FEB. 14
PL PRELIM/DIST. 12 CLASS A SEMI
Masterman 69, Bodine 52
Pub Prelim/District 12 Class A Semifinal
   The Ambassadors came out on fire but left the game cold as ice. The Blue Dragons on the other hand were solid all through this contest. Leading the way in one of the biggest victories in Masterman varsity history is arguably the best player ever produced at the school- 6’6 forward Zahir Carrington. The tall and agile star was a force, especially late in the game with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 5 rejections. Although Carrington did impressively go outside and swish a trey, he is much more of a force closer to the basket. The future is clearly bright for the Lehigh signee as his best days are truly ahead of him. His most impressive move, in this game, was a back breaking one hand dunk off a Mike Mack  pass. Speaking of Mack, he is a perfect catalyst. Mack is aggressive on both ends of the floor and is pass first point man, in the truest sense of the term. Mack had 10 points and 10 assists. In the early going, Masterman trailed by as many as eight, but was kept in the game by outside sniper, Mickey McGuire, a zone busting junior. McGuire had the large Bodine crowd in fits, after he sniped two consecutive "trey balls." It is always comforting to see a Pub player that loves to shoot daggers. The Ambassadors have nothing to feel sorry about they had a good year. Guards Tyree Griffin (15 points, including two treys) and Lamar Jackson (13 points)  led their attack. The Ambassadors held a three-point led at halftime.
   Table Talk - This gym is so loud, my head is still spinning.

FEB. 10
INTER-AC LEAGUE
Episcopal Academy 69, Chestnut Hill Academy 46
   Well, of course I had to see that last regular season game in the Henderson-Elllington era in the Inter Ac league. The game was mostly boring but the superstar duo of Wayne and Gerald was impressive once again. Ellington totaled 22 points, 10 rebounds and 3 steals for the North Carolina man. Henderson totaled 22 points, 7 assists and 7 boards for the future Blue Devil. Mike Yocum, the perfect complement to this duo, added 10 points. One thing about Yocum that has to be commended is that he serves as bodyguard for both Gerald and Wayne. On one occasion, after a scrum for a loose ball, Yocum took exception to a cheap shot on Henderson. That may not seem huge to the causal observer, but to the trained basketball eye it is a very important part of the game. On a few sequences my heart did flutter. Ellington was undercut while trying an alley-oop. Henderson endured some physical contact that was close to excessive. (Word to CHA: I know you're joining the Inter-Ac in football. Don’t use basketball season as practice. Just kidding.)  The Chestnut Hill banner was carried proudly by guard Julian McFadden, who bombed home 26 points. Junior Malik Easterling played well early but faded badly thereafter.
   Table Talk - The CHA dance team is the best in the world . . . McFadden joined the 1,000 point club in the third quarter . . . Ironically CHA’s mascot is the Blue Devils like Duke and of course Chestnut Hill starts with the same two letters as Chapel Hill.

FEB. 9
PUBLIC LEAGUE A
Univ. City 57, Southern 54
   What can be said of the recent rivalry  between the Jaguars of University City and the Rams of Southern High School? In this installment, the Jaguars were able to extend their win streak in this series to four games, and were able to clinch the second seed out of the A Division in the Public League Playoffs. Okay, the game started with the Jaguars on a roll, point guard Aaron Stephens was creating havoc all over the court, and talented 6’5 wing guard Kenny Moore was doing the same. The Jaguars went out to a 14-5 first quarter lead. The Rams responded behind the play of 6’4 junior guard Ramone "Plastic Man"  Moore, who led the Rams on an impressive comeback. R. Moore is a crafty scorer and he also creates scoring chances for his teammates as well. After Ramone finger-rolled home a left handed layup, the Rams led 20-18 at the break. The Jaguars came out on fire in the second half, largely with Stephens in foul trouble. (Thrice during the game, an official gave fouls to the wrong number. Once a player was closer to the bench than the area underneath the basket and the referee changed the foul.)  Reserve guard Khalil Montague was huge with 12 points and 6 assists. Montague, a stocky guard, worked four perfect pick-and-rolls in a row, three times with guard Charles McKissick (7 points) and one with guard Khalil "June" Bookard (15 points) the Jaguars opened up a ten point lead late third quarter. The Rams again mounted a comeback -- this time, 6’2 wing shooter Daniel Weatherly (16 points, 4-5 on treys) got heated and the Rams begin to chip away at the lead. Down five, with only 1:28 left, R. Moore hit an absolute bomb to bring the Rams within two. The Rams applied pressure, which Stephens broke easily, and he found Robert Mosby for a layup. The Rams foul. Wait, an intentional foul is called. Mosby hit two free throws and then after a defensive stand, the Rams committed an unforced turnover. Kenny Moore drained two free throws for the Jaguars. Speaking of K. Moore, he may just be the most talented kid in the whole Public League. He is a junior but in all likelihood would qualify for an extra year under the PIAA standards. "Special K" had some marvelous - Billy Owens/George Gervin type moves but at times argued a bit too much, and had to be reprimanded by Coach Lou Williams. If this kid puts it all together, though - WATCH OUT. The Rams have another chance after a Jason Sabb ( 8 points, 0-8 from the line) layup plus the foul. After Sabb missed his free throw of the game, senior forward Bryheem Charity (10 rebounds) snatched the offensive rebound and scored a basket. The  Jaguars then received a clutch basket from Bookard. A short time after, another intentional foul was called and Stephens hit one of two from the line, then Montague hit two to ice this one. Coach George Anderson of Southern did remove his bench players because of their animation and "verbal disgust" over the officiating. He did not take any of his players off the floor and finished the game. (Correct move to me, the atmosphere in the gym had turned very sour.) Anderson, instead of his players, shook hands with Coach Williams of U-City and the players. Many Southern supporters stood outside the school, on the sidewalk, after the game in disgust, and luckily nothing hostile occurred.
   Table Talk- It was senior day for the Rams and they honored all of their seniors, giving them nice gifts and flowers. They had a nice ROTC team present the flag during the national anthem, and their cheerleaders performed at halftime… This season I have not made any comment about officiating. I just got tired of the e-mails and people stopping me at games and saying, "Lay off the officials.." So ……. I will not start with a comment on the officials in this one. (Wink)

