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Your Basketball Buddy Return to TedSilary.com Home Page
Buddy Hall, a product of Gratz
('95) and Clarion University, has a varied resume related to basketball.
He's an agent and has coaching experience ranging from summer camps through
middle school, high school, college and even the pros. He's taking a break
from coaching and plans to focus on smaller schools/lesser known players
with the hope of providing exposure. Thanks for your hustle, Buddy! |
FEB. 3
DIVISION C
Franklin 70, Parkway 44
This game was more or less a tune-up for the
playoff run that Franklin is about to embark on this season. They ran the floor,
slowed the pace of the game and ran all over the floor in electron fashion.
PG Jeffery Giddings (12 points) looked better than I last saw him running
the team in a calm and collected fashion, distributing the ball and making key
steals whenever Parkway tried to stage a comeback. However, his counterpart on
the other end, PG Nadir Stukes (10 points) ran his team with a sense of
urgency the whole game, I’m surprised he ended the game with only 10 points.
(check the stats, check the stats……). He hit two back-to-back threes to start a
mini-comeback after Franklin jumped out to a 13-0 lead to begin the game, he ran
the floor well and distributed the ball very well and even took a few of his
defenders one-on-one in iso situations…….he was rollin’!!!! But that was until
the coolest player I’ve seen this season picked them apart time and again with
dynamic passes and unbelievable court savvy. Kenny Bey-Brown (17 points)
showed his seniority and maturity letting the game come to him and deferring to
his teammates until he felt the game was close and he then took over and opened
the game right back up. Melvin Dixon also chipped in with 11 points
while playing his part in this demolishing defeat by the electrons.
Terrell McClure added 10 points for Parkway and Mamadou Diakite
smashed the glass for 12 points to lead Parkway in scoring. The game was
over when it started, the players were happy the game was over and were looking
forward to the playoffs. “We’re the 6th seed,” said Bey-Brown. “We’ll see what
happens. Hopefully we can make a run.” Giddings smiled and said, “We’re ready.”
These guys have a task ahead of them, but with the matchups being what they are,
they will have to play a lot harder than today to get out of the first round.
Buddy’s Behind-the-Back Pass
Buddy gives his first behind-the-back pass to
Mr. Giddings, PG Jeffery Giddings' dad . . . He spoke to Your Buddy today
and was very insightful as far as high school basketball history is concerned.
He spoke of one Joe Bryant amongst others and talked about how the game
was supposed to be played and played back when he was playing for Bartram
High. Thanks for the insight “old head” . . . I needed that! One more
behind-the-back pass to the cheering section at Franklin who chanted cheers
throughout the 4th quarter for their team even though the game was out of reach.
They were the cheerleaders for the day since the cheerleaders were absent. Go
Franklin!
Coaching Prowess . . . Or Lack Thereof
Well, how can I put this?……I guess I should be straight up. I am
frustrated with coaches in the pub that take this job for granted and don’t
offer our children any justice. I have been around the league this season and
have seen a few uninterested coaches that have totally been a disservice to the
children in our beloved Public League. I have seen coaches sitting on the
sideline short of yawning, not speaking to the kids, not directing them in the
right manner, let alone developing them. There are coaches in the pub that go
above and beyond to make sure their players get into college, as well as other
players in the Pub that aren’t even a part of their respective teams. I
partially blame the district for mostly keeping the positions limited to
teachers who are certified. There are several assistant coaches in the league
that are very much compliments to the coaches that aren’t certified teachers and
they do most of the work. They volunteer their time, energy, efforts and
knowledge of the game to these children in order to see them progress and
develop into young men with a sense of respect and responsibility. They are very
much qualified to be head coaches in the Pub, but since they are not certified
to teach . . . Yet they teach basketball. They teach the kids the game, and
teach them the way the game should be played. They are certified, certified with
experience at playing the game, going through the wars of the Pub, the rivalries
that stay fresh in their minds that draw them back to the ranks of coaching even
at the volunteer level. These are the ones who deserve the positions to help our
children develop physically, socially and emotionally in the game of basketball
that we all know and love. Not the guys that pad their paychecks with the little
stipend that’s given just because the district deemed them qualified and no one
else with a teaching certificate wanted the position. These coaches are the
coaches that are a discredit to the game and our children. I didn’t name any
coaches specifically, but they are out there and do exist. School District of
Philadelphia, let our former players, mothers, fathers and other spirited and
kind-hearted individuals that love the game have just as much of a chance at
sending our children in the Pub somewhere they may have never had the
opportunity to go. To the next level. Even if that next level is just a High
School Diploma and a higher level of self-esteem. Some of the coaches in the
league just aren’t cuttin’ it!
