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Amauro's Corner Return to TedSilary.com Home Page Amauro "Amar" Austin is
another of our trusty observers. He is not to be confused with Ruben Amaro,
the Phillies' assistant general manager. Like "Huck" Palmer,
Amauro is a West Catholic graduate. He will file reports on the MANY games he sees. |
MARCH 8
PIAA 4A STATE PLAYOFF 2nd ROUND
York Catholic 45, Prep Charter 43
What a disappointing end to what has been the MOST
disappointing Public League season probably ever. It has indeed been an abysmal
season and this game was no different. The Huskies lost to a team that they had
no business losing to looking at the numbers and the other kids stature, but YC
played with heart and composure and stole this game despite being out-rebounded
by prodigious 6-8 soph. F-C Markieff "Big Twin" Morris 16 (Team 45) to
15. Morris settled for 8 points and didn't get the touches he should have gotten
throughout. he could have easily had 20 & 20. PC's only double figure scorer was
6-5 jr. swingman Rodney Green went for 12 points. He also snatched 11
boards & plucked 3 steals. No one else played at their best and that's the
reason for this loss. Sure the officiating stunk (I still have that smell in my
nose.) and a guy who probably never makes foul shots sank two with 1.6 seconds
left. He also never should have gotten the rebound to get the foul shots and
didn't look like he was touched on the follow, but in my honest opinion, it
should have never come to that point. PC was 10 to 15 points better than this
feisty bunch and in fact if they played 9 more times PC would probably win all
of them. You guys already heard the story of what happened so I won't even go
there. I just hope that over the next few years, the Pub finds away to get
adjusted to the PIAA which is not suited to the City game. It can happen with
the right things being put in place. I STRONGLY hope that happens. I'm already
sick and tired of the Suburbanites snickering and second-guessing the Richer
than Rich history of City Hoops.
AA's Notes: Not much to say. Its been a sad year. One thing is for
certain and that's that Dan Brinkley's crew will be back for the next few
years to come and with a purpose next time. All three of his best prospects
return and they'll only be better and hungrier plus there are some other
youngsters with size and skill in his fold that will get better as well. Danny
summed it up by saying that, "Our kids must realize the importance of the State
Playoffs. For now they see the Public League as the cake and the states as the
cherry on top." I couldn't have said it better. The states have to take more of
a precedence before we can truly move forward. Sure there will be teams in the
future that do well, but we want dominance in all sports and the right way is
the only way to achieve such lofty goals. It can happen as I said above, but
only by putting the right things in place. I'm a VERY optimistic person so I
believe it can -- even in Football or Baseball, but it will not happen overnight
or with the way our league is currently governed, just some food for thought.
Come on PL brass, you said change was good, now make the changes we truly need
to make the change from City only -- to City and State. And I thought I didn't
have much to say. Thanks for listening all... Next and last up will be my end of
season notes. They'll be a little less controversial as the Mid season ones, but
they'll state a few things that I feel that need to be done for us, the
prestigious city of Brotherly Love to become king of the state...
MARCH 5
PIAA 4A STATE PLAYOFF 1st ROUND
Frankford 69, Harry S. Truman 60
Well the Pub now plays deep into March and Frankford assured
themselves a date with Whitehall on Wednesday after basically dismantling the
very athletic Truman Tigers of Bristol/Levittown, PA. The Pioneers used a
balanced attack led by soph. G-F Kenny Spotwood (13 points, 10 rebounds &
4 assists). He played hard and with poise/sense throughout. Jr. G-F Lewis
Leonard had an off night (4-for-16 & 6-of-10), but still managed 14 points
and 12 rebounds of his own. He also made for the play of the game after pinning
a Tiger's dunk attempt high to the backboard (REALLY HIGH!) and snatching it off
in one motion. Sr. PG Ryan Smith controlled the tempo with 6 assists. He
also buried two straight treys in the 3rd quarter to keep the Tigers at bay. Sr.
reserve G Alfred Thomas hit on 5-for-6 (3-of-4 on treys) for 14 points.
6-5 Freshman F Malik Tinsley grabbed 8 boards. Sr. handyman Lamont
Brown did his usual with 4P, 5R, 3A, 2S & 2B. Truman's charge was led by
their backcourt of sr. WG Joe Thomas (20 points) & jr. swingman Tyrone
Lewis (27 points). Lewis shot 4-for-18 from the field, but nailed 19-of-27
from the line (more on that later). The Pioneers will travel to Governor Mifflin
hs in Suburban Reading to take on the District XI Champ, Whitehall of Suburban
Allentown. The Zephyrs are led by tiny, yet extremely tough sr. PG Jason
Greene who is headed to D-I UMBC who is coached by one of our own Roman
Catholic alum Randy Monroe, and are thought to be a better version Holy
Ghost Prep-type team. Remember HGP handed Frankford one of their 4 losses this
season.
AA's Notes: Now on Lewis. T. Lewis is a very good player and plays
an aggressive brand of ball, but going to the line 27 times (16 in the 4th
quarter -- when they were down trying to come back is even more absurd) is
absurd. And that may be an understatement. Overall the officiating at the games
I saw this weekend was atrocious against the Pub teams. Its bad enough that our
kids don't understand how important that these state playoffs really are, but
this is even worse. Central's Scott Rodgers fouled out after being called
for 4 charges. Gratz' fouls out-numbered PW's by 19. These are supposed to be
playoff games so why are they being called so tight and why does it look so
one-sided. The saying goes that looks can be deceiving, but to count that I must
use another cliché in that where there is smoke, there is also fire. PW and
Truman are year in and out two of the more aggressive teams in District I which
probably works against them in terms of officiating, but it sure worked for them
in the first round of the states. Just Food for thought... And by the way: I've
seen PW about 7 times this year and feel they deserved to win Saturday's game
against Gratz. They were the better team, but let's give the kids a fair
shake...
FEB. 15
PUBLIC LEAGUE QUARTERFINAL/AA TITLE GAME
E&S 62, FLC 53
What a game this was! This was a top-flight Public League
game/atmosphere. It was all of intense, competitive and physical -- the marks of the PPL
over the years. E&S won this one by being resilient and playing from buzzer to buzzer.
There were many heroes and many key sequences. Let's start here: The Bobcats controlled
the first half for the most part by causing TOs and scoring in transition, yet the
Engineers still only trailed by 2, 27-29. The Engineers took command in the 3rd as the
Bobcats went ice cold from the field starting the period 0-for-7 not scoring until the
3:00 mark on a breakaway lay-up by jr. G Brandon Williams. Let's move on to the
late 4th quarter. We were on the seesaw for the most part the entire 2nd half and were
tied at 49 when at the 1:33 mark 6-5 sr. SF Marquis Coates (11 points, 6 boards, 2
assists) buried a trey on a pass from so. F Darrell Mills to give the Engineers the
lead for good. Coates had ironically done nothing almost all game long after nailing a
trey for the game's first basket. He also nailed 5-of-6 at the line to close the Bobcats
out. Mills was huge going for 17 points (7-for-7 from the field), 8 boards & 2 dishes.