FEB. 7
PUBLIC LEAGUE
FLC 74, Freire Charter 50
   Senior Day at Cunningham Community Center, and this one was over very early. Lots of highlights for the Bobcats and leading the way was …. . Yes, Malcolm Eleby, the 6’3 power, point guard for the Bobcats was impressive again. Twice he skied VERY high to send in rim-rocking dunks. What is most impressive about the talented lefty is that he can create for his teammates while also looking for his own offense. Eleby was on cruise control for 19 points and 8 assists. Every game that Eleby plays there is a likelihood that he will flirt with double-doubles, triple-doubles or quadruple-doubles. Malcolm just has that knack to fill up a stat sheet. But today is senior day and Malcolm is just a junior, so on to the fourth-years.  Sharif Bolton , a first year varsity starter, played well also with 8 points, 4 steals and 2 blocks. Bolton, as a freshman, was only 5-2 and has grown a full foot since he has been at FLC. Currently, he has played himself into a excellent pickup for many D-2 and D-3 programs, as he is just scratching the surface of the kind of player that he eventually be. Also, Bolton is very unselfish and most Division 2 programs could use a guy that knows how to pass the ball.  6’6 center Tyree Burnett was a force inside with 10 points and two thunderous rejections. Burnett lost over 100 pounds since he joined the basketball team at FLC and he could be a steal as well, because he is just scratching the surface of what he could be. Speaking of just scratching the surface; FLC sophomore Khalief  "Silk" Trawick -- 10 points, 7 assists and 5 steals.  Trawick and 6’8 junior center Dante Wooten were impressive. Trawick was 2-3 from trey and Wooten had three impressive slams. Wooten nearly brought the backboard down with a crazy dunk off a backboard pass from Eleby.  The play was hard to describe but the big guy sure got off the ground to hammer it home hard in traffic. The Dragons were not at their best as a key player was missing and they got off to a horrible start. One thing for sure sweet-shooting guard Pierre Lewis is a definite D-3 performer, I love his all round approach and effort. The Dragons will close their season with a match-up with Mastery Charter. The Bobcats on the other hand have an interesting playoff match-up before them. This year’s group of Bobcats have at times played beautiful  basketball mainly because of an unselfish, feisty and "We  Are Family" team feel.  Sometimes their unselfishness is reminiscent of the legendary 1996 Public League Championship team from Thomas Edison High.  Yet, despite all that wonderful basketball it could be a short playoff run for the Bobcats if they are not ready for the challenge.
   Table Talk - Senior day is so much fun.. Burnett, Bolton and manager Jamir Shaw received gifts from Coach Powell and were cheered on LOUDLY by FLC fans….

FEB. 6
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Gratz 59, Central 36
   Well, what a difference a year makes… Last year’s game was a true Public League Classic which was won by Central at Gratz. This one was won by Gratz at Central and convincingly. The Bulldogs have guards - Malik Alvin, Velton Jones, Steve Newton and Karl Howard - and they truly dominated the action for the Coach Leonard Poole. Alvin, an athletic lead guard, was a force by taking control at key moments. The UTEP signee is one "tough cookie." What I like most about the way Alvin played in this one was the fact that he was "money" from the free throw line. Malik was 8-8 from the line and he probably did not touch the rim on any single free throw. His fellow backcourters were just as impressive. Jones, a cool customer, with tons of BRASS controls the pace and emotions of a basketball game. Jones, only a sophomore, has that presence about him that you just cannot teach or attain, he just conducts himself on a basketball court like he owns every square inch of it. Velton’s numbers did not pop out (10 points, 4 steals) but the nature of his production did stand out. "V" is the type of player that puts the dagger in an opponent either with a great defensive play or key score. Newton and Howard came in and did impressive things mainly on the defensive end. Newton is top notch defender who can give scorers fits; he also added 7 points. Howard is an energetic player who can lift the emotions of his teammates with his energy, and both would be very good gets for D-3’s. The Lancers hung around until late in the third quarter. They trailed by only 12, and then the Bulldogs showed their mettle and went off on a 14-0 run in the span of 1:13 to end the third quarter. The Dawgs have that spurtability that Clark Kellogg has long professed about. In the blink of an eye they can bury a team. Inside forwards Ish McFadden (10 points) and Jamal Watson dominated the young Lancers. The Lancers however received a great performance from senior scorer Kenny St. George. The 6’4 combo guard found a way despite tough defense from several Bulldogs to score 28 points. His jumper is wet as rain and his savvy unmatched, D-I schools needing to add a guard could do no better than this kid. Fellow senior Rashiid Coleman had an off day but as always played hard and intelligent. Most D-3 programs are unaware of this kid but they are depriving themselves of a great player and great kid who would help them immensely on or off the court.
  Table Talk - Absolutely great atmosphere - Gratz and Central have some bad blood- but they teased and taunted each other in a very playful way. Gratz' female basketball players were among some of the loudest spectators….