JAN. 27
PUBLIC C
Freire 87, Parkway 53
Well, fans, unfortunately Your Basketball Buddy had to take another
break from the action, but I promise I am here for the rest of the season! The
adventure of the day took me to Freire Charter School, which has the most
intimidating gym in the Pub in my opinion. The crowd is right on top of you
everywhere you move on the court. They scream and yell as loud as they can for
all of their players all the time. This game was a complete smashing by Freire!
They ran the game from start to finish and even when the game was over on the
scoreboard the crowd erupted after every basket made by each of their beloved
players. The first quarter was 23-11 and that was as close as the game would get
throughout. The game was run by So. PG Tyreek Riddick (18 pts.)
Throughout the entire game Riddick controlled the pace, he ran the offense fast
when they had a break, slow when they needed to take a rest, and split the
duties with Sr. PG/SG Jon Ellis (4 pts.), who showed excellent
playmaking ability throughout the game. Big Man So. F/C Earl Brown was a
true monster on the boards and had an electrifying dunk in the fourth quarter
that sent the crowd scrambling! Jr. Malik Wesley chipped in with 15
points while Sr. Abraham Bah showed some flash with 10
points. As for Parkway, their lone bright spot rested on the shoulders of
one sophomore PG Nadir Stukes. While Stukes only contributed 9 points,
he was the glue to the team that held them together for the little time that
Freire allowed. He weaved in and out of traffic and found his teammates endless
times to no avail as they missed layups over and again. Jr. Kyle McNair (17
pts.) and Sr. Terrell McClure (13 pts.) played hard as they
chipped in to help Stukes keep the game respectable in the first half. Parkway
was clearly outmatched and undermanned even by Freire’s 8 players! Freire has
began to overcome the five-game losing streak by winning their third straight
today in hopes to keep their playoff hopes alive in a clearly loaded division!
With an array of offense that they displayed today, they should be ready to go
as they prime themselves to get back in the hunt.
Buddy’s Bounce Pass –
Buddy gives his last and final bounce pass ever to Ulysses S. Grant Jr.
Mr. Grant was Your Buddy’s father -- as well as the father of former
Germantown star Khalief Mason (Wesley College) -- and he
passed away suddenly on Jan. 14, 2009 in a car accident. Mr. Grant was an avid
reader of the column and loved to see the smile on his son’s face when we talked
about the stories and people he’s met and given bounce passes to. His untimely
demise has saddened your Buddy deeply but he knows he has gone on to a better
place and is happily watching over his son. Dad, you will be sorely missed and
loved forever……this is your bounce pass, if you see fit to return the pass, I’ll
be right here waiting! I Love you!
A forgotten Sophomore
It’s easy to get lost in the fray when you’re
on a team that has only won 2 games all season. Parkway’s So. PG Nadir
Stukes is one of the Pub’s up and coming point guards that has certainly
gone forgotten. “His ball handling, outside shooting and passing has brought
this team back from the dead," says his father. “He is a hard worker and
deserves to be seen . . . He’s not getting a lot of points, but if they kept
assists he would be in the top five for sure. He is 5 '8, but an excellent
floor leader and passer. I told him just has to get a little stronger. He has a
solid jump shot.” Well,
one thing is for sure, his father is not exaggerating at all! This young man can
flat-out play. He has a soft shooting touch, can get in the lane at will, and
can find teammates as if he has two sets of eyes. His demeanor is very calm and
mellow. He seldom speaks on the court, but he leads by example. The team
gravitates to him as they get trapped and pressed regularly. They seek out
Stukes as the answer to set up and run the offense for the team. “Maybe he
should go elsewhere," says his mother. “He likes the school, but he needs to get
some recognition and it’s hard when they are losing.” Stukes doesn’t mind not
getting recognition, he just wants to win. Although this young man is just a
sophomore he has the prowess of a well-groomed senior point guard. Look out Pub,
he can only get better from here.