Sr. F Rodney Norris was also very important with 11 points (4-for-4), 9 boards
& 3 assists. He may have been the game's most important factor with his presence. It
seemed that he was literally the only "Man" on the court. Every time he touched
the ball in the low post, he was doubled. You would think that his blend of super strength
& super athleticism would have more of an impact on the game at this level, but I bet
it surely will at the next when every player's talents are used to the fullest. Jr. PG Andre
Murphy scored a quiet 15 & dished 3 assists while battling the Bobcat guards hard.
Sr. G-F Fred Gresham went for 8 & 7. The Bobcats were once again led by
their backcourt of 6-2 so. PG Malcolm Eleby (14 points, 6 boards, 6 assists
& 7 steals) & Williams (22 points, 3 assists & 4 steals). Eleby was a killer
in the first half, but struggled down the stretch. I LOVE the lefty's overall skills,
competitiveness and feel, but he's still a puppy and does baby-like things at times. Next
year, he'll be much different and much more effective because of experience. Williams
plays with unmatched intensity and has the eye of the tiger. He's as pesky a defender as
they come. Sr. insiders PF Will Logan (8P, 5S) & 6-7 210-lb C Denis Delli
(5P, 6R) needed to give more as the Bobcats were out-rebounded 31-18. Next up for the
Bobcats is a state road date at the District III #1 Seed who will probably be Milton
Hershey.
AA's Notes: Here's a weird stat: The Engineers shot a sweltering 22-for-36
from the field and had a +13 advantage on the boards, but turned it over 23 times...
E&S is on a serious roll since dropping a double overtime thriller to DVC. They've
knocked off Imhotep twice and now FLC. Prep Charter will be an even tougher task which
should make for a pretty good game... Coach Cedric Powell tells me that Delli is
starting to get some solid interest. I am pleased to hear that. If I were a D-II and had
the liberty to do so, I'd take him and red-shirt him. His best basketball is ahead of
him... Finally, I must have been color blind all these years as I swore that E&S wore
navy blue and gold, but those Unis are surely black and gold. However, what some of you
may not know, is that the official school colors are brown and gold. Coach C.M Brown
changed the colors unofficially over 15 years ago because in his words, "The brown
was kind of tired." Coach Brown is one of the best. He's as classy as they
come...
FEB. 10
PUBLIC LEAGUE ROUND of 16/AAA TITLE GAME
Bok 58, Mansion 57
Can it be any better than this? For the 13 years that I've been around
the Public League, I haven't seen a year that was as weak as this one in terms of quality
of play, but there is always one bright spot with the League and that is the always
exciting PL playoffs and once again the 1st round produced a huge upset as the Wildcats Cory
Moultrie nailed a contested 25-foot bomb at the buzzer to crush Mansion's City &
State title hopes in heart-breaking fashion. Let me set the scene. Bok had jumped on the
Knights from the outset leading by as many as 13 during the 1st half and by 11 at
halftime. The Knights stormed back in the 2nd half, ironically when Moultrie was out with
4 fouls, to be down only 2 after the 3rd. The Knights pushed harder to start the 4th and
controlled the quarter throughout going up by as many of 4, but the final minute and a
half was magical. At the 1:17 mark, sr. PG Marquise Salley (8 point on 4-for-20,
but 10 boards & 4 assists) drove hard to the right for one of his patented running
jumpers to tie the score at 53-53 and in the mean time gain the respect of the Mansion
hecklers who were on him all game long as he struggled. At the :57 mark, sr. WG Dominique
Nixon nailed a deep jumper from the right corner to give the Knights a 55-53
advantage. Butler then missed and off balanced short jumper and Mansion's sr. G-F Leon
"Squeek" Rollins rebounded and was fouled at the :29 mark. He made the front
end of the double bonus and missed the second. Sr. G-F Lamont Butler drove hard and
was fouled at the :09 mark nailing both ends of the double bonus. The Knights inbounded
and 6-5, 225-lb jr. F-C John Brooks (who had been BEASTLY throughout) was fouled.
He nailed the front end of the double bonus and missed the 2nd at the :07 mark. Bok
rebounded and called for time as they got over half court. There were two seconds showing,
but Bok coach Lloyd Jenkins who argued hard with the officials the whole second
half (He had the comment of the day when he yelled, "Since when did Strawberry
Mansion have Football.") said that there should have been more time. The refs
conversed and figured to put :04 seconds on the clock. I thought that there were :03,
but... Salley inbounded and the play was probably for him to get the ball back, but
Moultrie drove hard towards his left and pulled up with a hand in his face and another
closely guarding him from 25-feet and nailed the banker sending Bok into a frenzy and the
Knights into a lull. Moultrie and Butler were the heroes throughout. Moultrie finished
with 20 points & 7 assists. His quickness made him almost unguardable one-on-one.
Butler finished with 21 points, 3 assists & 5 blocks. He has truly become a very good
stand still jump shooter with range and deserves some looks from D-IIs and Mid-level JCs.
Salley had a day he'd like to forget and seemed to be bit by the Mansion gym jinx. It was
partially because of good D by Rollins & jr. G Matthew "Moo" Johnson,
but for the most part Salley got where he wanted when he wanted, but the shots just didn't
go. This tends to happen to guys like him every so often because he's what I like to call
a wild shot maker. His shot-making will be needed heavily against Prep Charter in the next
round, who seem to be peaking at about the right time. Play-alike jr. Fs David Lorn
(3 assists) & Gary Harris combined for 17 boards and were key role players.
Brooks led the Knights in what must have been his best ever game with 21 points on 7-for-9
from the field and 7-of-11 at the line. He also snatched 8 boards. He showed impressive
footwork and the ability to finish while being hit. Bok had no answer for him. Johnson had
an off shooting night, but scrapped his way to 11 points & 3 steals. Rollins did his
usual thing with 14 points, 11 boards & 6 assists.
AA's Notes: Boy was this a great way to start the playoffs. I've seen some
amazing finishes, but this one took the cake. I hope the rest of the playoffs are as
exciting... Bok earned a berth into the PIAA State playoffs with this win and will receive
a home playoff game (I would think at Southern -- I also have a hunch that the PC-Bok game
will be there. Its easily accessible for both teams fans) against District I's 3rd seed on
a date TBD... Boy do I feel great for coach Jenkins. He's had some wacky things happen to
him over the course of the last few years (even this year with 7 NL games canceled for one
or another reason) and finally here comes the payoff. He was a wreck afterwards. I saw a
grown man cry tears of joy. This was what it was all about...
