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As Liverpool High School struggled against North Rockland in Frederick Fowler Jr.’s sophomore season, the guard answered the call in a pivotal Final Four matchup.

Despite Liverpool falling shy of a championship, Fowler excelled, tallying 14 points and five rebounds. The loss stung for head coach Ryan Blackwell, but he said he knew he had a special talent in Fowler. Meanwhile, then-assistant coach Preston Shumpert’s confidence in Fowler skyrocketed.

“There was a lot of pressure on him as it was a playoff game, but he just brought his lunch pail and worked hard as hell,” Shumpert said. “I think he really stood out to me in that game as I knew he had the potential to be something special.”

Fowler became Liverpool’s top scorer as a junior following his breakout as a sophomore, averaging 12.4 points while leading it to a 21-3 record. Now as a senior, Fowler will try to lead Liverpool to its second Class AA Sectional Championship in three years after it fell just short last season.

Fowler’s passion for basketball is still rising, but he’s been a basketball connoisseur since he was 4. Fowler’s mother, Deanna, recalls watching Fowler dribble around the house for hours on end. In first grade, he played competitively for the first time at Broward Church in Syracuse. Not understanding the rules, Fowler scored on his team’s own basket. While it was an embarrassing moment then, he didn’t let the mistake lower his confidence.

Throughout elementary and middle school, Fowler continued progressing. The guard started playing AAU basketball when he was 11, serving as a precursor for his experience on Liverpool’s junior varsity team as a freshman. After a successful freshman campaign, he was promoted to varsity.

“Varsity was always the objective for me,” Fowler said.

Before Fowler’s sophomore season, he sat down with Blackwell to discuss his goals for the year. His mindset was to have no regrets, and work to make sure his coach chose the right guy.

Frederick Fowler burst onto the scene as a sophomore at Liverpool High School. Now, he’s looking to lead the Cobras to their second Class AA Sectional Championship in three years as a senior. Photo courtesy of Frederick Fowler

Blackwell pointed to Fowler’s high IQ and unselfishness as two of his most noticeable qualities as a player. But both he and Shumpert, who took over for Blackwell after he departed to join Gerry McNamara’s staff at Siena, feel Fowler’s tenacity stands out the most.

“Frederick has an unbelievable motor,” Shumpert said. “A lot of guys have a motor offensively as they want to score, but defensively and rebounding, his motor is always going.”

“He’s going to guard you and not let you breathe,” Blackwell added. “His motor is nonstop, he’s relentless and quick to the ball.”

Fowler’s drive has led to his success as a rebounder. He was second on the team in rebounds as a sophomore, behind just Andreo Ash, a 6-foot-7 forward.

“I think he was our leading offensive rebounder because he has a knack for the ball and is in the right position,” Blackwell said. “He moves his feet, and he’s a tough little pitbull on defense.”

Blackwell compared Fowler to a younger and shorter Russell Westbrook on the court, complementing his unrelenting play on both ends of the floor. The coach said that one of Fowler’s only setbacks is his height, standing at just 6-foot-2.

Fowler has been a consistent scorer and rebounder for Liverpool for the last two years, but not every game has been smooth sailing. Against Nottingham High School in his sophomore year, the guard scored just two points, contributing to the team’s 66-48 loss.

Though this was a humbling experience for Fowler, he used it as fuel for the future rather than dwelling on past miscues.

“I played terribly the whole game, even my coaches told me they never saw me play that bad. The hardest part about that game was, ‘How do I respond and fix those mistakes?’” Fowler said.

In Liverpool’s next game at Baldwinsville, he notched 10 points, four rebounds and four assists in a blowout 72-43 victory, setting the tone for a strong finish to the season.

Whether it’s in JUCO or D-I, Fowler hopes to continue playing basketball after he graduates high school. In the meantime, however, Fowler’s eyes are set on winning another championship.

“My goal is to put Liverpool on the map and get us a state ring,” Fowler said.

Published on December 9, 2024 at 12:45 am

sabrod@syr.edu