Charles Brown blooming at Washington

Since coming over from Imhotep Charter before his junior year, Charles Brown has played a major role in George Washington's basketball resurgence.

This season, while averaging 15.9 points, the 6-foot-6, 185-pound swingman has sparked the Eagles, better known for their success on the gridiron, to a 14-3 overall record and a 9-0 mark in Public League Division B.

"He's so versatile and long," John Creighton, Washington's third-year coach, said after practice Wednesday. "He allows us to do so many things on offense and defense."

Creighton is also impressed with Brown's work off the court. Since September, in a half-credit elective class at Washington, the senior has partnered with special-education students in a variety of activities.

"I really like it," Brown said. "You have to take the time to get to know the kids, figure out what they like to do and don't like to do. It makes you happy to see them happy."

Brown played JV ball as a freshman at Imhotep and then sat out his sophomore year to improve his skills. "We just felt he wasn't getting the opportunity he deserved there," his same-named father said.

The Eagles, who last year went 15-7 and advanced to the Public League Class AAAA semifinals, surprised District 1 power Chester, 59-53, in their second game this season.

"I think it validated all the work the kids put in during the offseason," Creighton said.

Brown is joined in the starting lineup by 6-5 forward Jerome Blume, guards Elmange Watson and Asante Ali, and 6-3 swingman Shaheed Fagan-Haynes. Aaron Curry, a 6-7 forward, and guards Jheron Johnson, Quadere Allen, and Joffy Joseph are also in the mix.

Watson went to Washington after Walter D. Palmer Charter suddenly shut down at the end of October. The point guard averaged 20 points last season at Northeast.

Brown, who plays AAU ball for Philly Pride, previously drew interest from lower-level Division I and Division II state schools. Now, he has scholarship offers from La Salle and St. Joseph's. Creighton, Drexel, and Temple are also interested.

Charles Brown Sr. was a 6-3 forward for the Overbrook team that went 34-0 in 1979-80. He went on to play for two years at North Carolina AT&T. One of his Overbrook teammates, Steve Black, who starred at La Salle under Lefty Ervin, trains the younger Brown on the weekends.

"It's just a real blessing," Brown said of his son's dramatic rise on the hardwood. "The coaches who were looking over him at one time are now looking at him."