Powers a bright spot for CAPA team

IT'S NOT OFTEN a basketball player nears the end of his high school career with a scoring average of 262.3.

Say what?!

First, say that you're sorry for Matt Powers, and that you understand all the pain and frustration he has faced - yes, even before we detail the depth and breadth - during a 4-year career at Creative and Performing Arts, a special-admit Public League school at Broad and Christian.

Powers' 262.3 average does not represent points per game, of course. It refers to points per win.

The heck with just Philly, or even Pennsylvania, or even the East Coast. That might be a world record, on any level.

In Powers' 63 varsity games, during which he has accumulated 1,049 points (all as a starter), CAPA has captured four wins. That means 59 losses, and, in case you love amazing coincidences . . . the last four digits in Powers' cell-phone number are 6359.

How did Powers, a 6-2, 170-pound wing guard, reach this juncture? Why did he pick CAPA, which owns eight overall wins in its 7-year PL history, and, even more to the point, why has he stayed there?

It turns out Powers' hands are good for more than sticking jump shots. Matt is quite the artist, according to coach John Dunphy, a cousin of Temple boss Fran Dunphy, and he opted for CAPA because he figured the school would best prepare him for college and beyond.

His second high-school choice was Roman Catholic, which only happens to boast Philly's most tradition-steeped hoops program.

Repeat: He could have gone to Roman.

"Some of my friends did go there, and they've been busting on me ever since, especially when they see that we don't win any games at all," Powers said. "I'd gone to a public elementary school. I visited CAPA and Roman, and I did like them both, but I just felt more comfortable going to CAPA. I could play basketball and do my art thing.

"A couple times my parents [Mary, Bill] asked me if I wanted to leave for a place with better basketball. I thought about it. Just a little. I never saw it as an option. I always wanted to stay. Of course, I do wish we had a better team."

The Pegasus went 1-14 in the '08 season, 0-18 in '09 and 3-16 (what, no parade?) in '10. Its current mark is 0-11, with games against Charles Carroll and Future remaining.

Powers reached 1,000 points on Jan. 24 in an 81-52 road loss to Esperanza Academy. In very cool fashion, he did so on a four-point play that began with a top-of-the-key jumper. He finished with 40 points (77 percent of CAPA's), one short of his school record.

His scoring averages of note are 23.8 (this season) and 16.7 (career).

"Matt doesn't average many assists, because he really has no supporting cast," said Dunphy, who's also Powers' English teacher. "It would be nice if we could just keep him on the wing, but he has to bang the boards, too.

"This young man deserves so much credit. He didn't broker himself for basketball. He followed his heart for what he wanted to be, an artist.

"He walked into our program and had a starting role from Day 1. He was a captain by his sophomore year. I've never heard a foul word from him."

The incessant L's do bother him, though.

"You don't want to see me after a loss," said Powers, whose No. 22 will be retired. "I get very mad. It's very frustrating. I don't know how I deal with it, truthfully.

"My mom and dad come to every game. Afterward, my dad usually lectures me on everything that happened, and says how hard it was to watch. Then I'll watch ['Pardon the Interruption'] and 'SportsCenter' and try to clear my mind."

Powers, originally from South Philly but now based in Fairmount and the brother of University of the Sciences baseball player Billy Powers (Julia Masterman '10), boasts a 3.5 GPA. He has applied to Temple, West Chester, Philly U., Chestnut Hill and Arcadia, and with Dunphy's help, he has tried to stir interest from those programs.

"Well, Temple might be pushing it. Family only goes so far," Dunphy cracked.

"It's hard to get any looks playing for CAPA," Powers said. "So I've gone to college games. Talked to coaches. Sent out e-mails . . . Coach Dunphy has given me great advice and guidance. He looks out for me. Has gotten me to where I am today."

Dunphy said Powers worked on creating a new Pegasus logo for CAPA's uniforms, though none was approved for this season.

Long-range, Matt could picture himself designing T-shirts or movie posters "or anything, really." He added, "So many of the things you see in everyday life can be traced to graphic design."

And so many people are respectful of Matt Powers' talents, and plight.

"I even hear encouragement from referees," he said. "They'll say to me, 'Keep shooting. Don't hesitate. If you have an open shot, take it.' It's like they're trying to help us get a win."

There could be much worse agendas. *