JAN. 31
PUBLIC LEAGUE B
Strawberry Mansion 76, Communications Tech 75
   What a game!!!!!!!!! You could file this one under "why can't they all be like this…..?" The Knights and the Phoenix played a game that I know that I will be talking about 30 years from now. Early on the Knights received an inspired effort from junior forward Sean Griffin, who was hustling all over the court in somewhat haphazard fashion and helping the Knights to a 10-2 lead in the game’s early stages. The Phoenix responded instantly and took the game to 10-10 and 19-17 after the end of one period. Second quarter the Knights got a boost off the bench from senior guard Eugene Moss (10 in the quarter). Despite Moss’ efforts the Knights were down two at the half. The Phoenix then came out in the third quarter and established firm control. Junior forward Shyheem Satchell had 10 of his career high 20 points in the period. Senior point guard Jernardo "Jay" Lucas was effective on both ends of the floor as well. But the top dog at Communications is 6’5 wing forward Andrew "Scootie"  Randall (13 points and 15 rebounds.) Randall is strong, skilled and most importantly- MEAN. I often use this phrase -- his progress bears watching -- with Randall and that phrase should be in bold face because he has "man-child" potential (especially if he grows)  and he is only a sophomore. Honestly, Lewis Lloyd, a former Overbrook star who played in the NBA, must have played like "Scootie" as a youngster. Randall had a few key baskets and more than a couple times it seemed that his teammates should have done a better job of finding him during key situations. Anyhow the Phoenix opened up a 13 point lead and seemed to be coasting towards victory. Mansion would battle back again. This time it was led by senior guard Matthew "Moo" Johnson, who jammed  8 of his 17 points into the final stanza, and reserve guard Marcus Gilliland (10 points and 5 steals), who provided a big defensive help late in the contest. Johnson is the type of kid that every team needs, he is a consummate winner on and off the court. Mansion clawed back into the game in the waning seconds. With only 12 seconds remaining, the Phoenix got two clutch free throws from Lucas to extend their lead to 75-70. Then Moss pushed the ball hard up court and took a 25 footer - nothing but net. Timeout Mansion! 6 seconds remaining. On the ensuing inbounds, Communications guard Ben Whitt, a known sniper, was fouled and sent to the line with only 5 seconds remaining. Whitt missed the first, and then he missed the second, and the ball caromed off a Tech player and into the hands of Moss. Eugene dribbled hard to the three-point line and launched a 23-footer that hit nothing but twine!!!! The crowd, which was standing-room-only, flooded the court and swamped Mansion's players. Some CT observers thought the clock did not start properly. (Who knows? I’ve been watching a tape of the final sequence which was run by Channel 29 and it appears that Moss did get the shot off within five seconds. Wow!) Moss finished with 22 points while Griffin added 15 points, 8 rebounds and 4 steals. Another key Knight was senior ballhandler Stanley Williams, who although he did not have many stats, played a good floor game and generally did not turn the ball over. For the Phoenix;  Lucas had 15 points, 6 assists and 6 steals. Whitt added 12 points and another guard junior Najee Edwards provided some good defensive energy.
   Table Talk - What a large crowd!! They had signs and chanted in unison, and even went back to the 80’s and did The Wave… This was the Phoenix' first loss ever to a Public League foe.

JAN. 24
PUBLIC B
Dobbins 79, Lincoln 64
   "The Hank"  . . . If you like high school sports and have never been to "The Hank," shame on you. Today’s game was not the greatest display of basketball but plenty of energy came of from the players and the crowd, so a fun time was had by all. First off, both Dobbins and Lincoln have guys that can flat-out shoot so that always makes for entertaining hoops. Dobbins’ sniper, 6’0 senior guard Justin Hayes, was 4-7 on threes en route to 16 points. Lincoln’s mad bomber, Doug Tucker, was even more impressive with six threes en route to his game high 34 points. Besides being a deep shooter, Tucker has some athleticism and threw down one impressive dunk. Hayes, who probably can be a combination guard at the next level, is a state-school level prospect. The same can be said of Tucker. Besides the shooting display the most impressive overall player today was Dobbins’ 6’3 center Vincent Evans, who was a force on both ends of the floor. Evans totaled 29 points on 12-18 shooting and also posted 12 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 blocks and 3 assists. Evans does not have much lift but he plays hard non-stop and catches & finishes in close. The other key Mustang was junior point guard Tariq Timmons. Today, the tiny crowd favorite scored 10 with 8 assists and had plenty more oohs and aahs. When Timmons becomes a more seasoned floor general and reverts from playing to the crowd, he could be very good. Lincoln is entertaining also; they play 11 guys and like to go up-tempo. They must work on their ballhandling and passing, which are not the greatest, and that stung them in this one.
  Table Talk- I will reiterate: take a trip to the "Hank" it is just a special place.

JAN. 23
NON-LEAGUE
Bodine 65, Bok 57
   Bodine is on the right path. This game showed exactly why the Ambassadors have good guard play and improving big men. The guards are the headliners - sophomore Lamar Jackson and senior Tyree Griffin. Jackson, as usual, zoomed his way to 20 points. As a small guard Jackson does not waste time with the ball. He makes his move and attacks, which is very good basketball trait. Griffin, who is a chunky point guard, is helluva a clutch player. Griffin hit four key free throws late to keep the Wildcats at bay. Inside the Ambassadors have a classic late bloomer in 6’3 combination forward Justin Rollins, who tallied 18 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks. Rollins is athletic and active and it appears that he has just begun to scratch the surface. D-3’s need to check out Bodine because like other more prominent magnet schools late-blooming kids with grades are in supply. The other key Bodine performer was reserve forward John Hughes who had 6 points, 10 rebounds and drew two charges late when the Wildcats made a fierce comeback. The top two Wildcats were 5’10 guard James "Doobie" Jones who scored 22 points, most coming on impressive drives in heavy traffic capped by breathtaking layins. Jones should have attention from both D-II’s and III’s. The same can be said of 6’5 forward Gary Harris, who added 20 points and 10 rebounds. Harris often gets confused and drifts out to the wing but when he plays closer to the basket he shows his true skills; rebounding, finishing in close and short jumpers. Bok is in somewhat of  down year but were victorious in a showcase game in Lewistown, PA and may have a chance to play spoiler in a district playoff game.
   Table Talk - Not much attendance at Bodine. When the place is packed it is truly a hostile environment.

