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BOYS BASKETBALL: Relentless in Defeat, Darius Frazier Primed to Lead Germantown Friends

By Dylan Lutey Photos: Ryan Nix, 02/02/23, 6:30PM EST

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Photos: Ryan Nix

By: Dylan Lutey, Germantown Friends Jr. Reporter

Most Improved: Darius “Champ” Frazier’s relentless effort and intensity on the court, along with his tremendous work ethic off of it, has led the junior combo guard to take an immense leap.

PHILADELPHIA – The game is over. The gym became empty and lifeless. Whatever fans that were in attendance in hope of an upset on Jan. 17th were gone. George School’s height and talent, featuring 6’9 Xavier commit Kachi Nzeh ‘23 and 6’4 guard Christian Bliss ’24, who has multiple major Division 1 offers including an offer from Villanova, proved to be too much for Germantown Friends. The Cougars prevailed 80-51.

There were still a couple of strong individual efforts for the Tigers including one from Darius Frazier ‘24 which featured the 6’3 combo guard knocking down a tough pull-up jumper against Nzeh, using a tough spin move to get to the rim, and showing no fear by attacking the big man and getting him into early foul trouble.

Despite the effort, the game was over by the end of the third quarter. As the fourth quarter began, reserves started coming in for the Cougars. The score was 67-34 and everyone in the gym from coaches to players to refs wanted one thing in common: the game to be over. With 4:26 left in the fourth quarter and a 71-38 deficit, both teams lined up for a pair of free throws. The intensity in the gym was gone. There was no more energy or life, except for Frazier. No matter the score, Frazier can always be seen bringing his own energy and intensity.

With the score at 71-38 senior point guard, Jaden Palmer-Waldron went to the free-throw line to shoot two. He made the first. Then as he got ready to shoot his second, Frazier got in a low stance - sweat dripping down his face - and as soon as the ball was released from Palmer-Waldron’s hands, Frazier attacked. He relentlessly fought for position until he started to get around the opposing player. From there he leapt and fought with the opposing forward for the ball, which hit the front rim then the back and finally ricocheted into the air for anyone to grab.


Germantown Friends junior Darius Frazier #1 - PSD Photo by Ryan Nix

After a deflection or two the ball ended up deflecting off a George School player. It didn’t go down as an offensive rebound, the score didn’t change, and no one will remember this quarter of basketball, let alone this single possession, but this possession epitomized Frazier’s hustle, heart, and determination.

In a 33-point game, Frazier fought like the game was on the line. This single possession was a perfect example of Frazier’s attitude throughout a season full of ups and downs - no matter how big of a deficit, how big the current losing streak is, or how bad he may be shooting the ball, Frazier will always continue to fight.

At 6’3, Frazier, who transferred over from St. Joe’s Prep, re-classed to the class of 2024 when he came to GFS. He lives with his mom, four little brothers, and his cousin. Gary Mills, who is a part of the Germantown Friends basketball program, played a big role in bringing Frazier to the Tigers.

“One day I was at a tryout for BW Elite and Gary Mills happened to be in the bleachers. At the tryouts, he talked to me and said he liked my game, my defensive intensity, and how I was playing in the tryout. He talked to me, he told me about Jordan [Dill ‘26] and he thought that it would be really good for me to come and play with him,” said Frazier.

However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Frazier in the beginning. There were plenty of concerns with his demeanor on the court and his tendency to try to do too much. Head coach Shawn Werdt understood Frazier was put in a tough spot.

“I think Darius just had to grow as a player and with experience came growth. He came from St. Joe's Prep where he wasn't getting a whole lot of varsity action and then we threw him into the deep end,” said Werdt.

This is one of the many areas where Frazier has improved. A telling stat is, during the first half of the season Frazier was averaging almost three turnovers per game and during pre-season play, he was turning the ball over at least 4-5 times a game. During the second half of the season, he averaged less than two turnovers per game.

“He has made leaps and bounds of growth [in this area],” said Werdt.


Darius Frazier #1 - PSD Photo by Ryan Nix

When Frazier first entered the program there were also question marks with his attitude and demeanor on the court. At times it seemed like he didn’t want to be there or easily lost focus.

Frazier acknowledged that at the beginning he had a hard time adjusting to his new team which contributed to his tendency to look lost at practice.

“I feel like at the beginning of the season, it was just a little hard adjusting and understanding the coach's dynamics and the team dynamics. I feel like coach Shawn used to get on me a little bit, but now I kind of know how he acts and how he gets,” said Frazier.