FEB. 8
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Dobbins 57, Mastbaum 32
What happened to the good ol' days? What ever happened to the days when
teammates knew who their star was and got him the ball at any cost? Those days seem to be
over in the Pub and may be a reason why we don't have all that many high scorers. I mean
Kensington and Edison knew it over the course of the season and a few others, but Mastbaum
sure didn't look for their star sr. SF Tariek Belcher nearly enough. More on that
later... This one was close for 2 quarters even tied at the end of both the 1st and 2nd
quarters. The Mustangs took control of this one and won in large part because of the play
of sr. G Damon Griffin. Griffin buried a long trey from the left wing at the 2nd
quarter buzzer to tie the game at 15 going into halftime. Those were his first points of
the game. He then opened the understating game deciding 3rd quarter (24-3) with a trey en
route to 12 of his 15 overall. He also plucked 4 steals and was by far the game's best
athlete. Griffin is a very intriguing prospect in that he has excelled as a first year
contributor in both FB and BB. In FB, he was an exciting wide-out who caught 21 balls for
nearly 500 yards and 5 TDs. He earned coach's All-Pub honors by doing so and must be
viewed as a prospect because of his speed and athleticism. He'll need to take the JC route
and Lackawanna up in Scranton, PA would be the perfect spot. That is unless he chooses to
play basketball where is might be almost as intriguing. I love this kid's court demeanor.
He always stays calm and seems to have that knack for making great basketball plays. He's
also a supreme athlete as I stated before. My new nickname for him is, "The
Natural." It seems that athletics come to him like second nature. 6-4 sr. F Kassim
Green went for 14 points & 7 boards after a very slow start. A few JCs (Harcum
(Pa) & Monroe (NY)) were on hand to watch him. He looked tight early on, but you could
still see his skill level. Sr. SF Steve Sydnor hustled for 9 points, 10 boards
& 3 assists in his usual role. 6-5 so. F Chris "Young Bou" Edwards
snatched 13 boards. It was a shame to watch Belcher have to fight for his with his own
teammates. He went for 14 points, 15 boards & 5 blocks. He has that way about him that
looks as if he isn't playing hard, but he truly is. He also is much taller than his listed
6-5. He must be 6-6+ as he appeared to be two inches taller than Edwards and he's a bona
fide 3-man not a guy who could be and or will be. He plays the wing right now. He has very
interesting possibilities and at the end of the day should have five very competitive JCs
to choose from.
AA's Notes: It seems at many of my stops around the city this season that a
few teams froze out their star players. It also seemed that some of the coaches weren't
authorative enough about who their stars were or that the stars didn't even understand who
they were. Why do you think that Speedy Morris' Prep teams are so good? Because
there are role players on those teams and there are stars and everyone does their job at
all times. Those are the marks of a great team. Everyone is given specific responsibility.
If a kid like Belcher took 25 shots a game for Mastbaum (he's the only guy who can
consistently put the ball in the basket), I sure wouldn't fret, but he only took 14 here
and that just won't get it done in the W column... Belcher missed 1000 points by about 60
points, but that wouldn't be coach Jim Taylor's fault. Taylor did his job by scheduling a
full load the last two seasons, his 2nd and 3rd as Mastbaum coach. I just wish that the
other mid level type programs will follow his lead and start to learn that just because I
don't have a powerhouse doesn't mean that I don't give the kids the full experience.
Edison's Steve Martin only played 16 of a possible 24 games this season and I don't
mean to harp on that, but that's a disgrace. I was the same his other two varsity seasons
as well. With 4-5 more NL game for experience, the Owls may still be playing and the best
guard in the league could take his show to the playoffs...
FEB. 2
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Prep Charter 77, Del Val Charter 68
This was a very entertaining affair as race-horse old school style PL
Hoops was in full affect, but this was with two Charter schools, albeit pretty good ones.
I wish the Pub mainstays played like this every Tuesday and Thursday. Things would be so
much more entertaining. This one was played on the see-saw for the most part until early
in the 4th when it seemed as if DVC had run out of gas. They gave valiant effort which
should catapult them nicely into the playoffs. PC was without two key players: leading
scorer 6-4 jr. G-F Rodney Green & 6-7 so. SF Marcus Morris as both were
part of the Hope Charter conflict from the day before and were disciplined for today's
game. Needless, to say this was a good win considering the circumstances against a playoff
caliber opponent. Sr. G-F Jason Dogan took the leadership role with 23 points
(10-for-13, 3-of-3), 6 boards, 4 assists & 4 steals. He was a perfect 8-for-8 from the
2nd quarter on and made all 6 of his shots after halftime. Sr. SF Haven Wroten had
his back with 17 points, 11 boards & 8 assists (although he had some bad turnovers).
6-8 215-lb jr. F-C Markieff Morris dominated the paint especially down the stretch
and made all 4 of his 4th quarter foul shots. He went for 14 points, 16 boards &
swatted 4. 8 of his boards came in the 4th. It looks as if the big fella could do this
every night. He's had some monster performances this year that lead me to believe that he
could be the next great big guy from the Pub. Stay tuned... So. WG Rakeem Golden-White
filled in nicely for Green with 11 points and 5 boards. Sr. PG Bilal Rogers, a
lefty, did a solid job at the point (which has been PC's weakness) with 9P, 5R, 3A. DV has
a bunch of similar guys who get after it at both ends which makes them a match-up
nightmare. There isn't really a center or a PG in the starting line-up, just a bunch of
basketball athletes which will make them a dangerous out come first round of the playoffs
which for them will be next Thursday. I REALLY like the sr. wing tandem of 6-3 SF Dominic
Albright-Smith (14P & 6R)& 6-1 WG Clifford Copper (17P, 5A, 4S).
Albright-Smith is strong and fearless. He also has a good-looking outside stroke. He's
what I like to call a D-III special which means he could on day me an All-League type at
that level. Copper brings the same attributes to the 2-guard position. Jr. WG Stanley
Alston is a sniper to say the least. He got most of his 16 points on 4-of-5 treys. Jr.
G Corey James, a Germantown transfer, adds much to the line-up. He had an off night
here though he toughed out 14 points. He's a big guard (around 6-2) who will get better as
he matures. he could be one of the league scoring leaders next year.
AA's Notes: I liked what I saw from this DVC squad. They have a plethora of
talent in the fold that could really do some damage in the Pub and beyond. Coach Alan
Cissorski brought in 4 talented juniors off the bench including springy 6-7 C Kanell
Smith... PC has a chance to do some nice things this March with their full crew. It
should be interesting...