JAN. 21
PA SportsFEVER Challenge 9
Franklin LC 63, Johnstown 61
   Wow!!!!!!! I could end my report with that but instead I’ll begin with that word. Greater Johnstown Area High School is the top 3A school in Western PA, and they are the returning state finalists at that classification. To make matters even more complicated for the Bobcats it would be the second game without Head Coach Cedric Powell, and the first without lead assistant Barry Berkowitz, who had personal business to attend to. JV coach Gene Faulkner and William Wright, another assistant, handled the coaching duties. After a horrible start the Bobcats trailed by 10 at the half 28-18. Then in the early stages of the of the third stanza the Bobcats trailed by the count of seventeen; 43-26. Then a big defensive turnaround keyed by guards Kyle Sawyer (9 points, 4 steals) and Malcolm Eleby (20 points and 11 assists) brought the Bobcats back into respectable nine-point deficit at the end of the third quarter. The Bobcats continued the defensive pressure and Johnstown could not advance the ball past half-court on several possessions. Then on the other end, the Bobcats buried three big treys in a key stretch; Sharif Bolton from the right corner started it, then  (7 points) swished a left wing trey, finally then Sawyer hit the BIG trey from the left wing. All three treys were set up by Eleby. Sawyer’s bomb actually gave FLC there first lead at 57-56. Eleby would add a key basket on a driving lay-up, and it seemed like the Bobcats were on their way to victory. The Bobcats nearly gave the game away with a poor display of free-throw shooting. FIVE consecutive misses from the line. That led to Johnstown tying the game at 61-61 on a pair of freebies with 21.2 second remaining. FLC held for a final shot, a right wing trey from Sawyer was short but 6’5 sophomore Ryan White corralled the rebound and was fouled with 1.9 seconds remaining. White, the definition of a "silent assassin", drained two free throws and a last second heave from Johnstown did not connect. White was a two-way warrior as he totaled 16 points and 9 rebounds and did a fantastic defensive job on Johnstown’s 6’5 forward Derek Hoffman (24 points) headed to St. Francis (PA). Sawyer, yet another sophomore, might be the coolest customer in the Public League. I mean it seems like he has "ice water" in his veins yet he is a hell of a defender. Add Trawick and 6’6 Jacob Wasco, the Bobcats have four sophomores whose progress bears watching. Another key Bobcat is 6’8 junior center Dante Wooten, who played well despite some early foul trouble. The big lefthander hit a few jumpers, so his upside could be immense. Johnstown had been "smacking up" folks all over Western PA so I can end this one with WOW.
   Table Talk-Washington won their game by five, Imhotep lost their game by two but that was against powerful York Catholic and Prep Charter knocked off  Trinity Catholic.

JAN. 12
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Germantown 85, King 77
   File this one under bizarre. The Bears pretty much put on a clinic throughout the first three quarters. They led twice by as many as twenty-seven, 64-37 at the end of the thrid quarter, and 66-39 at the very beginning of the final period. After playing a horrific six minute stretch that was marred by selfish play, missed free throws and poor defense, Germantown was able to gather themselves and hold on after King got within five on reserve junior guard Marcus McQueen's three pointer with 1:15 remaining. The top Bear, to nobody's surprise, was 6'2 combination guard Tyrell "Smalls " Coleman, who tallied 27 points, 5 assists and 5 steals. Coleman, who may opt for JC or Prep school is a player. He can hit deep jumpers, blow by defenders, and set up teammates very well. Also, he is a hawk on the defensive end. Those skills being said, what he does best is draw contact, so when he fills out and can finish better in traffic I can see him being a Division I player. 6'1 inside force Elijah Clark mustered 10 points and 15 rebounds. Clark just goes inside and bangs bodies; it is refreshing to see a Pub player nowadays enjoy doing the dirty work. Sophomore  Khalief Mason is handling the point guard duties and has really progressed from when I saw him earlier this season. Mason had 11 points and 3 assists. Atheltic swingman Dwain Edwards was impressive as well with 17 points  (3 treys) and 11 rebounds. Germantown is in a good position to secure a playoff spot. It will be interesting as the team that played the first 24 minutes is very dangerous. The team that played the last eight minutes is hazardous to coach Otis Hackney's health.   As for King they have too much talent to be trailing by 27 points to any team, honestly. If you look at the Public League you can count on your hand how many teams have the kind of talent that King has. Yes, point guard is not the most stable position but it's not horrible either. When King made their great last "breath" push  it was obvious they could go very deep on their bench and bring in athletes. The top Cougars were seniors Darnell Moore (24 points, 19 in the final stanza) and high flying Dwayne Bradley (14 points). Another senior guard Brandon Holmes came off the bench and provided some defensive intensity as did McQueen. (7 points.)
  Table Talk- Decent turnout.  And the game did have some highlights, Bradley had a serious dunk in third quarter... Mason crossed over a few King players in one sequence and dropped a nice dime to forward Kelvin Campbell (14 points).