Frazier’s improved attitude and work ethic has impressed Werdt.

“He's shown incredible maturity from April till here we are in February. A lot of that's just becoming older, becoming more mature, getting comfortable with his new teammates, getting comfortable at GFS and within the community. I think all of it's just coming together,” said Werdt.

The mental lapses are now far fewer and when they do occur, instead of being detrimental to the team in critical situations, it offers some comedic relief to a team who has had its fair share of struggles this season. For example, during a 73-46 league win against Moorestown Friends, Frazier was on a fast break with a wide-open path to the rim and he had three options: convert the easy layup, give his teammate Amir Staten ‘23 his second dunk of the game, or try for his first dunk of the season. Werdt would have been perfectly happy with either of the first two options. Of course, Frazier wasn’t going to choose either of the first two options. He proceeds to take one power dribble in preparation to leap for the dunk, however, that’s when the problem occurred. He lost control of the ball and it went out of bounds. This wasn’t the first time he tried and failed at a dunk attempt, however, this one was arguably his worst. Without even looking at his head coach, he walked himself straight to the bench full of teammates and assistant coaches laughing uncontrollably. One person wasn’t laughing - Werdt.

When asked about Darius's dunking, Werdt replied, “No comment. Hands over my face,” then proceeded to laugh.

“Now there's no question that he can dunk, but his success rate in games is not great right now. I’m a bit squirmish when it's a close game and he has a breakaway. I would much prefer him to take the [easy] two points at this point,” said Werdt.

Another area where Frazier has made a noticeable improvement is the free-throw line. During the first half of the season, it was a real struggle for Frazier at the line and this struggle became more and more noticeable due to the fact he was attempting almost five free throws per game - the second-most free throws per game on the team - shooting just 46 percent. However, during the second half of the season where he was still attempting almost five free throws per game, his percentage was at 60 percent. For the season he is now at 53 percent.


Darius Frazier #1 - PSD Photo by Ryan Nix

“I have to give credit to my man Gary Mills. He really just helped me with my release point. I have realized it's the little things. The little things in the game can make a big difference. That made a big difference toward the second half of the season,” said Frazier.

Along with his free throws, Frazier’s jump shot has been another area the junior combo guard has continued to work on and has seen improvement. Frazier's offensive game mostly consists of fast break opportunities, second chance opportunities, and opportunities around the rim coming off curls and cuts to the baskets. To become a true two-way player, he understands he will have to develop a more consistent mid-range jump shot.

“I think it just gives you another option because me personally, I think I get stuck on the fact that I feel like I could drive on anyone. I feel like nobody can stop me from getting to the basket, but when you got the mid-range, it is easier to stop and pop. If you see two defenders, it gives you other options and keeps defenders on their toes and it adds to the quality of your game,” said Frazier.

Throughout the season, Frazier has shown the potential to have a knockdown jumper in various games. In a close 54-59 loss to Cristo Rey, a team that features multiple Division 1 prospects including Lafayette commit Josh Wyche ‘23, Amari Dow ‘24, and Devin Booker ‘25, Frazier knocked down two tough jumpers. His first came off a pass from Staten where Frazier caught the ball, faced the basket and knocked down a 15-footer over the 6’7 Wyche. His second jumper of the game was even more impressive. After Wyche whiffed on a steal attempt, 5’10 guard Amir Nelson ‘25 picked Frazier up. After taking Nelson down to the corner with a couple of dribbles Frazier hit Nelson with a clean snatch-back crossover then calmly drained the 15-foot jumper. His head coach would love to see him develop a reliable jump shot to add to his “college ready” skill set.

“I mean he's a great athlete. He's a gym rat, which I love about him. He absolutely should [add a consistent jumper]. His goal should be to play college basketball in another year,” said Werdt.

Frazier also intends to develop a 3-point shot.

“You know, I know it's important for me and my game. I know I can shoot, so I want to come back early next season knocking them down,” said Frazier.

He also understands he will have to earn the trust of Werdt who isn’t too keen on Frazier attempting shots behind the arc at this time.

“I know coach Shawn doesn’t always like me doing that,” he chuckles.

However, as with anything he does, he plans to put the work in, so he can earn his coach’s trust. Overall Frazier is looking to become a dominant force on the court.