FEB. 1
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Gratz 57, Bartram 46
Over the last five seasons, this has become the rivalry of the Public
League. In 2001, Gratz hammered Bartram in the semis of the playoffs en route to the
title. In 2002, Bartram snapped a 13-year long Bulldog home winning streak en route to
starting the season 26-0. In 2003, the Braves won two very close affairs. The latter was
an overtime W for the Championship. In 2004, the Bulldogs won two close ones. The first
was coach Lou Biester's second home loss in his entire tenure. The 2nd was an
exciting semi-final besting. And in this one, the Bulldogs pushed the series to 4-3 in
their favor with an 11-point going away W. There were many weird occurrences, but for the
most part it was a pretty good game. The Bulldogs were fueled by both of their high
profile transfers here as 6-4 230-lb sr. PF Ameer Ali (Roxborough) was a bear on
the low block scoring 20 points (9-for-11, 2-of-3) & snatching 10 boards before
fouling out. While jr. G Malik Alvin (Lincoln) played one of the floor games he
could ever play by dishing 7 assists & only having 1 TO that I can remember. His shot
wasn't falling in the first half so he only attempted one second half field goal and did a
great job handling the Bartram pressure down the stretch. He only scored 8 points which is
probably a season low, but he snatched 10 boards and seemed to relish the role of
distributor here. That will be key for future prospects. As he only really stands 5-11 and
weighs 170 so at some point he'll have to be a point guard. Sr. SF Syheem Perkins,
a sweet mid range shooter went for 15 & 8 of his own. Freshman WG Charles White
is already a sweet shooter (2 big treys). He plucked 4 steals as well. The Braves kind of
got a raw deal in this one. Not that they were the better team or anything, but some
things beyond their control may have cost them a better chance to compete. First off, to
start the 4th quarter the referees blew their whistles, but never gave the Braves a
warning to come out of the huddle and they may not have heard the whistles anyway because
of the loud music playing right by their bench. Referee Guy Longstreth put the ball
in play and Ali slammed home two. Then the Braves came down thee next possession a little
shell-shocked and turned it over to the Bulldogs for another easy lay-up. Then to make it
even worse sr. F Daziah Miller, who had been on a serious roll in the 3rd (9 of his
14 points, 3 of his 7 boards & 2 steals) was given a 5th foul which was actually his
4th. Both scorebooks had him for 5, but both had given him a technical for a delay of game
warning which was made his 4th. Oh well, go figure... Anyway, sr. G Marquise Carrington
had an off shooting going 7-for-18 (2-of-8 on treys & 1-for-3 at the line) for 17
points. He did scrap for 9 boards and battled all game long. Strong jr. PG Jernardo
Lucas (4 assists), a lefty, played bulldog-like defense on the Gratz guards all game
long. He wasn't rewarded though as he was called for some ticky-tackers, but you had to
like his energy and the way he took care of the ball. 6-5 220-lb sr. C Sherman Hopkins
(4P, 5R) did an admirable job trying to deal with the "Strongest Man in the Pub"
Ali.
AA's Notes: This is shaping up to be an interesting playoffs. From where
things stand right now, Bartram could have to see Frankford in the 1st round of the
playoffs. That won't be good for either of them... Tuesday's game between Southern and
U-City is a very important one as it will basically be for a playoff berth. UC wins and
they are the 3rd A seed. Bartram is 4th. If Southern wins, they are A seed. Bartram is
then 3rd... The Bulldogs will have a home playoff game as the 2 seed from A against the
3rd seed from B which looks to be either Franklin or Dobbins... This could be the last
Brave-Bulldog match-up as we know it as the Braves will be under new leadership next year
as it stands and will also have all new personnel. It was fun while it lasted unless
something happens soon...
JAN. 31
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Franklin 65, Edison 53
This one was a must-see for me. It was probably my last chance to see
Edison this season and my first look at Franklin with its full clip. To top it off, the
game putted two of the city's best net-burners against each other in Edison sr. G Steve
Martin and Franklin sr. WG Andre Glover. Martin is leading the Pub in scoring
and Glover could get 20 in his sleep. The Electrons looked good down the home stretch for
their playoff run. They were led by Glover's 27 points (13-for-23, a trey) & 5 boards.
he can get it any way you want it folks -- short drives, pull-ups, dunks, deep treys, ect.
If there were a basketball dictionary, this guy's picture would be next to craft lefty. He
would be a terror on the JC circuit as most JCs run up and down the floor. That's his game
for sure. I like the upside of sr. G Jason "Baby-face" Blake (13P, 3A,
4S). His best days might be at the point. He does some things really well. I just wish he
had another year (two years??) to develop. His body and face suggest he's young and still
growing. Sr. PG Deondray King scrapped for a team-leading 7 boards. Sr. F Chase
Richardson banged for 10p & 6r. Edison's Martin is the real deal folks. He's the
best guard in the league this year and many may not know him. There ain't much he can't do
on a basketball court. He went for 31 here on 13-for-24 shooting and you don't even see a
hint of selfishness. I actually thought he should have shot more. He also grabbed 8 boards
and 3 assists and ironically never went to the line. He made 5 of his first 6 trey
attempts and missed three in the late game mad dash. He really showed me a lot here. After
two years of JC, the sky's the limit for Mr. Martin! His backcourt partner didn't
experience much success. That is sr. PG Andrew Monroe. He didn't score, but dished
7 assists. His TOs were around 12 though for one game. He surely has had better days. I
like the freshman guard tandem of sniping WG George Baker (funny looking shot, but
it goes in) feisty PG Eric Jones. Both have bright futures and fit the mold of
Edison guards past.
AA's Notes: Well the Pub truly does still have some good prospects. Problem
is that although both Glover and Martin are D-I prospects, both need JC. I hope both do
what it takes to get there. The Electrons are as dangerous a team as any now going into
the playoffs. They are scrappy, have good athletes and a supreme scorer in Glover. It
should be fun to watch. As of now, it looks as if they'll draw a road tilt with Gratz or
Central though...
JAN. 28
INTER-AC LEAGUE
Episcopal 57, Malvern 39
I thought this had a chance to be a good one coming in, but Malvern
just didn't have it here as a team. I like their future though as there is only one senior
in the rotation and there are 4 good-looking juniors and 6 quality sophs. They'll have
some for the next two years. For EA, we all know about the junior tandem of WG Wayne
Ellington (16P, 7R, 6A) & SF Gerald Henderson (19P, 8R, 4A), but watch out
for their 3rd junior mate in 6-8 C Mike Yocum (10P, 9R, 4B). Yocum is making vast
improvement on the court and will/has opened the eyes of many-a-college coach himself.
Today, of his 5 baskets were 4 big two-handed slams. I love the way he attacks the basket
hard with two hands as every big guy should at every level. He's not an athlete, but gets
the most out of what he has. For the Friars, I love the jr. backcourt of PG Mike
Creighton & WG Jimmie Cotton. Creighton is a hard-nosed kid who gets after
it at both ends. Cotton is one of those impossible to guard one-on-one types and may be
one of the quicker kids I've seen all year.
AA's Notes: Fans get out now to see Batman & Superman (Ellington
& Henderson). You just don't know what you are missing if you haven't. These two guys
could be high school cult heroes before long and be mentioned as one of the City's best
all-time high school duos...