JAN. 10
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Franklin LC 61, Lamberton 56
   This was a competitive contest from opening tip to ending buzzer. The Bobcats made a key run at the beginning of the fourth quarter, when they took a three point lead and turned it into a nine point working margin, then they were pretty much in control from there. The Bobcats were led by junior guard Malcolm Eleby, who totaled 23 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds. Eleby, a 6'2 lefty, was very impressive. He skied for three dunks, but was really at his best when he would break his defender down and either create a shot for someone else or attack the basket strong. Horace "Pappy" Owens, a Pub legend at Dobbins and currently an assistant at La Salle, was on hand checking the game out and I suspect that he left impressed with Eleby.  His primary help came from wing guards - Sharif Bolton (13 points) and Khalief Trawick (11 points). Bolton, a 6'2 senior, added 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Trawick, a 6'2 sophomore, was 3-5 on threes. Both Trawick and Bolton are somewhat unselfish and that could help this club in the long run. Sophomore guard Kyle Sawyer added 6 points and some steady ballhandling for the Bobcats. Lamberton's Nafis Ricks is a problem!!!!! This kid is in all likelihood a Division I player. He has excellent ball control on his dribble, has an array of offensive skills and is not a  bad defender. Ricks zoomed his way to 31 points. His two large bodyguards/linemen 6'9 Marcellus Miller and 6'8 Leonard "Gooch" Chaplin had better than solid performances. Miller, who has to be in the 330-pound range, totaled 9 points and 13 rebounds. Chaplin another "Big un" had 11 points and 14 rebounds. The twin towers of Lamberton did an excellent job controlling the offensive and defensive boards. This game had a CLASSIC Pub stretch in the first quarter, First Eleby slammed home an alley-oop from Bolton. Then Ricks dribbled between two and then three defenders, making two stumble and one fall that set up a tough shot in the lane that Nafis swished. Then Eleby made a Lamberton defender fall with a move and found Trawick open for three, and that went in. Then Ricks again dribbled through two defenders (causing one to stumble) and drew a foul. If you have ever been to Cunningham Community Center, where FLC plays its boys games, you must know that the gym was amazingly loud after that sequence.
   Table Talk - Former Lamberton coach Mitch Kurtz was on hand helping out his former team.

JAN. 6
CATHOLIC LEAGUE
Judge 56, North Catholic 53
   Wow, a quiet storm took place from the 7:24 mark of the fourth quarter in this one and did not end until Hanif Edwards' left wing trey went awry as the buzzer sounded. Let me back things up a bit. The Falcons seemed to be controlling this game with ease as the third quarter began; in fact after an early fourth quarter basket they led by the score of 43-31. The Crusaders responded with a controlled offense that at times shredded the Falcons’ 1-3-1 zone. The leading Crusaders were seniors: 6’4 forward Jim Schule and 5’10 wing guard James "J.J."  Franklin. Schule, who is a step on the slow side, is an effective scorer because for the most part makes sound decisions and finds opens shots. Also, he competes non-stop. (In all likelihood he will be a good D-3 player.) Schule was cooking in the final stanza when he outscored the Falcons by himself, 13-12. Schule’s final basket came off a sweet baseline move around a defender to bring the Crusaders to within two with under two minutes remaining. When the Crusaders finally tied the score with under a minute left, on a pretty baseline drive and reverse layup from Franklin, it appeared that the Falcons were going to hold for the final shot. Guard Nate Edwards, a talented performer and a classy kid who had a miserable night, tried to split two defenders with roughly 15 seconds remaining. Guard Will Taggert, a pest-like defender, knocked the ball loose and fed Franklin for the layup. After a missed North shot, Judge senior forward Chris Schwartz corralled the rebound and was fouled. Schwartz made one of two with 4.5 seconds remaining. That set up Hanif Edwards' missed trey. Franklin, has a nice lefty stroke and his teammates, especially Taggert, know how to incorporate him into the offense. Schwartz and 6’5 center Arthur Livingston are warriors inside. I really like how Livingston makes sound decisions and crisp high-low passes. If I were a D-II, I might take a chance on him. Now for North, this club has talent and athleticism and is much better than this. Something tells me that in the long run, it would be better for this club to force the tempo -- yes, they turn the ball over but with some of the athletes they have they should let them play a little. 6’5 junior forward Chris Edwards totaled 14 points and  8 rebounds. Crowd-pleasing ball handlers H. Edwards and Andrew Pomager both shined as well. I would be scared to death to guard either H. Edwards or Pomager in the open floor because the likelihood of containing them is close to nil. In all honesty, North is really a "Pub" team.
   Table Talk - The legendary Hockey Puck was here and he made one comment to me that rings out. "When I was at Carroll, we lost the first three games in the league and then won the next 11".... This gym is just magical, the steps and the seats are all the same.