JAN. 9
PUBLIC C
Sayre 69, Douglas 22
Well, folks, this game was all about Sayre from
start to finish. They ran the floor, shared the ball and took smart shots. It
didn’t really matter how well Douglas played, they were clearly overmatched.
Fr. G Shahiyd Bullock (9 pts.) tried all he could to keep his
team going, but it was just too much Lathem and Gardner. Sr. PG Ramair
“Juice” Garner (21 pts.) ran the floor, distributed the ball, made key
steals, and even took good shots on the floor the entire game, even though his
minutes in the second half were sporadic. Sr. F/C Deion “Lightskint’ KG”
Lathem (11 pts.) played in spurts as well but was effective throughout the
entire time he was on the floor. Coach Hooks was trying to be as cordial as
possible by playing his reserves most of the game, but even they were too much
for the undersized team from Douglas. Not taking anything away from their coach,
he has that team running plays and they are very sharp and crisp, very
fundamentally sound, they just don’t have the athletes to compete with the
bigger players in the division right now. Although the game was one-sided, they
played with heart and resilience. They are learning on the job, but given a few
more years, they should be ready to compete and even get a few more wins. Sayre
seemed to be priming themselves for their match-up with Imhotep on Tuesday. One
they truly have their eye on. “It’s gonna be a tough one but we’ll be ready.”
Says Garner. If they play the way they played today, it should be a good one.
Buddy’s Bounce Pass
Although a few people deserved a bounce pass at
today’s game, I have to give just one pass and only one. This bounce pass is the
best yet. The pass goes to the lone male cheerleader for the Sayre Sabres…..he
may even be even the lone male cheerleader in the entire league! Yet after a
shaky start in the beginning of the game, even with the hecklers mounting, this
young man cheered and moved with the cheerleaders from Sayre with the ultimate
school spirit!!!! He danced, clapped, and even faked a flip in one of the
cheers! He has to be at the top of the list for bounce pass of the season…..Keep
cheering, young man…..I’ll be rootin’ for ya!
Senior Comrades
The best two players that Sayre has to offer
are major factors for the success of each other. Sr. PG Ramair Garner and
Sr. F/C Deion Lathem look to each other when beginning to point to
motivating factors that keeps them going. “Deion is one along with my brother
and family that motivates me in the game.” Says Garner. “My brother stays on me
a lot though.” Garner’s older brother, a former teammate of Bobby Leach
at Bartram and attendee of SW Missouri State, stays in his brother’s ear
and tries to guide him the right way both on and off the court. “I just want
what’s best for him. We want him to get into college and keep it going.” He
says. Garner’s mother was right there in the mix of it all with him as well.
“Where does he have to get to for college?” She asked. “Can he fly there? We’ll
get him wherever he needs to go.” She smiled. “Juice” as he is known to many,
wants to possibly attend a MEAC school. He is eyeing Coppin State where his long
time friend Tywain McKee (Furness/Bartram) currently attends, among many
others. He also has taken his ACT and plans to take his SAT’s on the 24th of
this month along with Lathem. Each of them by the way has registered with the
clearinghouse as well which shows their intentions of playing college ball are
not just talk. They plan on playing, and both know that going deep in the
playoffs against the stronger teams in he league will help them get there as
well. “We have a lot left to do this season. We want to make a statement and
beat one of the powerhouses in order to show teams we are for real.” Juice
added. As for Lathem, he credits his dad and uncle for his success, along with
“Juice”. “They all drive me to become better.” He says. “With our team,
we know we have to make a statement this year, and we will…..we definitely
will.” Lathem says he wants to go to college for Electrical Engineering. He
hasn’t received much attention from college coaches as of yet but is optimistic
if they see him play, they’ll like him. “I want to go wherever I can play.” With
the work ethic this young man carries on and off the court, there is no reason
why he shouldn’t make it into college. He is very soft spoken but surely brings
it in the paint in the games. He and “Juice” have been feeding off of each other
all season thus far, if they keep it going, they should certainly turn some
heads not only in the pub, but in the stands as coaches should begin to take
notice.
