Hannan point guard Grant Kemp now a state champion with college ball in sight

The Archbishop Hannan Hawks won their first ever state title in boys basketball Saturday, defeating top seeded Liberty for the LHSAA Division II championship.

This feat capped off an excellent season for the Hawks, who finished with an overall record of 27-8. One of the most impressive aspects of this team is the young talent that they possess.

Head coach Errol Gauff’s squad only has two seniors lon his newly-crowned squad. One of those seniors is point guard Grant Kemp, who has recently announced his commitment to playing at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland.

The 5-foot-10, 155-pound Kemp is the definition of a distributor and loves to set up his teammates to succeed on the court.

“The best part of my game is my IQ and vision of the court. I can get the ball where it needs to be at the right time to give my team the best opportunity to win.”

As a final example on the prep level of his own self-described game, Kemp put up seven points and 12 assists in Hannan’s state final victory.

As he makes the transition to collegiate basketball, Kemp wants to work on his body with weight training to make adjustment to the next level of competition easier.

“I want to work on gaining weight and getting stronger so I can battle bigger guards.”

Kemp averaged 12.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game. If he can put on some weight, he’ll have a smoother transition on the defensive end of the floor to handle stronger, more physical opposition.

No stranger to overcoming adversity, Kemp was cut from the St. Paul’s eighth grade basketball team. It did not affect his drive and determination to play.

“I trusted my faith in God and transferred to Hannan after the first semester because I had an opportunity to play for Coach Errol Gauff, a former college and state champion coach.”

The decision that has paid off for Kemp in spades, as he is now a state champion and a future collegiate athlete.

In four-year a tenure at Hannan, Kemp left a lasting mark on the program by passing many statistical milestones along the way.

“I am proud of achieving my personal goals of getting over 1,000 points, 500 assists and 500 rebounds. I am most proud of (achieving) my team goals of winning district all four years, winning a playoff game and making it to the state championship game.”

Very few get the opportunity to play basketball at the college level. Always a dream of Kemp’s, it soon becomes a reality on the NCAA Division III level.

“Washington College was my first choice because I really loved the coaching staff and team. It’s a great opportunity for me and a place that I want to spend the next four years.”

Kemp appears ready for the next stage of achievements both on and off the court.

“My goals in college are to get a degree, make friendships with my teammates, and get a banner hung in the gym.”

If he maintains his level of determination, it’s safe to say Grant Kemp has a bright future in college.