JAN. 28
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Frankford 64, Northeast 52
Frankford cruised to this W with a very balanced act and for right now
look to be the most stable team heading into the Pub playoffs. They truly look to be
having fun and are winning with hard D first which is always the mark of the Champion. The
8-man rotation has finally gelled. I won't even mention any names for them here. The Vikes
are going through another tough year just three year removed from being a finalist for the
Pub Title. The talent is there, but there's no great leader if you know what I mean and
the kids often seem confused. Jr. F-C Rockeed McCarter battled for 18 boards to go
along with 14 points & 5 blocks. 6-5 jr. F Tyrone "Boo-Boo" Blassingame
could be very good one day as well, but sometimes looks tentative. He went for 11 points,
6 boards & 3 blocks including an out-of-nowhere jump through the basket two-handed
slam in transition. He's got late-bloomer written all over him. Sr. F Brendan Nimmons
shot a perfect 5-for-5 for 10 points. Sr. PG Kyle Sample dished 8 assists and sr.
WG Cordia "Chop" Mosley toughed out 13 points.
AA's Notes: Northeast's gym, which didn't have much wrong with it to begin
with, looks immaculate. There are new stands, a new floor and a fancy scorer's table. Its
great. There's no doubt that this is a possible site for PIAA playoff games...
JAN. 27
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Mastbaum 68, Penn 50
What a weird outing this was. First off, it almost wasn't an outing at
all as only referee showed, Paul Graham, Jr., the father of Paul
"Snoop" Graham former star at Franklin/Ohio U and later with various NBA
teams. You see Mr. Graham didn't want to take on the NBA-sized floor at William Penn high
school alone and I don't blame him. Doing a game like this alone could cause things to get
out of control. It didn't get started until about 3:37 because Penn's AD said security had
to go at a certain time and so Paul worked alone and did a commendable job. Hopefully,
he'll get paid his missing partner's salary as well (wink wink). Anyway, Penn has some
serious athletes, but not much team camaraderie. Mastbaum has a bona
fide star in 6-6 sr. SF Tariek Belcher. Here he merely went for 18 points, 14
boards & 13 blocks while also dished 4 and plucking 3. He was the long arm of the law
this afternoon for the Panthers. A few high level JCs are on the case and rightfully so as
this kid's best days are certainly ahead of him. I liked how he didn't try to force the
issue in the 2nd half when he didn't touch the ball. He was the only player on the floor
who truly understood pace. I mean he barely broke a sweat, but he did seem to be playing
hard. Sr. PG Zelmay Hernandez scored 13 points and plucked 3 steals. Sr. handyman David
Pough had a nice line of: 8P, 7R, 5A, 2S & 2B. Sr. F Khalif Davis scored 10
and grabbed 9. Mastbaum dished 23 assists on 28 buckets as a team. There were many
leak-outs as Penn's D was suspect to say the least. Sr. F Mikal Jennings went hard
to the tune of 20 points & 13 boards. It wasn't a smooth 20 though which leads me to
believe that he'd be much better as a 2nd or 3rd option. He's a good 6-5 and very athletic
so a good JC should give him a look. For some reason, Gratz transfer sr. C Keith Mobley
didn't get in until mid-way through the 4th. He did hustle for 4 and 4. Maybe he and
Jennings should go somewhere together. Both have better days ahead. Mobley may be even
more springy & athletic at 6-8. Sr. F Rashand Williams (8P, 11R, 5S) is strong
& tough. So. PG Orie Williams (3S) might not be 5-feet tall. Hernandez dwarfed
him! He's a major crowd favorite though and already gets after it at both ends.
AA's Notes: What a great conversation I had with Graham at halftime. He told
me some things I never knew like how he reffed in the Big 10 & Big 8 during the days
of Magic and Isaiah about 25 years ago. He said he had a twelve year stint
there. He told me some great stories. I told him that I guess Snoop ain't the only famous
Paul Graham. He also said there are four generations of Paul Grahams. We both had some
laughs... I'm wondering if Penn will be one of the sites used for PIAA playoff games. Its
probably the largest gym in the district. PL title games used to be played here back in
the day...
JAN. 24
AA's MID-SEASON NOTES
. . . Have been moved to a separate link. Your responses are encouraged.
JAN. 20
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Bok 75, Southern 73
Boy was this a wild one! These schools are slightly less than a mile
apart so its always a dogfight. This one was no different. The Wildcats jumped out to an
early lead and were up by as many as 17 in the first half (43-26). However, the Rams
recovered and cut the lead to 9 at the half (45-36). The Rams kept that momentum going in
the second half tying the score three different times. The final tie came on sr. G Amir
Ryan's (12P, 6A, 4S) trey with :32 seconds left to make it 73 all. Bok held the ball
for one and with the ball in sr. G Marquise Salley's sure hands something good
could have happened. It did not though as he air-balle1d a trey from the left wing long.
It dropped right into the hands of jr. F Gary Harris (4P on 2-for-2) who easily
deposited the put back at the buzzer. Although Salley didn't cash in here, he was still
the star of the game. The 5-9 quick-ster seems to be able to get any shot he wants
whenever he wants it. He zigged & zagged his way to 24 points, 7 assists & 3
steals. Game-wise he's a clone of Pub All-Timers Donnell Feaster (West/'Brook 99')
& Baltazar Feliciano (Kensington 03'). He already owns the great stop and pop
game off the dribble and is a solid long range shooter as well. He also has that savvy to
get to the basket and draw contact. He must be averaging 10 free throws a game. Needless
to say, this kid is as cold as they come and should be eyed by the top level JCs. Its
funny that SP made their runs when 6-2 sr. G-F Lamont Butler was on the bench.
Butler finished with 20 points (5-for-6 shooting, 10-of-12) & 3 assists, but incurred
major second half foul woes especially after picking up his 3rd and 4th on the same play
in the 3rd period (a cheap foul call and then a T). Sr. PG Cory Moultrie scored 15
points, dished 4 assists & plucked 5 steals. He's so fast that you can't throw any
jump passes in front of him because it'll be his if you do. I wish more guys in the Pub
(not just at the tech schools) were like him, great 2-3 sport athletes. Sr. strongman Keith
Mitchell secured 10 rebounds & jr. SF David Lorn grabbed 7. The Rams were
led by 6-3 jr. F Jason Sabb with 28 points, 9 boards & 3 steals. Folks, this
Sabb (his brother Shawn graduated last year as one of the All-Time leading scorers
in school history and is now making strides Independence CC in Kansas) simply owns the
baseline and is a supreme athlete. He shot 13-for-14 from the field & 2-of-3 at the
line. He's an interesting prospect in that he shoots jump shots right-handed, but most of
his lay-ups and dunks are left-handed. I'll say this: If J. Sabb's other skills develop,
WATCH OUT! 6-8 230-lb C Ervin Spuriel, who is a true lefty, went for 16 points
& 12 boards. He'll need prep school or JC and there is loads of room for improvement
as this is the big fella's first varsity season. He's the biggest man in the mainstream
Pub. So. PG Isaiah Denny (10P, 3A, 4S) seemed rattled early on, but slapped
together a nice game as he got comfortable. He could follow the tradition of TOUGH
defending South Philly guards.
