Shooting their shot: Graziani brothers play their way into CCHS basketball history

BY KYLE NELSON

On a Monday morning in 2007, five-year-old Dallas Graziani and seven-year-old Dylan Graziani are awoken by their father at 5 a.m. before school.

The two brush their teeth, lace up their Air Jordan basketball shoes and rush to the garage for dribbling and shooting drills. After shooting 100 free throws each, the two change and ready themselves for the day ahead. Basketball, school, basketball. Still covered in sweat, their father, while pinning his police officer badge onto his shirt, reaches down and grabs their shoulders.

“You guys are gonna be some of the smallest guys on the court, so that means you have to work the hardest.”

The Graziani brothers have never forgotten these words.

With both of them topping off at 5 foot 7 inches, they have always had to focus on playing smart and strategic basketball. Currently in their 2017-2018 season, sophomore Dallas leads Cooper City’s team in scoring and senior Dylan leads the team in rebounds, steals and assists. Averaging a combined total of 31 points per game, the Grazianis are a force to be reckoned with.

“You guys are gonna be some of the smallest guys on the court, so that means you have to work the hardest.”

Basketball is a family practice in the Graziani household. Their father played at the collegiate level and still plays in local men’s leagues today. Their aunt is a CCHS alum who was a starting point guard at the University of Miami for all four years she attended.

In the past, the two attended Everglades High School before transferring to Cooper City in the fall of 2017. While this is Dylan’s last year of high school and he wants to make sure he leaves his mark, he’s more interested in enjoying his last year playing with his brother.

“We started playing travel basketball when I was in fourth grade and he was in second,” Dylan Graziani said.  “I love playing with my brother since this is probably the last year I’ll get to do it… I’m just loving every second of it.”

The two have been playing travel basketball since early elementary school and have been coached by their dad every season.

“My dad definitely has always pushed us, putting us through drills and rebounding for us,” Dallas Graziani said. “He is always pushing me and making me better every year.”

While CCHS basketball coach Eric Kapel has only coached the Graziani brothers for their short time at Cooper, he has seen a tremendous change in the team’s maxim. Since coming to Cooper City, the Graziani brothers have brought the team from a 9-14 record in 2016-2017 to 20-2 in the current 2017-2018 season. Off the court, their impact on the team has far surpassed what happens on the basketball court.

“They [the Graziani brothers] have brought [the] work ethic, accountability and leadership that it takes to build a great team,” coach Eric Kapel said. “That hard work has fed to the rest of the team and we have multiple kids coming to voluntary workouts and doing their own trainings on the side.”

Dallas is a sophomore who has seen his fair share of challenges. He has consistently been played well above his age level for his entire basketball career; as a freshman, he began as a varsity shooting guard. Dallas scores 17.6 points on average, which is well above the national average.

 “I love playing with my brother since this is probably the last year I’ll get to do it… I’m just loving every second of it.”

“Dallas doesn’t say much, but his confidence in himself is about as high as I have ever seen,” Kapel said. “He truly believes every shot he takes should go in, and for that reason he makes a ton because he shoots it with confidence… He plays every second like he hates to lose more than he loves to win, and that attitude will take him far in life.”

Meanwhile, Dylan has quickly found his footing in basketball despite his short time at CCHS. At games, he can be seen motivating other players and setting them up for shots he could take himself. Dylan is ranked second in the state in assists per game, which is a true testament to his ability to read the court and understand the strategic side of basketball.

The Grazianis and their father practice basketball everyday, no matter the workload or the exhaustion level. Whether it be from a long day at school or a 12 hour work shift – there are no excuses in the Graziani household.

The extent of their dedication reaches far beyond what fans see on the court. The Grazianis spend countless hours working on ball handling and shooting. The two live the ideology of taking no breaks –  during a vacation to New York, the brothers had Kapel find them a gym so they didn’t go too long without practicing shots.

Throughout all the trials and tribulations, the Graziani brothers constantly strive to be the best.

“For my entire life it’s been my best friend [Dallas] and me on the court, my dad coaching and my mom in the stands cheering us on,” Dylan Graziani said. “Basketball really is our family.”

Photo by Sabrine Brismeur