JAN. 3
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Dobbins 68, Straw. Mansion 66
   This was much more like the old Public League games that captivated me in my youth. Both Dobbins and Mansion have guys that can make shots and also neither team refrains from attacking on offense. The Mustangs came out inspired early and grabbed a quick 10-2 lead. The Knights would respond methodically inching closer, minute by minute until ultimately tying the score at 29 at the half on a three-pointer by reserve guard Doug Mathis. In the second half the Knights controlled most of the action taking leads of as many as eight points. Dobbins, however, would never flinch or blink, and just seemed very focused. In fact after Mansion’s two best players, Matthew "Moo" Johnson (passer) and Eugene Moss (finisher) connected on a HIGH RISING alley-oop with roughly 5:00 remaining for an eight-point lead, you could have expected the Knights, in front of their crowd, to cruise home. (The play was spectacular, Johnson appeared like he was going to take a "floater" in the corner but instead faked his defender out and threw a high lob in the air and Moss rose high to bring it down one handed in some traffic. People in the stands were going delirious). Dobbins calls timeout and goes to work inside and outside. Inside - 6’3 forward Vincent Evans made a big impression- with 20 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks. Outside- senior guard Justin Hayes- was a "problem" as he sniped 3-6 from trey and displayed a rather cool demeanor in clutch situations. Hayes' "off glass" trey tied the score at 61 with less than two minutes remaining. Then after a three-point play by Evans, the Mustangs seized control. Mansion reacted well, getting two key scores from late-blooming 6’5 forward Chaz Philpot on crisp passes from Johnson (19 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals). Mix in some timely free throw shooting by both sides and the score is 66-66 with 35 seconds remaining. The Knights forced a turnover and got a chance at a layup that rolled in then out and the rebound was snatched by small guard Tariq Timmons of Dobbins with 14 seconds left. After a timeout, Hayes broke down his defender and attempted a 8 footer that  did not leave his hand. Philpot had given great help on the play, but committed a foul. (Yes, some spectators thought it was a clean block; I don’t know, it was a bang-bang play).  With only three seconds remaining and with fans screaming intensely, Hayes drained both free throws. Johnson took a halfcourt shot, but it was just short. Hayes finished with 15, Moss also had 15 on 7-10 shooting.
   Table Talk - Hayes, Moss and Johnson all have pretty looking jump shots……..Timmons and another small guard Akeem Todd form a very good point guard tandem.

DEC. 28
SUNOCO TOURNAMENT SEMIFINAL
Bok 54, GAMP 52
   Bok prevailed after making a somewhat miraculous comeback from a 13-point, early-fourth-quarter deficit. That being said the kids from GAMP have nothing to be ashamed of. GAMP led for most of the game and opened up that 13-point led behind the play of 6’5 junior center Khiry Gordon and guards Stefan Thompson and Laron Byrd. Gordon is the best prospect on the GAMP roster. He's all arms and legs and is very active. He's on the frail side, though, but that should change and he might grow some more. Gordon likely had his best varsity performance with 12 points, 13 rebounds and 4 blocks before fouling out with 2:29 remaining. Thompson, a sophomore combination guard, had 14 points and Byrd, a freshman point guard, had 11 points and 4 steals. Add junior swingman Anthony Venafro (13 points and 11 rebounds), a tough-as-nails competitor who also fouled out, and GAMP could be something good next year. Bok completed a vintage Public League comeback with suffocating man-to-man defense, especially by keeping the ball away from Byrd, the primary ball handler. 5’6 combo guard Keith Williams gave Bok their first lead with a deep right-wing trey off a Antoine Whitted pass, with 1:18 remaining. Williams mustered 13 of his game-high 20 points in the final stanza. 6’5 forward Gary Harris has 11 points, 7 steals, 4 assists, and 8 rebounds. Often however he wasted too much time on the wing instead of playing closer to the basket where he is far more effective. However, Harris and guard James Jones (9 points) are a good bet for local D-3’s.  Bok had forged a three point lead late, then Byrd picked off an inbounds pass and raced for layup to pull GAMP within one with only 3.4 seconds remaining. Bok sixth man Andre Thompson hit one of two from the line and then a last-second heave from a GAMP player was unsuccessful. Overall, this match-up was not by any means marquee but it was a good game and had great neighborhood atmosphere.
   Table Talk- Bok coach Lloyd Jenkins was back on the sideline after a brief hospital stay, and we wish him all the best as he is truly one of the funniest coaches around… This tournament was a great  idea with mostly South Philly schools competing.

DEC. 22
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Southern 67, Bartram 53
   This match-up was really decided early and often on the glass. Southern was able to control the offensive and defensive boards throughout and even though the Braves made it very interesting late the Rams pretty much controlled this game from onset to finish. Leading the Southern charge were senior forwards Jason Sabb (21 points and 15 rebounds) and Bryheem Charity (16 points and 12 rebounds). Sabb has major hops and twice skied to bring down impressive dunks courtesy of  "lob" passes from smooth junior guard Ramone Moore (16 points, 4 assists). The 6’4 Moore is very talented and has an array of skills, but he has to get stronger and tougher to reach his quite considerable potential. The Rams led by as many as 12 in the late third quarter, but the Braves came back strong. 6’4 sophomore wing guard packed Novar Gadson packed 11 of his 15 points in the final quarter. Gadson’s left wing trey on a pass from heady point guard Antwine Tucker pulled the Southwest Philadelphia team to within four at 57-53. The Rams received a good bench boost from sophomore guard Anthony "Crip" Reese who made two key passes for key late scores that kept the Braves at bay. Reese has one leg that is slightly longer than the other, but plays gritty and could be a key addition to the Ram rotation. As I noted in a prior report, Bartram is very young. Gadson and fellow sophomores Clarck Dure (6’4 forward), Michael Edmondson (5’7 point guard) and Tyreese Wheeler (5’11 combination guard) all figure prominently in the rotation; they have a bright future. Coach Brett Oslon is very much animated and involved so future success will not be surprising.  Gadson, who is a herky-jerky lefthander, needs to refine his skills and develop more of a mid-range threat, but there are some serious Rasheed Brokenborough similarities. Seniors Tucker and Winston Robinson (15 points and 7 rebounds) are worthy of Division III looks.
   Table Talk- Shawn Sabb, a former Southern player and Jason's brother, was in attendance, Shawn is a junior college star at Independence College in Kansas… One Southern commentator told a Southern player, "Nice game but you did not do that against Neumann…"