AA's Notes: Boy was this a wild one. Both coaches might be horse after this
one. I know one thing, coach Lloyd Jenkins better calm it down before his blood
pressure goes sky high (smile). He's never met an official that he liked (smile
again)...This has been a rough year for the Rams, but I like the foundation that coach George
Anderson has build. He has one of the toughest jobs in the city and he's now getting
much-needed help from positive adults who are well-respected in the community and that
will only lead to greater things later. If he can get the kids to buy into it, SP could
once again be an area powerhouse. SP always has brassy guards. In all my travels even
around the country, I haven't seen the guard that defends like a South Philly guard... Bok
seems to be cruising on into a home 1st round playoff date against Parkway which will
probably lead them into a road date into the terror dome, well not necessarily, but 33rd
& Ridge (Mansion). That will determine the 3A Champ and who goes on to the States from
the Pub...
JAN. 18
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Dobbins 66, Lincoln 60
This was my first look at both of these squads and it was in an
all-important division A league game. Both of these clubs have been jockeying for position
as Dobbins now stands at 6-2 while Lincoln is now 6-3 in League play. I have been a bit
disappointed with the Mustangs as going into the year I thought they'd be one of the Pub's
best after a strong summer. They did take a blow when a would-be high scorer bolted for
the Academy of the New Church which left them basically without depth. The disappointment
lies in the fact that they lost home dates against Washington and Edison which shouldn't
happen even though both of those teams are solid and in the playoff hunt as well. The
'Stangs came up big here though with a good road win. The charge was led by 6-4 sr. F Kassim
"K.G" Green who had a monster outing in which another K.G would have been
proud of. Green went for 22 points, grabbed 14 boards & dished 6 assists (7, 7 & 3
in the 25-19 4th). He owned the boards down the stretch and made some brassy in traffic
plays. K.G always seems to be going forward and has mastered the difficult catch &
difficult finish. He also has room to grow and learn. He'll probably need JC and the top
ones should be after him. He has some similarities to last year's Olney star Erik
"Ugs" Adams. I REALLY like sr. G Damon Griffin (16 points on 7-for-9
shooting, 2-of-2 at the line). He blends super athleticism with instincts & basketball
savvy. I don't know what his grades situation is, but he aught to try out a place like
Valley Forge Military Academy where he can play both FB & BB while continuing to
improve at both. He was an All-Public wide-out this past season in FB. He's one of the
Pub's underrated guards in basketball. This was his first year making head-way in both
sports. Sr. PG DuJuan "Bud" Anderson (8R, 8A) is fiery & vocal. He is
guilty of sometimes trying to do too much or always make the spectacular play in oppose to
the simple, but he owns warrior status. 6-5 so. F Chris Edwards quietly made a
difference with 14 points & 7 boards. He seems to have the natural nose for the ball.
Sr. SF Steve Sydnor hustled for 10P, 5R, 2A & 2S. Lincoln has an interesting
squad that could cause problems for some. They were led today by sr. 6th man G-F Naseer
Abdullah (17 points, 9 boards). Abdullah isn't very polished, but he is a very good
one-on-one scorer. You can tell that he probably KILLS in the playground. He is strong and
tough & doesn't seem to mind coming off the bench. Sr. PG Tyreke Smith is
strong, quick and has a deadly outside stroke. He went for 14 points (4 treys) here. He
also dished 3 assists. Sr. F-C Kareem Dennis (10P, 5R, 2B) also gave a solid
contribution.
AA's Notes: This was a weird outing as it seemed that the 'Stangs would take
a 6 to 9 point lead only to have the 'Splitters come back to tie or take a lead over and
over... Lincoln has 2 juniors to watch. Neither got an extended run today, but both could
be very good down the road. They are bookend 6-5 forwards Terrelle Barnett & Edmond
Gonzales. Both have skill and athleticism. Both also have young looking faces and
growing frames which means both could grow to 6-7 by next season which would make the
'Splitters interesting to watch... I still feel that if the group of Mustangs puts it
together they could be a hard out for somebody in the playoffs especially of they can earn
a first round home game. The pieces are surely there...
JAN. 13
PUBLIC LEAGUE
E&S 52, Bodine 33
I thought I'd see a better game here with the two rival magnet schools
getting after it, but Bodine fell prey to the bathtub-sized E&S gym and so the story
goes. E&S has very very good senior front court players in F Rodney Norris, 6-5
SF Marquis Coates & G-F Fred Gresham. Gresham may be the least heralded
of the three, but he turned in the best performance with 24 points, 11 boards & 3
steals. If he chooses, the D-III should be all over this late bloomer in his first year on
varsity. He's long, skilled & athletic. Plus he's a serious academic plus as he has a
97 classroom average and has scored a 1260 on the SAT. He must be one of the top students
in the building at E&S and that says a lot. Norris (10P, 14R, 4B), who goes 6-4 210,
is the best of the three. He's a bull and at this level not many can tame him because of
his unmatched strength. D-IIs are picking up the scent on Mr. Norris and rightfully so.
His best basketball is ahead of him as he could one day star. Coates wasn't at his best
here, but he is a very smooth player who could thrive down the road at a competitive III.
He has great size for the wing and that's where he is exclusively. I like jr. combo G Andre
Murphy. He handled most of the PG duties here and has a nice stroke. He's long and
rangy at about 6-2. He could be "The Man" next year for the Engineers. Bodine
truly has 5 solid players and one is a freshman. Sr. PG Keith Gastreal (980 SAT)
didn't play great here, but he should make some D-III coach happy. He looks young for his
grade and also looks to still be growing. He's about 5-10 now. I remember him as a
Freshman being just over 5-feet. He's now long-limbed and has nice shooting form. Sr. SF Jamil
Wilson (9P, 7B) has over 1000 on the SAT and could also help a D-III somewhere. 6-3
jr. F Justin Rollins snatched 7 boards and looks to be the team's best athlete.
Bulky jr. G Tyree Griffin (8P, 6R, 3S) has that inner fire. Spunky freshman PG Lamarr
Jackson (4A) shows much promise. He's already very heady and shows no fear against
guys 3-4-5 years older than him.
AA's Notes: D-III ALERT! Get out to the Public magnet schools (FLC, E&S,
Central, Parkway, Bodine & Masterman). They always have late blooming seniors, more
than likely young for their grade who have grades and high upsides. The average SAT score
for the E&S frontcourt is around 1100! Bodine's two seniors are also high
qualifiers...
JAN. 11
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Frankford 58, Washington 47
This game wasn't the classic I expected as GW was never really in it as
the Pioneers led by double digits throughout. The star here I thought was sr. PG Ryan
Smith. He didn't even score a point folks, but controlled the game at both ends while
dishing 6 assists. Ryan is one of the Pub's top student athletes as he has scored 1130 on
the SAT. He is looking for some interest from the academic D-Is and it may be warranted.
