Pride’s Sosa is Player of the Year

By Mario Sarmento
SPORTS EDITOR

Grandview Prep boys basketball coach Joe Dawson knew from the beginning what he had in Isaac Sosa.

“He came here last January, and all last year the he played on the second team, and the second team would always beat the first team, and it was all because of him,” Dawson said. “So we knew he was special.”

Sosa proved to be everything Dawson thought he was from the beginning of the season, leading the Pride in scoring at 19.5 points per game, while adding 6.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game.

Grandview Prep had the finest season in school history, as the Pride started the season 16-0 and went 28-1 on their way to the state championship game.

Sosa usually played his best in the biggest games. In Grandview’s only loss of the regular season, an 81-75 overtime setback to Class 6A Boca Raton High, Sosa was one of the best players on the court, scoring 27 points.

In the Class 1A regional final against Miami-Choice Learning, Sosa missed five straight shots in the second half, then buried a three-pointer to give the Pride a one-point lead with 13 seconds left. Grandview went on to the state final four for the second straight season.

“I’m very grateful for the way I played this year,” Sosa said.

He started playing basketball at age 6 in his native Puerto Rico, trying to emulate the moves of his idol, Michael Jordan.

But Sosa knew if he was ever going to get the proper recognition in the game and earn his way to college, he would have to play in the States.

“I knew this was the best opportunity for me to go to the next level,” Sosa said. “I knew that in Puerto Rico it would be a lot harder.”

Sosa enrolled at a prep school in Wisconsin last year, but it closed down. Fortunately for him, his good friend was Grandview Prep senior Carlos Parra. Parra recommended the school to Sosa, and he transferred last January – too late to help the Pride on its final four run.

That’s what made the way this season ended all the more tragic.

Following the win over Choice Learning, Sosa gathered with his teammates for the postgame meeting, but he found he could not sit down because he was in tremendous pain.

Saint Andrew’s trainer Craig Ashley, on loan to Grandview, diagnosed the problem as a fractured testicle, and Sosa was taken to the hospital for emergency surgery that night. He would be unable to play in the Pride’s next two games.
Dawson and Sosa’s father were in the room with him all night, and then Dawson had the difficult task of breaking the news to his players.

“It was very emotional, and it was hard on the team,” he said.

Sosa had surgery Sunday and was released Monday. Against doctor’s orders, he traveled to Lakeland to support his teammates.

“He believed in us, that we could still do it,” Dawson said.

The Pride eventually fell in the state title game, but Sosa is proud he had the chance to play for Dawson.

“Probably the greatest coach I’ve ever had in my life,” Sosa said. “His philosophy on the game, and the way he treats his players, and the way he cares about them off the court and schoolwise. You’ve got to do things the right way.”

Dawson in turn said, “At this school, he’s probably one of the best that we’ve coached at this point.”

Coming to Grandview has open up the world of possibilities Sosa expected. He has talked to FIU coaches and has visits scheduled to Hofstra, Radford, Old Dominion, UAB and other schools. He said he won’t make a decision about where he wants to play until later.

“Wherever he goes he’s going to have a great career because his work ethic is tremendous, he’s a great student and a great kid,” Dawson said.

“He’s going to be successful wherever he goes.”