DEC. 20
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Franklin 62, Olney 53
   This was a pretty close game throughout. The extremely young Electrons were able to get everything going in the third quarter. The Electrons were extremely resilient because Olney was able to stay close all game but could never really muster a tie or a lead. The Electrons were led by junior guard Sean Chennault (19 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists). Chennault stepped it up in the final quarter, scoring 10 in the final stanza, highlighted by a six for six showing at the foul line. There is much to like about Chennault, at 6-0, he uses crafty moves to get to the hole and finish in traffic. Also, Chennault seems to remain cool and calm. The Electrons also received a good effort from  6’4 sophomore center Brandon Penn, who tallied 13 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks. B. Penn had to contend with foul trouble. Also, senior forward Chris Penn, who went for 12 points before fouling out with 2:13 remaining in the 4th quarter. (For some reason, I forgot to ask if the Penns are related.) Smooth sophomore point guard William Kearse contributed 5 assists. Olney was close at that time. Senior forward Anthony Edwards, a 6’3 wide-body, was very impressive. Edwards totaled 24 points and 8 rebounds and had the Trojans knocking on the door late, at 55-51, when he fouled out with under two minutes remaining. Edwards is nimble for a kid his size, and he mixed drop steps and turnarounds to get his points. Even a mildly interested person would surmise that Edwards could have gotten more points if his teammates continuously looked to exploit his strength in the post. The Olney guards need more than a little work in that area. Olney could improve when Lamar Coney, a 6’2 combination forward with size like Edwards, returns from an ankle injury.
  Table Talk- Not much of a crowd maybe 75 people in attendance.

DEC. 10
NON-LEAGUE
Franklin LC 52, University City 41
   This contest was played at Northeast High School in the girls' gym. The Bobcats and the Jaguars both have "interesting" basketball teams. The game went quickly and I was surely glad for that because there was hardly any signs of atmosphere. FLC prevailed in large part to a suffocating defense that  limited the Jaguars to only 7 points in the final quarter. FLC was led by junior lead guard Malcolm Eleby who totaled 26 points. Eleby used good ball control, and a crafty dribble to set up medium range jumpers that he knocked down. In all likelihood, he is the top junior guard in the "Pub."  The next best Bobcat was 6’2 sophomore Khalief Trawick (one trey) who came off the bench to score 7 points and provided some good play on defense. Another key Bobcat is 6’2 senior guard Sharif Bolton who busied himself with 6 points. The Jaguars did not play well offensively, but their top scorer 6’4 (almost 6’5) sophomore Kenny Moore was able to crack double-digits with 10 points. Moore has intriguing possibilities, he has a nice first step and gets shots pretty much wherever he wants, however, today he did not do a good job of  finishing. Senior lead guard Aaron "A-Town" Stephens (a prime small-college target), had a rough outing he did manage 9 points and 4 assists, but he fouled out late with the Jaguars down nine. The Bobcats controlled the contest from there on in.
   Table Talk - Strangely in this small gym they were 3 officials for this game.

DEC. 8
NON-LEAGUE
Bodine 69, Bartram 60
   What  a competitive game this one was.  The Ambassadors pulled this one out over a new look Bartram squad in front of a full house at the Northern Liberties Recreation Center. (Maybe they should rename the gym- the loudest place on the planet.) Early on the Ambassadors trailed as the Braves took  an early eight point lead. Before long, sophomore guard Lamar Jackson led Bodine on an intense comeback. Jackson goes roughly 5’8 140 and he made MANY strong finishes in traffic while occasionally taking a hit. Jackson squeezed 14 first half points as the Ambassadors lead 34-32 at the half. Second half and more of the same from the Ambassadors, this time instead of Jackson handling the scoring, his backcourt mate Greg Brown did that chore to the tune of a game high 24 points. Brown played very smart and hit a couple of mid-range jumpers at key times as Bartram could never regain control. Bartram was within one with 3:31 remaining when a lane violation negated the tying free throw. Brown responded with a mid range jumper with a defender in his face. Then Bodine kept the ball in the hands of senior guard Tyree Griffin and he was extremely clutch, making six of nine from the line. His final miss came with the Ambassadors up three with 58 seconds left was tipped in by senior forward Justin Rollins (8 points, 7 rebounds) to provide some much needed breathing room. Rollins and junior forward Nick Mucerino (7 points, 3-3 from the floor) played well against a larger and more athletic Bartram frontcourt. Do not cry for the youngsters from Southwest Philadelphia, they have much talent and when that talent gets older watch out. Sophomore guard Novar Gadson, who goes 6’4, was impressive. Gadson, a lefty, has some Rasheed Brokenborough (former University City/Temple star) elements to his game, and it will be interesting to see how he progresses. Senior Antwine Tucker and sophomore Tyreese Wheeler (15 points) are a more than competent backcourt tandem.
  Table Talk- Bodine has a million cheerleaders and they are of course very good (and LOUD). As you could probably guess I’m on my second bottle of headache pills. Strangely enough I’ll take a migraine for a good game anytime.