JAN. 8
DIVISION B
Dobbins 69, Mastbaum 48
Oh yeah fans!! He is back! Your Basketball
Buddy has been away for a few….but he’s back on the scene and what better way to
re-introduce myself than to visit Dobbins High School for a game between two
Division B teams that are in the developmental stages of hopefully growing into
a championship caliber team in the near future. This game was all but over after
the drubbing Dobbins displayed in the first quarter using a total team effort
while sharing the ball tremendously. Jr. PG Ermon McMillan (11pts.) set
the tone in the beginning of the game weaving in and out of the lane at will
against what looked like all five Mastbaum defenders in route to Dobbins
finishing the quarter with a 25 – 8 lead. McMillan, in the second quarter, also
put one defender on skates and then froze him, before finally sending him
stumbling as he presented him with one of the most, wicked crossovers your
Basketball Buddy has ever seen in person. So F/C Jerrell Wright
(15 pts.) came to life as well as he began to take over the game and push
the lead even further out of reach for Mastbaum. PG/SG Rashawn Combs (17 pts)
played an excellent floor game throughout the entire game controlling the
floor and running the offense effectively whenever his number was called. While
Mastbaum was down, they were not out of the game completely. Trailing 52-38 at
the half, Mastbaum came out on a 9-2 run to bring the game within 43-34 led by
So SG Ramel Wright (15 pts.) and his fabulous shooting stroke. Relentless
Sr. PG Eric Freeman (14 pts.) showed tremendous toughness as he drove in
the paint over and again to try to provide a spark for his team and not let
Dobbins cruise to what looked to be a blowout win. Alongside his teammates,
So. F Sean McCall (15 pts.) banged and challenged Wright in the paint all
game long but was unable to overcome the physical presence of Wright. Dobbins
finally got a hold of the game late in the third quarter and slowed the tempo
throughout the entire fourth and finally was able to breathe easy as they pulled
away for the win.
Buddy’s Bounce Pass – Buddy gives a bounce pass to crowd favorite
Sr. F/C Philip “Potato Chip” Pringle (I call him that) for a monster
block and his hustle and rebounding throughout the game. Also to the Dobbins
scorers table for all the help and support after the game. Good lookin’ out
young lady! Oh, one more pass! Bounce pass to the man in the stands that went
and helped coach on Mastbaum’s sideline who almost got ejected from the
bench…….you brought a lot of energy and sparked that comeback!
A Couple of Super Sophomores
Two of Dobbins' most coveted players this year are two sophomores.
They are F/C Jerrell Wright and PG/SG Rashawn Combs. Boy, was I
surprised to see that these two players were only Sophomores! They play the game
with such poise and confidence, that you’d never know this was their first year
on the team. “We just came up this year from JV.” Says Combs. “We just want to
build team chemistry here. We like the way things are going and we want to keep
it up.” Well, Combs has the ability to do so. He hopes to make it to a Division
I school if possible after passing his SATs. He likes Davidson and Florida.
Combs is a very vocal leader out on the floor and a savvy guard that looks to
keep his teammates involved; he is surely priming himself for success in this
league. One of the teammates he shares the ball with the most is fellow
sophomore F/C Jerrell Wright. A member of the Hunting Park Warriors AAU team,
this young man is a beast in the paint and has such a soft touch and phenomenal
footwork to be a sophomore. He has realistic goals of passing his SATs and
possibly attending Villanova or St. Joes University. “My dad is my inspiration.”