“The area that I'm most looking to improve in is probably just my dominance in the game. I just want nobody to be able to stop me. I want to be a great finisher. I just want to be dominant in anything I do. When it comes to driving, shooting the mid-range, trey balls, or rebounds, I just want to be dominant in what I do,” said Frazier.

In multiple games this year Frazier has shown signs of the potential he has to totally take control of a game. In the very first game of the season, Frazier went head-to-head against Jaren Morton ‘23 a talented 6’5 college prospect. Frazier ended the game with 16 points and 6 rebounds along with four and-one opportunities in a game that went down to the wire, which ultimately ended in a 66-70 Tigers loss. He also did it on the defensive end holding Morton to 0 for 4 from the field against him.

In a tough 84-87 loss to Overbrook, he put up a monster stat line of 18 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 blocks, once again showing off his two-way and playmaking potential. In another heartbreaking 68-72 loss to Dobbins, Frazier put up a season-high 30 points and 7 rebounds while also knocking down a three. In these two games, Frazier’s sheer force and relentless attack proved to be too much for his opponents. Lastly, in one of the more heated games of the season against Friends’ Central, Muhsin Muhammad ‘24 who transferred from Germantown Friends made his return back to his old school. Although the game ended in a lopsided 44-68 loss for the Tigers, Frazier had another solid game putting up 12 points and 4 blocks. Two of these blocks came on the same possession against Muhammad much to the delight of the crowd. Another one of these was an impressive snatch block where Frazier showed off his athleticism by jumping and snatching a shot out of mid-air. These performances provide a sneak peek of what is still to come in Frazier’s senior year.

In addition to his improved play, Frazier looks to continue to improve as a leader. Frazier being the only junior in the starting line-up is preparing to become a senior captain. He takes more of a lead-by-example approach and wants his teammates to know how much he cares about the team. He hopes others feed off his passion and intensity.

“I've tried to be a leader with my energy, intensity, and passion, and show them [his teammates] how important winning is. The energy, intensity, and passion along with my overall willingness to fight in the game. [I] fight until the buzzer is over because I just feel like the game isn't over until it's over, no matter what the score is. Even though we haven't been winning these games, showing them how much it means to me. Also, I need them to see that I hate losing and they should hate losing too,” said Frazier.

That is one thing that is for certain - he hates losing. After a rough 49-64 loss to Abington Friends, which was a highly anticipated match-up with a large crowd at hand, I received a text at 11:30 p.m. a couple of hours after the game, which read: “I am watching film tonight.” In addition to his work ethic on the court, he is also a student of the game. He is always watching film to see what can be improved and is also willing to look at the game from a statistical perspective to understand why things are the way they are.

Freshman guard Jeremy Turner commented on Frazier’s impact on and off the court.

“He's a leader all around, a leader on and off the court. He is very vocal. He holds himself accountable which allows him to hold others accountable. He is a true leader,” said Turner.


Special shoutout to Germantown Friends senior Dylan Lutey, who has been contributing as a PSD Jr. Reporter for the Tiger's coverage of the 2022-23 basketball season! We thank you for all of your hard work! - PSD Photo by Ryan Nix

As the season is coming to an end, there are no days off for Frazier. He plans to hit the weight room and continue to get shots up in the gym once the season is over. During the upcoming summer, he plans to stay with the BW Elite AAU team, where he will be playing in tournaments on the weekend and hitting the gym during the week. Basketball won’t be stopping anytime soon for Frazier who was introduced to the game at a young age and simply loves it.

“Basketball is so important to me,” said Frazier. “That's the only thing that I've done all my life. Basketball is my first love. I grew up playing basketball in the neighborhood. I played basketball before school, during recess, after school, and every day in the summer. That's the only thing I ever thought about. I just knew I loved it at an early age. Basketball is the only thing I really see in my future. That's the only thing that makes me happy.”

To someone looking in from the outside, Frazier’s general demeanor and the way he carries himself might not impress. He may be found sleeping on the bleachers before practice and has also become known for taking 10-15 minutes just to change into clothes for practice. On game days he may look apart from his team due to his outfit - Amiri jeans, a Moncler jacket, and some sunglasses - which contrasts the school-issued sweatsuits that the rest of the team is wearing. However, as soon as he steps between the lines, his passion and relentless pursuit of the ultimate goal, which is winning as many games as possible, takes over. No matter how he may appear outside of the court, don’t be fooled, Darius Frazier is the heart and soul of the Germantown Friends basketball team.