He's a bit on the short side, but he's both strong and gritty. He can also run a team and
defend which are more than half the battle. Sr. WG Maurice Miller shot 6-for-8 (2
treys) & 3-of-4 for 17 points. He also had 2 of each assists and steals. Miller has
improved as the season has come on and finally looks to be in top basketball shape after
FB season. I'd like to see him go to a JC - like Lackawanna that has competitive FB and BB
programs. He could help in both sports. Jr. swingman Lewis Leonard made some
electrifying moves including 2 sky-scraping slams on his way to 16 points, 9 boards &
3 assists. He has Big Time skills/athleticism to say the least and reminds me of the
left-handed version of former Bartram star Richard Francis, no lie! Sr. F-C Lorenzo
Byrd -- who goes 6-3 240 -- did the role player thing with 6 points and 5 boards. 6-3
sr. F Lamont Brown is now back and gave a nice boost with 10 points, 7 boards &
2 assists off the bench. He is a VIP for the Pioneers as he brings many intangibles. He
also might be their best passer/defender. So. G-F Kenny Spotwood, who has been
under much scrutiny as of late because of his antics, was very well-behaved today. He was
a nice contributor off the bench with 9P, 5R & 2S. This was a stinker performance for
the Eagles. Their best player sr. G-F Dominique Curry (15 points, 9 boards) never
touched the ball in good scoring position if he touched it at all. He also has to be
accused of trying to make the spectacular play instead of the smart play and he was
defended pretty well by Brown when he was on him. However, the backcourt of srs Corey
White (10P, 3A, 3S) & Marc Appolon (14P) aught to be ashamed of themselves
for not finding him. Both played extremely selfish today and no offense but both also
played plain dumb. GW turned it over 14 times. I'd bet they accounted for 11 of them.
Senior guards have to be better than that. I was also disappointed with sr. insiders 6-7
220-lb Pat Martin & 6-6 225-lb Terrance Neal. Both have been blessed
with blacksmiths bodies, but neither came up even medium sized here. They combined for 6P
& 6R. That's unacceptable! GW was out-rebounded 40-26. More unacceptable! That should
never happen. To their defense, both may have been thrown the ball inside twice combined.
AA's Notes: Both teams have 3 lefties in their rotation. GW has 5 on the
team overall. Frankford goes with Miller, Leonard & Byrd. GW has Curry, Appolon &
6-4 jr. G-F Dan Powell... I watched this one with Pub icon and now current LaSalle
assistant Horace Owens. He was a McDonald's AA coming out of Dobbins in 1980 when I
was just a pup. He is still loved by all. He was here checking out Curry, who is one of
the Pub's many sleepers...
JAN. 9
CATHOLIC LEAGUE
Neumann-Goretti 75, Bonner 50
The Saints started slow here and gave the Friars early life, but
regrouped turning what was once a 9-point deficit into a 25 all tie at the half. From then
on, they cruised to a more than comfortable W. So. G Antonio "Scoop" Jardine
led the charge with 10 of his 21 points in the 3rd. 6-5 jr. swingman Earl Pettis
had another solid overall performance with 11 points (8 in the 3rd), 8 boards & 5
assists. 6-5 sr. SF David Burton had 9, 5 & 3. Jr. G D.J Rivera plucked
4 steals. More importantly, the Saints got much help from their bench which has been
widely considered their weakness as front-courters 6-6 sr. C Phil Love (6P, 4R)
& 6-4 fr. F Jamel Wilson (5P, 5R) gave solid representation which should go
along way towards down the road. Bonner got a solid performance from its own super-soph in
WG Jeff Jones. He battled foul trouble for 18 points (4 treys) and didn't back down
at all from the Saints. Jones is already an accomplished jump shooter with a quick
trigger. He's also very athletic and can play either guard position at close to 6-3. His
progress bares watching... His normally reliable playmate 6-8+ sr. F-C Derrick Graff
had an afternoon he'd like to forget and probably his worst game of the year. Its a shame
because a few college scouts were out to see him. He went 2-for-11 & 0-of-4 for 4
points, but did snatch 14 boards and swat 6 shots something he may not have done in one of
his bad games before. He'll have much better days. Normal 6th man jr. F Steve Wheatley
got the start here and was solid with 8 points, 5 boards & 4 assists.
AA's Notes: The Saints have been Nationally ranked since the start of the
season and don't look to be relinquishing their place. There are some tough games coming
up, but you have to like these guys chances. It should be a fun ride through the next 2
months...
JAN. 6
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Imhotep 61, Freire 48
I expected this to be a dog fight and low and behold, it was. IC got a
huge win for the standings in beating their archrival FC. Normally, these two have played
at night or on Saturday in front on huge crowds. Both had won the last few Charter Titles.
IC won this one behind a strong effort from hard-working 6-3 sr. utility man Keith
"Simms" Mitchell (14 points, 6 boards, 3 assists & 4 steals). Mitchell
plays all over the floor for his team which makes him the epitome of team glue. D-IIIs
should be all over him as he's as serviceable as it gets. So. PG Jermaine Washington
had a huge game with 17 points, 8 boards & 3 assists. I've always loved him in the
summers and thought he'd be a D-I prospect one day. I might be right. There are some very
good 10th grade PGs around here and he ranks right up there with them all! He's both
brassy and heady which are Class A classifications of a good PG. Jr. WG Curtis Jackson
is the team's vocal leader and gave a strong effort with 8P, 11R, 3A, 3S. He talks
non-stop and gives 110% every play. I like him a lot. 6-6 sr. C Dominic Washington
(8P, 5R) is raw, but strong and there's a lot to like for IIs & IIIs. Bench guys
athletic 6-4 sr. F Victor Ellis (6, 7) & so. G Curshawn Banks (4, 5 plus
3 steals) both gave strong efforts as well and kind of serve as the 6th and 7th starters.
This squad could do some damage come time for the playoffs and even figure prominent in
the state picture for 2As. The same can be said for Friere, but they just didn't have it
today. Their two big guns, srs swingman Isaiah Coleman (12 points, 6 boards) &
F Lavine Grimes (11 & 8) combined to shoot 9-for-34 from the field and as a
whole they were out-hustled by the younger IC by landslide. Bulky sr. C James Morene
went for 9 & 8 and swatted 3 shots. Sr. G Dwayne "Mister" Johnson
plucked 5 steals & tiny (barely 5-feet!) sr. PG Malik McClellan dished 5
assists.
AA's Notes: How do you foul out with 4 personals? Well Coleman did. Why
didn't his coaches even check the book? Myself and the IC scorer only had him with 4 and
picked up his 4th and stormed off the court in disgust and had to be controlled. I've
always liked Isaiah, but he has to learn to channel his emotions. He's a very good ball
player, probably a Low D-I type, but he's been T'ed up in both games we've covered and has
shown attitude as well. I hope he reads this and works on change... I love what Coach
Andre Noble is doing at IC. All his kids call him "brother" because of the
family atmosphere that IC portrays. Many of his kids started in other Pub schools, but
came to IC for a better educational opportunity and it works out fine normally. Mitchell
was at Penn last year, Jackson was at King & Washington was at Parkway, but none of
those places are setting the world on fire these days and these guys are learning here and
loving the experience...