He says. “He keeps me going a lot.” A very soft spoken yet honorable young man,
he has nothing but success ahead of him. He has a great upside that looks as if
it will only get better as he continues to play the game. These two super
sophomores have a lot to learn while they are on their way to becoming
sensational seniors, but leave it up to them, they have a lot to earn as well.
DEC. 18
DIVISION C
Franklin 59, Sayre 52
Your Basketball Buddy enjoyed a wonderful game this afternoon between teams that
featured two of the best point guards I have seen thus far this season going
head to head. Sayre’s PG Ramair “Juice” Garner went into the house of
PG Jeffery Giddings and the Franklin Electrons to avenge the loss
that Franklin bestowed upon Sayre in a 6-point defeat last season. That loss was
fresh in Coach
Eric Hooks'
mind as I walked in the gym. “We are using this game as a measuring stick this
year, since they beat us last year by 6 in the playoffs without our top 4
players.” He stated. Well, in this game they ran out of room on the yardstick.
However, the point guards in this game played like they were true nemeses.
“Juice” looked like a true, well-groomed floor leader as he led his team
throughout the entire game looking like a coach on the floor, a true point
guard. While totaling 15 pts and 2 asts, he ran the floor and was
challenged all game long by Giddings. Giddings tallied 12 pts in route to
Franklin’s win, but it was two other players on the floor that stole the show
and played as hard as they could on both ends of the floor. Sayre’s Deione
Lathem, (my nickname for him Lightskint’ KG) scored early and often in the
first half in route to 20 pts and 11 rebounds with a few blocks, as well
as altering many shots that came into the lane. I mean this kid is long and
looks frail, but he can face up, shoot (even from three point land) and rebound
just like KG. A little more toughness from this kid and the Pub is in trouble
with this one! (Hint to Lathem: Show up in the fourth quarter…your team needs
you). But even better than Lathem’s performance was that of Franklin’s Sr.
G/F Melvin Dixon. This young man made his first four shots of the game, two
of which were threes, and ended the half 7 of 8 on his way to totals of 24
pts, 3 asts, and 4 stls. He played with such poise and comfort as he slowly
assassinated Sayre’s guards in the second half only taking shots clearly in his
comfort zone. “I just try to stay patient and not panic. I like to keep the team
involved so they’ll stay within the game. I know we’ll be okay if I play that
way instead of yelling and screaming," said Dixon. Also chipping in to help the
cause for Franklin and prove that last year’s playoff win wasn’t just a fluke
even, with Sayre's top 4 present, was Jr. SG Kenny Bey-Brown, who chipped
in with 13 points of his own. The game was even more exciting throughout
as Giddings’ father, who sat right under me, went ballistic play after play as
he torched the referees all game long while providing added entertainment for
the fans in attendance with his antics. “I just love the game.” He says. “I just
like to watch good basketball.” The third quarter was really hype at the end
when Franklin decided to hold the ball with 40 seconds to go and “Juice” told
his Sayre teammates to go into man-to-man defense. Mano a mano matched up
against Giddings on D as Giddings crossed over back and forth the crowd erupted.
On Giddings’ pass to Dixon, Lathem was matched up one on one against him and the
crowd yelled louder. “Juice” stole the ball went down the other end of the floor
only to get fouled as the quarter ended. When the fourth quarter began with a
monster block by Franklin’s F/C Donnell “BooBoo” Jones that sent the ball
into the stands, the crowd was wired until the final horn. Franklin showed Sayre
they still have some measuring to do, because on this afternoon for whatever the
reason may have been, top 4 players present or not, they just couldn’t measure
up.
The “Electron-ic” Car
There are three main parts to this car that runs the Franklin Electrons. The
battery, the transmission and the engine. Jr. SG
Kenny
Bey-Brown
is the battery, and folks this is one battery that never needs a jump. With
endless energy on the court Bey-Brown runs around and sparks this team whenever
they need it. He cleans up missed baskets, tips the ball for key steals, dives
out of bounds and on the floor for loose balls . . . whatever he has to do to
keep the car running. “I just want this team to have a breakout year and a
successful season while going far in the playoffs. We feed off of that on this
team.” He says. Jr. PG
Jeffery
Giddings
is the transmission. He gets this team going on all cylinders from start to
finish, while he may need some fine tuning on his mouth from being overly
emotional from time to time, he understands the key to the success of this team.
