NORTH ANDOVER – For many athletes, they grew up as stars in their hometown, constantly hearing about the impact they’ll make at their high school down the road.
Not Bryan Gyorda.
Growing up in North Andover, Gyorda wasn’t seen as one of the top up-and-coming players in town.
He heard it all – that he didn’t have the length, he didn’t have the energy, and he simply didn’t have the skill.
However, instead of taking all the doubt and putting basketball down for good, Gyorda was determined to prove the naysayers wrong.
Through consistent work and late nights in the gym, Gyorda has developed into becoming a floor general for North Andover, starting on varsity for three years, and doing it all on the court.
“I have been dealing with being an underdog throughout my basketball career,” said Gyorda. “I use it as motivation to keep getting better. I think that with all the hard work I have put in, I don’t see myself as the underdog.”
As the senior neared the end of middle school, that’s when he caught the attention of Scarlet Knights coach Paul Tanglis, who knew he had something special brewing.
“As a middle school player, you could tell that Bryan really had potential,” said Tanglis. “What really separated him was his work ethic. He just kept getting better year after year. I think that often gets overlooked, just going out everyday and getting a little bit better.”
Like many Scarlet Knights have in the past few years, it was Zach Wolinski that Gyorda closely followed his game after, analyzing how the former North Andover star was able to excel consistently.
“I have always watched Zach Wolinski and how he plays the game,” said Gyorda. “Whether it’s how he handled the ball or how he is as a teammate, I think Zach is a great player to model aspects of your game after.”
Gyorda may not be a flashy player tearing up the stat-sheets, but he knows what it takes to win and get better, and that’s what Tanglis credits to his exceptional growth over time.
“Bryan is self-motivated, he is the type of kid who is going to succeed at anything he does, no matter what he is told,” said Tanglis. “His leadership, work ethic, and coachability are all traits that would translate to the next level collegiately.”
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