It was in 2014 that Catholic men’s basketball coach Steve Howes drove up to New Jersey to watch a high school all-star game.
Howes was there to watch a possible recruiting target and on the trip took along his son Michael, who is now 13.
One of the players Howes wanted to see was Jay Howard, a four-year player at Paul VI High in the Garden State. But Howard had a rather quiet first half, spurring Michael to ask his father why they even bothered to fight traffic for four hours.
Early in the second half, however, Howard in rapid succession made a 3-pointer, drove to the basket for a field goal while getting fouled and then slammed down a dunk.
Michael Howes was suddenly impressed. “This is why we took the trip Michael,” the father told his son.
Four years since that game, and after attracting attention but no scholarship offers from Division I Delaware, Bucknell and Navy, Howard is entrenched as one of the all-time stars at Division III Catholic.
A four-year starter, Howard became just the third player in Catholic history to go over the 2,000-point mark in his career and the first in 41 years.
He was a preseason All-American as a senior and the Landmark Conference player of the year in 2018 for the Cardinals, who ended the year Feb. 21 with a loss in the conference semifinals.
“He is the most humble superstar I have ever had,” said Howes, the Catholic coach since 2004. “He is also the most unselfish superstar I have ever had. If he is not a first-team All-American they should rescind the voting privileges for everyone on the committee.”
Those accolades from Howes are significant. As the head coach at Good Counsel High, he helped develop future Virginia and NBA player Roger Mason, Jr., and Chris Monroe, the all-time leading scorer at George Washington University who had a long career in Europe.
Now the 6-foot-4 Howard could be embarking on a pro career as well — which is not common for Division III products.
Howard, who averaged 23.6 points per game this season and 19.6 in his career, entered Catholic with plans to join the military after college. But after his junior year, he approached Howes and told his coach he wanted to try to play pro basketball.
Howard is slated to graduate after this semester and then he will attempt to become the fourth former player for Howes at Catholic to play in the pros at some level. The others are Chris Kearney (2009-13), who played in Spain; Pat Dwyer (2003-07), who played in England; and Bryson Fonville (2012-16), an All-American who has played this season in the NBA G-League with the Texas Legends.
“That is definitely my goal, to be playing somewhere,” said Howard.
“Jay can play in the G-League. There is no doubt in my mind,” Howes said.
If pro ball in North America doesn’t work out, Howes feels he could have a long career overseas.
Howard said he has no regrets about his college choice. He could have walked on at a Division I school and had a scholarship offer to Division II Claflin in South Carolina.
“I had a great time at Catholic all four years. We were very successful all four years. I got to experience the NCAA tournament my first two years,” he said. “Catholic definitely taught me about leadership and the person I am today. I think my first couple of years I didn’t say much. They wanted me to be more vocal.”
There were unique rewards at Catholic, thanks in part to the connections Howes has. There are photos in the Cardinals program of Howe with, individually, several big-time coaches: Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs, Mike Krzyzewski of Duke, John Calipari of Kentucky, and others.
Along the way his mother, Jackie Clement, attended every one of his 108 college games, she said from her home in New Jersey. He will play in the Division III all-star game in Salem, Virginia, the weekend of March 17.
“I knew if I … applied myself I would be successful,” Howard said. “My mom always stressed to me growing up you have to keep your grades up. That was very important.”
He has made an impression, on and off the court.
Michael Howes, the coach’s son, became so enamored with Howard that a photo of the hoopster is on the teen’s screen saver.
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