“I’m just out there lookin’ to swing the ball, make shots, keep my head in the
game and make plays,” he smiles. “The people in this league don’t really know us
because this is our first year in the division. We can sneak up on some teams
and be a sleeper. We like that.” The most important part and engine on this team
is Senior G/F
Melvin Dixon.
This car will never fall apart as long as he has the final say in keeping it
running. “Our team is small and young, but we are all confident. I like to help
keep this teams’ confidence up. I’ve been on this team for 4 years now trying to
win a championship. I just try to stay calm and keep them in the game. They know
I’m their leader and they feed off of me. I try to set a good example and show
them the right way to play. The rest will take care of itself.” Dixon has been
shown interest by schools such as Coppin State, Morgan State, West Point,
Rutgers and Rider just to name a few. His 3.1 grade point average and savvy
leadership along with his maturity and poise will land him in a college that
should continue to hone his skills. With this car being run by these three
gentleman, their hope is to drive straight to the playoffs and into the
championship.
Buddy’s Bounce
Pass: Buddy
gives a bounce pass to the 6 Cheerleaders from Franklin. They got it poppin’ in
the gym and made it loud and spirited throughout, even though there were only
six! . . . Well, five if you take away the girl that sat down at halftime
(frown).
DEC. 11
DIVISION B
Franklin LC 78, William Penn 46
Your Basketball Buddy has been to some stimulating games, but the atmosphere in
the Cunningham Center was electrifying to say the least!!!! (Shout out to the
FLC Cheerleaders for making the game hyped and exciting!!!!). The gym was filled
with wall-to-wall fans (literally, fans were packed along every possible wall,
with barely any standing room at all) rooting for FLC. There were Neumann
College players in attendance as well as the Head Coach from Siena University,
who came to see his future point guard, along with a few other college coaches.
The game was a complete thrashing by FLC, but with the amount of noise
throughout the course of the game, you never would have known it. Every steal,
pass, assist or basket made by FLC had the gym erupting. That was coupled with a
front row filled with supporters for PG Denzel Yard, who were
equally ecstatic when he made plays as well. Denzel Yard (Siena
signee) (11 pts) and SG Jared Johnson (12 pts) controlled the game
for the most part, while F/C Nasir Jones collected 23 points and
dominated the paint both offensively and defensively throughout the entire game.
Yard appeared to have the offense in sync and didn’t worry about shooting the
ball as much as he did setting his teammates up for basket after basket. Coach
Will Wright did a marvelous job of mixing his players in and out of the
game as all of them looked equally impressive and much more superior to William
Penn's. PG Braheim Dixon (15 points) struggled to hit shots in the game
as he tried over and over to ignite his team and give them a spark and a hint of
hope, as they were clearly overmatched. Penn was led by Dixon, along with
Mike Grey (13 points) and Emmanuel Pittman (10 points). “This
game was about not letting up and having a letdown after getting a big win at
Gratz (earlier this week)," stated Wright. “We have a target on our backs and we
don’t want to let anyone think that they are going to come in and play our team
and sneak away with a win.” When I told Coach Wright they looked primed for a
championship run he said, “We’ve got to be consistent. This isn’t just about
this year. We are trying to groom the future of our program, also, to keep this
thing going.” That was clearly evident as Coach Wright played at least 11
players and they looked as good as the starters. If FLC is as good against other
possible contenders as they were against Tuesday against Gratz and today against
Penn, they better get ready for a deep run in the playoffs. After watching FLC
today, Division B has shown to be that much tougher. As for Penn, its time to
regroup and hope that the year gets better as they learn together as a team.
