. Friel, the team’s leading scorer, is a big reason for the turnaround. But Friel is surrounded by talented scorers with senior Olumide Okebiorun, sophomore Jaleo Wakefield, freshman Luke Maransky and junior Kyle Helphenstine, who just happens to be Friel’s third cousin on his dad’s side of the family.
“He came to ‘The Prep’ for eighth grade, and that’s when I realized we were going to be in school playing sports with each other,” Friel said with a laugh. “I get to see him every day; last year was the first time we got to play on the court together. Usually, I was going against him at family parties.”
That’s where Friel’s competitive edge first showed. Now it’s on display a few times a week in Richland.
“He’s one of the nicest kids I’ve ever coached and one of the best players I’ve ever coached,” said Hermits coach Paul Rodio, who has won more than 1,000 high school games. “He’s a great kid; [he comes from] a great family. He’s going to be able to play at the next level; we’re just going to have to pick out which one and put it together.”
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