Oak Garden’s Donte Montgomery grew up watching the top of Kobe Bryant’s profession.
When Bryant died, Montgomery confirmed that he shed some tears. Two summers in the past, he received a big tattoo on his decrease left leg with the phrases “Mamba Mentality” and Bryant’s snake brand.
Montgomery appreciated Bryant’s ardour for the sport, aggressive nature and all-around play.
“Actually, after I received to grasp the idea of what basketball was, he was a participant I used to observe the entire time,” Montgomery stated. “He was getting older, however he was nonetheless good.”
Montgomery, in the meantime, is getting higher with age for the Spartans.
The senior guard, who opened play this week by scoring his 1,000th profession level, performed an enormous position Friday night time to assist Oak Garden hand T.F. South its first convention lack of the season.
He scored 23 factors, added 5 rebounds and grabbed a pair of steals in a 56-47 win over the Pink Wolves in a South Suburban Convention crossover sport in Oak Garden.
Jack Dempsey added 11 factors for the host Spartans (23-6, 5-1 SSC Pink), together with a five-point spurt in the course of the fourth quarter that put Oak Garden on high by a 46-36 margin.


T.F. South (9-9, 5-1 SSC Blue) performed with out sophomore guard/ahead Amari Dukes, who was at a funeral, in accordance with Pink Wolves coach Todd Gillespie. Dukes is averaging 16.3 factors, 6.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.3 assists.
Eion Ikner picked up the slack, main T.F. South with 12 factors, 11 rebounds and two blocked pictures. Montgomery, nevertheless, scored 16 factors within the closing 11:21 of the sport for the Spartans.
“He got here in from Marist after his freshman 12 months,” Oak Garden coach Jason Rhodes stated of Montgomery. “Performed right here and there his sophomore 12 months, was our main scorer final 12 months and is our main scorer this 12 months.
“He’s the eighth child on the college rating 1,000 factors and has an opportunity to get into the highest 5 earlier than it’s all stated and carried out.”
That stated, the 6-foot-3 Montgomery is harmful in different areas as effectively.


“He’s very expert and will in all probability take a shot nearly each possession,” Rhodes stated. “However the factor with him is that he’s grow to be a a lot better playmaker, and he’s averaging over three steals a sport, which isn’t straightforward to do as a result of we don’t press loads.”
Dempsey stated he performed basketball with Montgomery earlier than the 2 attended highschool, and Dempsey is certainly blissful to have him as a teammate once more.
“He’s developed and grow to be that main individual that we go to on a regular basis to get a degree,” Dempsey stated. “He can play protection or any side of the sport.”
Montgomery stated he was stunned at follow Wednesday when Rhodes informed him concerning the 1,000-point profession milestone.
“I knew I used to be within the space, however I believed I used to be nonetheless 50 factors away,” Montgomery stated. “It’s an enormous accomplishment.”


Montgomery, who stated he has been beginning to choose up some school curiosity, has desires of changing into an NBA participant. And he needs to make use of that tattoo of Bryant on his left leg for inspiration.
Some dad and mom could not approve of tattoos, however that wasn’t the case along with his father, Donte Sr.
“He took me to the tattoo parlor and paid for it,” Montgomery stated. “He truly doesn’t like Kobe like that, however that’s the craziest half about it. However he knew I cherished him.”
His father additionally did extra for Montgomery than spring for that physique artwork.
“He educated me as a child and taught me the entire fundamentals,” Montgomery stated. “He received me began, for certain, and has been an enormous a part of my success.”
Jeff Vorva is a contract reporter for the Every day Southtown.
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