“Generation Next”
The future of FLC depends on three sophomores that are self-proclaimed
“Generation Next”. Sophomores Derrick Mitchell, Basir Fulmore, and
Turhan Griffin are three players grooming themselves for the future to begin
their own reign at Franklin Learning Center. Each of these gentlemen believes
the group has what it takes to become a successful mix when the current seniors
leave, but for now they each have a role to play. Derrick says, “I’m not
worried too much about scoring. I just try to pass the ball and play defense.
You know, lead the team that way. When I come off the bench I just try to be the
spark the team may need.” Basir feels that he should “shoot the ball and
be aggressive off the bench and be a spark for the team as well.” He also feels
that with his offense he’d like to present “a triple-threat combination on
offense” for the defenders trying to guard him in order to “open things up for
his teammates.” Turhan, the lone current starter of the three, says,
“With so many scorers on the floor for our current team, I just focus on playing
defense and working hard every night, and just try to hit the open shots when I
get the opportunity.” All three guys agree that their coach tells them to go
out there and work hard and not be afraid to make mistakes. “Our coach trusts us
and helps us through the things that we don’t understand. He teaches us to be
patient and let the game come to us,” Mitchell says. These three young men play
significant roles right now in the spotlight offered by the current team. They
are strong contributors and can’t ask for anything more, or could they? “We’d
like to start and win. We know our turn is coming and when we get the
opportunity we just want to show that we are ready,” says Derrick. “We all need
to be ready to step up. We are Generation Next. We have to keep up the winning
tradition here.” Basir feels they all are “looking forward to the
next step while we are learning. Denzel teaches us a lot by his play on the
floor.” These three young men are looking to obtain a scholarship to “any
college that will help us financially, and offer us a quality education.” All
three agreed. The future for the seniors of FLC is now, but these three
sophomores are after that, and when you have a contingent of young men that's
learning on the job, “Generation Next” doesn’t seem like a bad name at all. They
look to be the next generation to carry the victory torch for this basketball
program.
DEC. 9
PUBLIC B
FitzSimons 66, West Phila. 63
Welcome to the regular
season folks! This game had all of the intensity that you’d want in a Public
League game. While both teams appeared to lack chemistry in the beginning while
constantly turning the ball over, they appeared very anxious to get going.
West Philadelphia couldn’t capitalize as they missed countless
lay-ups and picked up a bunch of fouls as their defensive style was very
aggressive. They extended the quarter by committing numerous fouls, but finally got
it together to close out the quarter. FitzSimons was up 13 – 2
before West found a way to get back into the game, closing the quarter on a
7-2 run to make it 15 – 9. The second quarter served well for
FitzSimons as they opened up a ten-point lead behind their prolific guard play.
They opened the quarter with two back to back three pointers, but West wasn’t
ready to concede and fought back together as a team taking the once 24 – 14
lead on a 19 – 4 run to take the lead themselves 33 – 28 right
before the half. That was just the beginning. While the third quarter gave the
spectators a few oohs and aahs from a few crossovers by guards from both teams,
the turnovers were a major factor on both ends of the floor. After a diving
attempt to save the basketball by a West player injured him and brought his team
a lay-up with an excellent behind the back pass as he saved the ball, the crowd
erupted. The injury timeout must have energized both teams as they fought and
battled, scratched and clawed the rest of the way and when the third quarter
ended, the score read 50 – 45 and FitzSimons held the lead. Finally,
the fourth quarter arrived. The most important quarter of any game when games
are close and could potentially be on the line. West Philadelphia
came out on fire, stealing the ball and running the floor as fast as one could
blink. And when I decided it was my turn to blink, the score was 58 – 58.
West had went on a 13 – 8 run to tie the game behind some very stingy
defense where their guards were all over the floor. From there the crowd got up
from their seats and began yelling and screaming as the home team looked like
they were priming themselves for victory. But FitzSimons had other plans. They
took the ball from West three straight times, none of which more important than
the two-handed block by one of their Senior Forwards, who literally took the
lay-up right out of the hands of the guard, laying the ball up after meeting him
at the rim for the two handed block. The teams exchanged baskets back and forth
until 39 seconds were left in the game and FitzSimons decided to hold the ball
while leading 63-60. They made three of their final six free throws as
they closed the game out and won 66-63 to go 1-0 on the young season.
