Boys' Latin guard Watson picks Boston University for hoops

EVEN IF BASKETBALL is somehow outlawed worldwide, Maurice Watson will still be found next school year at Boston University.

Attending every class. Showing up on time. Earning excellent grades. Finding a way to add chunks of community service.

Watson shows those highly desirable traits right now at Boys' Latin Charter - has even received a mayor's award for 'em - and he's not about to change.

But, yes, this is the sports section and BL Wednesday morning staged a news conference, highlighted by loving support, emotion, a video presentation and acknowledgment for all who have helped to guide him and mold him, because Watson, a 5-9, 160-pound senior guard, plays some serious hoops, and because the time was nigh to announce his college decision.

Following an introduction by CEO David Hardy and speeches by mom Charlena, dad Maurice Sr. (BL's coach) and athletic director Joe Dunn that outlined Watson's climb and put his career/character into perspective, the young man they call "Doo-Wop" stepped behind the podium and delivered his own poignant comments. (Among them, talking about Sr.: "He's an example of a father, not just a dad.")

Then, he ripped off his Warriors' warmup to reveal a BU T-shirt, tugged on a matching red hat and - hey, check out the generosity - tossed shirts and/or hats to his parents and brothers, Tymir, 14, and Tyreese, 10.

All the while, 75-odd people stuffed inside a conference room - maybe 20 held aloft cellphones to shoot pics and/or video - loved every moment.

Hardy cited Watson's "extraordinary character" and how he "accepts everything we're trying to do here; embraces it." He finished his stint by shaking Watson's hand and telling him, "Thank you for all you have done for our school."

Mom noted her son had begun his basketball journey at age 4. By age 8, Dad added, a basketball mentor in West Philly, Mike Carter, had identified Maurice as "The One" and soon was putting him through training sessions lasting as long as 4 hours.

Despite the 1,659 career points, and nibbles that had gone back to his freshman year, Dad said Son entered the summer with only one scholarship offer (Rice). Thanks to bang-up performances on the AAU trail for Team Philly, coached by Kyle Sample, the number mushroomed to 18; most Ivies were also involved.

"In June, it was, 'Why isn't my phone ringing?' " Son said. "Two weeks ago, it was, 'God, I hope my phone stops ringing . . . I want to get my number changed.' "

Ultimately, Watson, whose Final Five also included La Salle, Virginia, Niagara and Hofstra, chose BU now because he kept asking himself why he had not.

"I could look at the other schools and say why I wasn't choosing them," he said. "I couldn't come up with any of those reasons for BU. I wanted a school where I'd want to be even without basketball. I love the people and the school and that city. It reminds me so much of Philly. And I have friends on the team."

BU's coach is ex-Villanova assistant Joe Jones and the roster includes five Philly-area products - DJ Irving (Carroll), Mike Terry (North Catholic), Chris Kurz (Penn Charter), and Travis Robinson and Dom Morris (both Friends' Central). Irving, in particular, was influential.

"I was thinking how would I go there and get playing time if he's only going to be a junior?" said Watson, who plans to major in communications. "But he wanted me to come. When a guard who's playing the same position wants me to come so bad, it shows how much they really want me."

Watson doubted, he added, that Jones had missed any of his summertime AAU games.

BL, preparing for its fourth year of Public League competition, is located at 56th and Cedar, in a building that formerly housed a Catholic grade school, Transfiguration. The Watsons recently moved to Lansdowne, but Doo-Wop grew up nearby at 59th and Addison.

Now, he's the school's crown jewel, and that was very much in evidence Wednesday. As was the spunk so prized by BU.

"I was told constantly that I was too small," he said. "People always doubted my potential to be an effective player. However, my strength and determination always kept that fire burning inside of me."