Ex-Laurel High Coaches Aid Howard U. Hoops

Keith Coutreyer, the former Laurel High boys basketball coach, is now the associate head coach at Division I Howard University.

And his role recently included scheduling. A former player at Columbia Union [now Washington Adventist University] in Takoma Park, Coutreyer was instrumental in lining up that Division II school to play at Howard on Monday night in men's college basketball.

And that plan almost backfired.

"I almost fired him," Howard head coach Kevin Nickelberry said, jokingly, after Monday's game at the recently-renovated Burr Gymnasium in Washington, D.C.

That is because Washington Adventist led, 36-24, late in the first half and threatened to pull an upset against Howard, which is a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).

But Howard's depth and size took over in the second half as the Bison rallied for an 83-63 win over Washington Adventist.

"We are a work in progress, both in the building and with the team," said Coutreyer, who had about 20 friends from his college days who attended the game.

Howard has five freshmen on its roster, including former Largo High standout Brandon Bailey and Prince Okoroh, who played at Eleanor Roosevelt in Greenbelt.

"We are around each other all the time," Bailey said. "We go out and have fun. We are like brothers. It is good to see brothers come together."

Another freshman is Brandon Ford, a product of Gwynn Park High. "The game is way faster. That is the biggest difference," Ford said of the college level.

The Owls, who have played Division I teams in the past and started four seniors, got 18 points from senior point guard Jamie Newton, who grew up in Laurel, and 10 from senior forward Brandon Washington, a former Laurel resident who graduated from Pallotti Prep.

"I have been through ups and downs. I have been through wins and losses," said Washington, who transferred to Washington Adventist after one year at Widener University in Chester, PA.

He is majoring in physical education and hopes to one day play pro hoops overseas. His former Pallotti Prep teammate, Ryan Cook of Laurel, is now on the men's team at Maryland, Baltimore County. Washington's brother, Eric, also played basketball at Pallotti Prep before graduating from Reservoir High in Howard County.

Newton, who grew up near Laurel Regional Hospital, played through injuries, including a banged up left knee, against Howard. "My speed diminished as the game went on," said the 5-foot-7 guard.

Coutreyer is not the only former Laurel High head coach on the Howard staff.

Also in his second season is volunteer assistant Antoine Gaither, a former Laurel High guard who played at Gettysburg College. Gaither played for Coutreyer at Laurel and then followed him as the head coach for the Spartans in 2008 when Coutreyer became an assistant coach at Hampton under Nickelberry. Howard was 6-24 last year but should improve on that this year.

"Coach Coutreyer has always had me under his wings," Gaither said after Monday's game. "I am trying to progress with those guys. There is a lot more excitement [this year]. We are trying to put substance on the court. We are one of the flagship programs here. It is an exciting time to get on the ground level and try to build something up."

When Nickelberry got the head job at Howard before the 2010-11 season, Coutreyer came to D.C. from Hampton. Coutreyer played at Columbia Union when Nickelberry was a coach there and graduated from the school in 1992. Coutreyer led Laurel High to the Class 4A state semifinals before heading to the college level.

Another assistant coach for Howard is Travis Lyons, who played at DeMatha Catholic in Hyattsville.

"Our freshman class is all basically local talent," Gaither said. "We made a strategic plan to recruit the local area hard. Bailey is an energetic guy. He always comes in looking to make a play. Ford is just a solid player. He is a great defensive player. As they progress their minutes will progress."

Even if those minutes come against a Division II school where Coutreyer used to play.