JAN. 4
PUBLIC LEAGUE
U-City 52, King 38
This wasn't much of a game. I left very disappointed after watching two
teams with quality personnel not perform to the best of their abilities especially King.
There may have been circumstances as this was the day of the funeral of fallen star Danny
"Rumph" Smith, a 2004 grad/football standout who passed on Dec. 27.
HOPEFULLY (I'll get to that in my notes), I'll get to see both teams later on a better
day, but I guess this will do for now. UC's leader here was jr. PG Aaron Stephens
(goes 5-6 150). He's the classic Pub water-bug -- super quick, feisty & tough. He only
scored 3 points, but dished 10 assists and plucked 3 steals. He was easily the most
important player on the floor as he controlled the tempo at both ends. Sr. SF Anthony
Morrison scored all 12 of his points in the first half. His jump shot was really
working. He was 0-for-5 thereafter. The strong lefty is very rugged and plays with loads
of confidence. He also must be the best shape I've seen him in. Sr. SF Ervin Jordan
is a typical Jag. He went for 10 of his 17 in the 4th and snatched 12 boards. He's well
built, very athletic and kind of under-sized. He also has a great nose for the ball and
always seems to be in the right spots. Sr. G Tim Barlow plucked 8 steals, but he
may have turned it over just as many times. He's talented, but sometimes out of control.
When he plays with sense, the Jags can hang with anyone in the Pub, but when he does
not... The Jags also have nice sized kids, both 6-4 200-lbs give or take in juniors Robert
Mosby and Kris Byes. Mosby has big broad shoulders and long arms. he's very
physical too. Byes is still feeling his way, but he's very athletic. The Golden Cougars
have lots of pieces, but maybe a lack of Non League games hurt them in the chemistry
department. Had they played 5 or 6 more NL games by now (they haven't played any), the
guys may know each other a little better. There are some bright spots as most of the key
guys are juniors. I like 6-3 combo G Zane Oxley's skills. He only took one shot
here and looked kind of robotic at times and timid at others. He looked comfortable on the
ball though, but I think this team needs him to look more for his shot. The best Cougar is
6-2 jr. WG Darnell Moore. He's the only one that asserted himself here at least
offensively. He scored 17 points and grabbed 8 boards while mostly having to create his
own shot. I like the progress he's made as when I first saw him he was strictly a scrapper
and now he's a pretty good jump shooter/skill guy. Juniors 6-5 F/C Michael Cruse
(5B) & 6-3 F Rashaad Slappy (6R), a lefty, lent nice contributions off the
bench.
AA's Notes: With all of these frickin' teams in the Pub, it seems next to
impossible to see them all. When I go home and glanced at the day's schedule, I said darn
I should have went to Bodine and PE Charter. PE has some decent youngsters I guess and may
be worth seeing, but it doesn't look like I'll get that chance this year. I still haven't
seen Dobbins, Lincoln, G-Town, Imhotep, E&S, Friere, FLC, Del Val, Penn, Overbrook,
ect. and this was my first look at both of these teams. Bare with me guys, I'll try to get
to as many games as possible, but here's a word to the wise -- if you have rescheduled a
game or added a NL game, please let us know and give us the proper date and time in
advance because if we don't know about it, how can we come. I mean we knew nothing about
the Ardmore Rotary Tourney over the holidays with G-Town, Overbrook, Fels & Penn. I
may have stopped there at least one night because none of those teams are in my books as
of yet... I already have something in the works for next year at MLKhs for MLK Day, a 3 or
4 game event pitting Pub Schools against Suburban Schools. There's no way in the world
that King should not be playing on King Day year in and year out. I know they used to have
a rivalry with Girard College. What happened? It would be great to have Cheltenham, PW,
Norristown and Truman join the festivities. This is one I;ll start working on soon...
JAN. 2
CATHOLIC LEAGUE SOUTH
Carroll 63, Bonner 48
Boy was this refreshing. This had to be the easiest game to keep stats
for that I've had all season. This was good basketball. I REALLY enjoy watching Carroll.
Right now they are being led by Lou Becht (O'Hara 98'). He was one of the peskiest
guards I saw in my school days and he's coaching this team the same way. The senior
inside-outside tandem of 6-4 F Eugene Adams & PG Anthony Watson had it
going today. Adams went for 17 points & 11 boards. All of his points came from the
foul line in, but he is very effective there as he normally finishes athletically or gets
to the line. He's becoming a better player every night and the D-IIIs are watching hard.
Watson has been the most consistent Patriot to date and as a 4-year varsity performer is
surely the most experienced. He didn't seem extremely involved in this one, but at the end
of the game had 13 points (4-of-8, 1 trey, 4-of-6), 5 boards, 6 assists & 2 steals.
That's a pretty good floor game folks. D-IIIs in need of a pretty smart PG should take
notice. He could have a fine career somewhere. Sr. G John Durante scored 8 points
(2 treys) and somehow snatched 6 boards. He goes about 5-9 140 legit! 6-8 (maybe 6-9)
260-lb jr. C Dutch Gaitley battled foul trouble throughout, but managed all 8 of
his points in the ever decisive 4th quarter. He also grabbed 5 boards and blocked 2 shots.
He's not athletic and has bad feet for the moment, but there is a lot to like. He REALLY
knows how to use his girth to his advantage and is EXTREMELY physical. A Low D-I assistant
said to me that he is a starting D-III Center right now and that he'd keep track of him.
This was actually a close game throughout though Carroll was in control for the most part.
The Pats led 39-35 going into the 4th then went on a 15-2 run in the first 6 minutes of
the final quarter pushing their lead to 17. Bonner's best player was 6-9 sr. F-C Derrick
Graff (19 points, 9 boards, 3 blocks). This kid has made 100% improvement from one
year to the next. He's now very aggressive and seems to be juiced in his own way. It isn't
out of the realm of possibility for the Low D-Is to give him a look especially with size
being a premium and there not being many quality big guys left available. He could be a
D-II star with this kind of sustained progress. He obviously must add to his slight
(probably 205) frame, but the skills are there. 6-3 so. WG Jeff Jones had a rough
afternoon shooting just 5-for-19 (8-of-9) to get his 18 points. Every shot was contested
and many times he had to try to make things happen on his own. He really suffers from not
playing with a seasoned PG. He'd get so much less attention and have so much less
responsibility. He's such a talented kid and this may make him a better player in the end,
but... Role playing Fs 6-6 jr. Brian Campuzano & 6-4 so. Tim Vanderslice
must do more in the CL wars. They are normally reliable, but didn't do much here.
AA's Notes: I must reiterate the serious improvement of Graff. He made some
very authorative moves and looked very comfortable out on the floor. He even drained a
trey. I get SO many calls from coaches looking for size. This guy should be a hot name
this winter. He's got size, grades & upside in his favor... Yeah its the first league
game, but his is a huge win for the Pats. It'll be a serious fight for the final South
playoff spot and a road win over one of the other contenders is huge...