Marc Narducci: Cherokee's Quick making father proud

Cherokee senior Ronson Quick has always been able to straddle the difficult line between competing with ferocity and showing dignity.

Quick was recently rewarded for his hard work when he accepted a basketball scholarship to Assumption College, a Division II school in Worcester, Mass.

Now the 6-foot-6, 238-pound bull of a power forward and center can concentrate on his senior season.

There have been many impressive aspects of Quick's game, but the most impressive one might be how he carries himself on and off the court.

He is an introspective athlete who hasn't worried about being in the limelight, even though his play has put him there.

"I just look to stay within my limits and play hard," Quick said.

That about sums it up.

He would much rather talk about his team accomplishments, about being a starter on a South Jersey Group 4 championship squad as a sophomore and again on last season's team, which shared the Olympic Conference's rugged American Division title with Lenape.

Quick said it was nice to have the recruiting decision lifted from his mind so he could concentrate on his senior season. He had a good mentor in the recruiting process: his father, Mike.

You might have heard of Mike Quick, the former five-time Pro Bowl receiver for the Eagles who is an analyst on their radio broadcasts.

"Talking to my dad about things really helped me during the process," Quick said.

The ex-football star becomes a beaming parent when discussing his son.

"He worked hard and is a real good kid," Mike Quick said. "Maybe sometimes he is too serious about this business, but I am very proud of him."

Ronson does take everything seriously, including his demeanor on the court. He would rather see the Eagles lose to Dallas than to showboat during a game.

"He is a hard competitor, but I have never seen that kid in the least bit show anything but respect for referees, his coaches and the opponents," Washington Township coach Bob Byatt said. "He will battle hard and show good sportsmanship."

What a testament from an opposing coach.

In a way, Ronson has the same demeanor on the court as his father, who also just went about his business.

Ronson has also created his own athletic niche, which isn't always easy when your father was an icon in this sports-crazy region.

What surprises some when they see the younger Quick is that he has never played a down of organized football. Sure, there have been people who have tried to persuade him, but the nudging never came from his father.

"When I was younger, I was always bigger than kids my age, and I would have had to play [football] against kids two and three years older," Ronson said. "And my dad didn't want me to do that."

Instead, he immersed himself in hoops, and while there was never any hint of braggadocio, the younger Quick let out a hearty laugh when asked what age he was when he began routinely beating his father in one-on-one.

"He probably thinks I still can't beat him," Ronson said, laughing. "I don't think he can hang with me anymore."

That is the extent of his bragging.

Quick hopes to keep developing his perimeter game and become a combination small and power forward in college.

"He uses his body well, uses both hands well, and can now step out and shoot the three," Cherokee coach Ron Powell said. "He's done so much to make himself the player he is."

Quick said that all facets of his game needed work, but that he was not afraid to put in the time. And the results have shown.

"During his sophomore year, we didn't mind if he drifted outside, but now you can't let him do that because you have to respect him out there," Washington Township's Byatt said.

Anybody has to respect Quick for the way he carries himself on the court. And as a scholarship recipient, he has been justly rewarded for representing his school and South Jersey in an exemplary fashion.