ROCKINGHAM – Malik Flowers has been named the Official Richmond County Male Athlete of the Week presented by McNair Auto Sales. In his third season as a member of the Raiders’ varsity basketball team, Flowers has made a seamless transition from “the system” to first-year head coach Donald Pettigrew’s defensive-oriented program.
A consistent point scorer for the Raiders, Flowers has helped fill the gap of losing post player Xavier Pettigrew (to lingering injury) and has had three solid performances to earn him this week’s nomination.
Name: Malik Flowers
Age: 18
Year: Senior
Winter Sport: Basketball
Position: Power Forward
Years on Varsity: 3 years
Height & Weight: 6’4”, 190 lbs.
Experience: 12 years
RSHS Academics: Just last week, Flowers began his final semester as a student at Richmond Senior High School. With graduation just around the corner, he’s taking several classes to help launch him into post-secondary success.
Currently, Flowers is taking Honors English IV, Microsoft and PowerPoint, Automotive and Physical Education. He’s an A/B honor roll student who has an interest in attending college in the fall. When asked what his favorite class at Richmond has been, Flowers noted a class he’s not currently taking.
“My favorite class I’ve taken was American History,” Flowers said. “To me, it’s easy and a fun (subject) to learn. What I like best is being able to learn the history of events, especially during World War I and II and the Vietnam War.”
RSHS Sports: Flowers, like so many featured Richmond athletes, participates in sports all year round. During the fall, Flowers lined up in the secondary for the Raiders football team playing free safety. His senior year was his only year at the varsity level, and said playing for head coach Bryan Till was “cool” and a “great experience.” As a freshman and sophomore, Flowers played on the ninth grade and junior varsity teams, as well.
But perhaps most impressive is Flowers’ ability on the track and field team. A staple of the Raiders’ program since he was a freshman, Flowers participates in three events: the 110-meter hurdles, the 4X2 relay (first or third leg) and the high jump. He noted that he enjoys all three events, but likes the “high jump the best.”
“When I was a junior, I made regionals in the high jump,” Flowers explained. “I had to jump a 6’2” to make it. And in 10th grade, I made it to regionals in the 110-hurdles. Both were really good experiences for me.”
Hobbies: When he’s not at practice or school, Flowers can still be found on the basketball court. He explained that one of his favorite things to do is play pickup basketball games with his friends. Also, he enjoys playing his PlayStation 4 online with his friends. Some of his favorite games are Call of Duty, Madden and NBA 2K.
But what he may spend his most time with is working on his faded orange 1983 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. Given to him by his grandfather, Flowers has made working on his car a hobby he enjoys.
“When I first got the car, it was in rough shape,” Flowers said. “We had to put a whole new windshield on it. And I sanded and primed it, too. I’ve had to freshen it up.
“Right now, I’m putting a new carburetor in it,” he continued. “I’ve always enjoyed this as a hobby, and I’m interested in engineering. Working on my car allows me to get into that.”
Interesting Fact: Who doesn’t like a little extra money in his pocket? For Flowers, his interesting fact entails his desire to collect and turn in loose change.
“I like to collect loose change,” Flowers said with a chuckle. “I don’t go looking for it – but if it’s there, I’ll pick it up.”
Flowers noted that he’s not one to go flipping couch cushions or sift through pockets to find change. But over time, he said, it tends to add up.
“I started throwing all my change into a jar,” he explained. “Once it got about halfway full, I took it to the bank and it ended up being almost $250. And I’ve been doing it ever since.”
College Aspirations: Flowers is still in the middle of applying to colleges, but says he has a particular interest in North Carolina A&T in Greensboro.
“I want to study mechanical engineering,” Flowers said. “I think it’d be cool to build things like engines and robots. I’ve always been a good math student, too.
Along with mechanical engineering, Flowers said he’d like to integrate computer programming into his studies.
“I visited N.C. A&T, and I like the school,” Flowers noted. “When I was there, I saw the engineering department and it looked good. It’s also a top engineering school and program.”
In terms of college athletics, Flowers said he’s considering pursuing playing. While he hasn’t received any offers, he said if the opportunity arises to play any of the three sports he participates in at Richmond, he’ll go for it.
Mentor: For his mentors, Flowers chose two people who have influenced his ability to play basketball, as well as made a positive impact on his life. He chose his cousin TJ Watkins and former teammate Jalen Terry.
“My first mentor is my cousin TJ Watkins,” Flowers said. “He’s a couple years older than me and he’s always been taller than me. So, when I play against him, I have to hit the hardest shot to beat him. But he’s helped me with basketball and made me better.”
Terry, who Flowers played on the same team with during his sophomore year, plays basketball at Guilford Technical Community College in Jamestown, N.C.
“I remember watching Jalen play when I was a sophomore,” Flowers said. “He plays the game so hard and he influenced me to play the same way.”
Player of the Week Stats: The Raiders basketball team is coming off a pretty strong stretch of games over the last week. Richmond finally notched its first and second wins of 2018 when it defeated Jack Britt and New Life Christian Academy last Friday and Saturday. Flowers’ performance in both games helped the Raiders build some momentum and confidence.
Flowers’ biggest performance last week was his 13-point showing against NLCA. He and teammate Malik Stanback led the team-high in points, and Flowers hit several clutch free throws during the fourth quarter and overtime period to pick up the win. Over a three-game span, Flowers has combined for 24 total points and played tough on defense, swatting several shots away in each game. He scored six points in the team’s win against Jack Britt, and five in the loss to Pinecrest.
Describe what your senior season has been like so far. What’s been the best part of your season?
“Well, our season has been a rollercoaster,” Flowers admitted. “But now everything is working well; momentum is going our way after two wins in a row. Coach has picked up the intensity in practice. And the harder we work in practice, the more it pays off in the games.
“The best part of my season has just been being around the team,” Flowers explained. “We’re all related, all brothers. I enjoy spending time and playing alongside them.”
What have you learned most under head coach Donald Pettigrew?
“Coach has put a lot more focus on defense this year,” Flowers said. “One thing he always says is to not slap the ball. So, I’m working on my defense.
“We spend at least half of every practice working on defense,” Flowers added. “And that is helping round us out as better (basketball) players.”
Coach’s Corner: Head coach Donald Pettigrew has been opened to saying that his players have made the transition from the last couple of years’ “system” to the program he’s putting into place. And Flowers is one of the best ones to adapt and make the change.
“Malik is a great kid, and he has the demeanor of his granddad,” Pettigrew said. “Malik does so many things for us – he blocks shots, gets rebounds. He’s a player, he plays hard and doesn’t complain about anything.
“It’s been a blessing to have him for three years,” Pettigrew added. “He played ‘the system’ for two years. But now he’s learning the game and running sets. He’s adjusted and getting better from the beginning of the year. He’s making progress because he’s so athletic and a role player.”