DEC. 5
NON-LEAGUE
Frankford 79, Germantown 74
   This was a pretty good game, despite the fact that 48 fouls were called. The Pioneers won this one behind the effort of senior guard Lewis Leonard, who went to work for 38 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks. Leonard spent much of his childhood in Germantown and definitely did not want to lose to his neighborhood buddies. Leonard, the high riser, had two dunks. Leonard, the shooter, nailed back to back treys to erase a 61-61 tie and give the Pioneers breathing room late and hit 4-6 from the line with under a minute left to provide the final margin of victory. His most impressive individual play was a GREAT help defense block from across the lane in the early stages of the 3rd quarter.  Junior swingman Kenny Spotwood added 24 points and 8 rebounds as Frankford battled back from a ten-point halftime deficit.        (They began the game down 9-0). Frankford is young as Spotwood and Leonard are the two only true veterans. Sophomore point guards Malik Ballard and Steven Haynes have potential, the development of those two bears watching  because they are going to be key as Frankford tries to factor into the Public League and PIAA (4A) playoff and title pictures. This Germantown team is not loaded with athletes and/or ballhandlers but they play well together and that means a lot. Combination guard Tyrell Coleman led the way with 28 points and 7 assists. Coleman shot 16-23 from the foul line. Inside bulwark Elijah Clark had 11 points and 11 rebounds; he only goes about 6’1. Lefty shooter Leonard Travis added 13 points. Those three and pretty much all of Germantown’s playing rotation are seniors. That should bode well as they will play much more inexperienced teams this year.
   Table Talk - Can you believe that no fans were allowed. I mean some fans were there (mainly teachers and Frankford’s girls team.) What kind of asinine decision was that?

DEC. 3
BATTLE OF BROAD STREET FINAL
Franklin 57, Southern 52
   This was a whale of a game. The Electrons took control early in the third quarter and held on despite only making one field goal in the last quarter. The top Electron was again junior wing guard Sean Chennault. Chennault totaled 19 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. What I liked most about Chennault is that he is a leader and plays within himself (not going one on one at in opportune times). His primary playmates were also underclassmen -- 6'4 junior center Brandon Penn, who had 8 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks, and 5'7 sophomore point guard William Kearse, who added 12 points and 5 assists. The Electrons are extremely young, but I must say they play well together and are generally unselfish. Kearse and Chennault swished key free throws late to hold off the late-charging Rams. The Rams on the other hand let the game slip away from them because of poor defense and selfish play in the third stanza. Their most consistent performer was senior wing shooter Daniel Weatherly, who had 15 points and 4 steals. Acrobatic wing forward Jason Sabb did manage 17 points and 7 rebounds but I think even he will admit that he made some poor decisions with the ball in key situations and will need to be more of a leader for his team to have sustained success. Sabb did however have a play which could be a nominee for play of the year. (A sickening dunk over two Franklin players when he took off from the far right wing, switched hands in mid-air and stuffed it lefthanded.)  
  Table Talk - Franklin senior Darien Haynesworth hit a 50 foot bank shot at the end of the third quarter.... Not  a great fan turnout but I think this tournament has a bright future.

DEC. 2
BATTLE OF BROAD STREET TOURNAMENT
Southern 57, Central 49
   This was the first game of the Battle of Broad Street Tournament at Benjamin Franklin High. Southern High School  came into this one without a couple of  their regulars. However, the Rams did bring their  top scorer, 6’3 senior Jason Sabb, a talented wing forward. The Rams had a couple of nice components around Sabb, namely 6’2 wing shooter Daniel Weatherly and 6’1 inside player Bryheem Charity. The Rams overcame  an early fourth quarter lead by the Lancers. The Rams prevailed after applying a pressure defense that  rattled the very young Lancers into several turnovers late in the game. A Sabb two-hand dunk (from beyond the dots) with under a minute left capped this one off. Sabb is extremely acrobatic and makes difficult shots in traffic. I like how he seems to rule the baseline area. Charity added 13 points and 10 rebounds. He more resembles a middle linebacker than a classic Public League forward, but he gets the job done and that is all that matters.  Weatherly, a smooth lefthander, registered 15 points. Central, the defending Public League Champs, have lost a whole lot of offense, but return one of the Pub’s best in 6’3 senior guard Kenny St. George. (Coach Haviland Harper was not present). The Lancers, despite not having much scoring balance, did scrap and claw ahead for a halftime lead of 26-22. The Lancers also had a slight 37-33 lead after the 3rd Quarter. They did not react well to pressure defense and no other contributor besides St. George could manage any more than 6 points. St. George  shot 5-8 from "trey" and finished with 30 points on 9-14 shots from the field and 7-10 from the line.
  Table Talk - Sabb shoots with either hand, and I mean REALLY shoots with either hand. Even on jump shots. Both teams have do not have much height.
Benjamin Franklin 59 William Penn 37
  This game was very different from the Central-Southern tilt. Both the Electrons and the Lions had rosters full of players who were making their varsity debuts. Many of them were sophomores and juniors, so with it being early in the year, it had a little bit of a junior varsity feel. I did, however, like what I saw from the Electrons. The top Electron today was 6’0 junior guard Sean Chennault. Chennault was able to register 20 points, 7 assists and 3 steals. Chennault, a lefthander, executed about four perfect "pick and roll plays" with 6’3 junior forward Shah Warren, who had 16 points and 8 rebounds. The Electrons, like I suggested before, have a bunch of underclassmen and it will be interesting to see how they develop. The Lions are even younger than the Electrons as they started two seniors, one junior and two sophomores. Off the bench they were young as well. At least coach Tony Stephens, who was making his first appearance, showed a lot of passion on the sideline. Guards Quincy Sampson and Curshawn Banks reached double figures with 12 and 10 points each. Hopefully, in time, the Lions will improve considerably.
  Table Talk- A large amount of props are deserved for Franklin Principal Mr. Johnson, Coach Gainey and their staff it was really good to see the effort in having a tournament like this (at night with rival schools) in the Pub. Also, as the night progressed and the crowd came out (not large but substantial), there were no incidents . . . Big Franklin lineman Steven Parr kept the clock for both games. He is a funny kid.