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Saturday, March 1, 2008
Haning With the Greedey's
Greater Reading, PA
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By: Michael J. Esterly , VYPE
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“Where my brother is now, is where I would like to be. I know it doesn’t come easy, and I am prepared to work that hard”
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For Twin Valley High School graduate Cloyd Geedey, watching his sons continue the tradition of playing Raider basketball is a satisfying experience. Cloyd was a 6’3 starting forward during his junior and senior seasons in ‘78 and ‘79. Geedey’s hardwood exploits earned him First Team All-league Section II during his junior year and Second Team All-league Section II his senior year.
Following in their father’s rather large footsteps are Cloyd’s two sons, Larry, a junior, and Eric, a sophomore. This season, Larry recorded a milestone of his own, leading Berks County in scoring, averaging over 21 points per game. With Larry receiving lots of attention from fans and media, you’d think that younger brother Eric might become a bit jealous. Instead, he talks about being happy for his brother. “I am so proud of what he has accomplished. He deserves what he’s accomplished because of how hard he works and the amount of time he dedicates,” said Eric. All of the goals Larry has achieved inspire Eric to work even harder. “Where my brother is now, is where I would like to be. I know it doesn’t come easy, and I am prepared to work that hard,” said Eric.
Larry may be busy putting up the big numbers, but he doesn’t neglect his brother. “We’re very close and we are always together,” says Larry. The two boys play a lot of basketball at the Birdsboro YMCA, as well as pick-up games in their driveway. But their interest in basketball was piqued at an early age when their dad turned the basement into a small training facility. He put up a small basketball hoop and threw in lots of mini basketballs. “My brother and I would go downstairs a lot and mess around. Dad set it up for us so we would work on our ball-handling skills,” Larry explained. Now that they’re out of the basement and onto the court, we wondered if people compare their playing styles. Eric answered, “Our ball handling skills are similar, but Larry is more of a natural scorer while I like to pass the ball.”
When asked what it would be like to have his brother start with him during his senior season, Larry responded, “It would be pretty sweet having him out there with me, but he knows the road to get there isn’t going to be easy.” The last time the two brothers played on the same team together was during their 7th and 8th grade years on the Twin Valley junior high team. As fate would have it, for the last game of the season, Eric found himself thrust into a starting role alongside his brother at the second guard position. The end result: a junior high championship for the Twin Valley Raiders.
Even though Larry was Berks County’s leading scorer this year, he’s not too big to respect his younger brother’s advice. “I always listen to him. He understands the game, and I always take what he says into account.” Dad likes to share his knowledge and experience too. He has begun to videotape games so that the three of them can sit down and analyze strengths and weaknesses. And when Larry graduates next year and goes off to college, Eric will know that advice from his brother is only a speed-dial away.
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