This is a small yet moral victory for a team. This
win should give them some added confidence that they can win when playing
together anytime throughout this season, no matter who the team is. I guess
we’ll see as the season progresses.
FitzSimons' "Fabulous Five"
FitzSimons High School
has a team of four seniors and a junior that collectively for them, it’s now or
never. In a division that Simon Gratz seems to be the favorite regardless of how
they seem to fair from year to year, these five young men are just looking to
make a name for themselves and the team as they exit in hopes to become college
student-athletes. I’ve nicknamed these guys the “Fab Five”. These guys play off
of each other so well defensively, that they are reminiscent of the current
Boston Celtics, or former Coach John Chaney’s Temple Owls. They disguise
their man-to-man defense in a match-up zone format and the rotation and help
defense is great, the guards know when to sneak in for the steal or double down
and the forwards run the floor as well as the guards. “It’s communication, we
have communication drills in practice that allow us to see the floor for each
other.” says Senior SG Kion Coats. Coats and his backcourt mate, JR PG
Andrew Reed, are very proficient from their positions. While Reed runs the
team and sets up the rest of the guys on offense with passes that only a true
point guard would see and make, Coats brings a sense of toughness with his game.
He is “ice” when responding to a team’s surge in attempt to make a run at his
team and isn’t afraid to jump out on any defender and retrieve the ball. The
“bigs” down low are the bruisers. These three guys are uncompromising when it
comes to surrendering rebounds on either end of the floor. Senior
Forwards Chuck Collins and Edward Evans are built like true Power forwards
and can grind it out under the basket with the best of them using willpower
and pure heart. The Man in the Middle, Senior Center Robert Scott, is
a very lively body down low that occupies a bunch of space as defenders bounce
off of him as he attempts to turn rebounds into points on the offensive end. In
their first division game this season against West Philadelphia, the three posted a
combined point and rebound total of 29 points and 41 rebounds!!! That’s
right, folks, 41 rebounds. Evans (13 pts. 22 rebs.), Collins (12 pts, 10 rebs.)
and Scott (4 pts, 9 rebs.) controlled the paint the entire afternoon while
hitting the floor numerous times and consistently coming back for more,
which allowed room for a combined 27 points for their backcourt duo.
(Reed 8 pts.) and Coats (14 pts.) They didn’t really have an answer
when asked how they keep up such a bruising style under the basket. They all
just smiled and seemed grateful for the attention. “We just keep working,” said
Evans as he smiled. All of the guys have taken SAT’s and hope to qualify for
eligibility at the next level by the time they graduate in June. When asked
about Gratz and how they wanted to do against them in the division, Evans shook
his head and said: “That’s my old school, so of course it’ll be fun to beat
them.” While they are trying to make the postseason this year, there are many
other teams in the same position this year after the same goal. Coats believes
the test will begin this Thursday against Roxborough. “We have a big game
at home on Thursday against Roxborough. That will be a big one for us to get.”
These guys may have a tough road ahead to getting to the post season but they
are primed and ready. If there’s one thing that’s guaranteed it’s that defense
wins championships. And as Kevin Garnett from the Boston Celtics told us:
“Anything is posibuuuuuuuuuuuuuullll!”
DEC. 6
FSS INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT
The “New”euva Esperanza
The Esperanza Toros are currently 1-1 on the season and have the look
of a team that can be viewed as a “sleeper” in Division C this season. After
watching the Torros in the 2008 FSS Invitational Tournament over the weekend,
this team showed a lot of tough grit, heart and desire. This new-look team has a
swagger about themselves that wasn’t visible last year. They are led by their
senior guards, Andy Bousono and Zakee Moody. The lightning fast
duo are undersized, yet extremely quick and efficient in the backcourt. They
play at a very high level all game long looking tireless in their efforts to
bring the Torros to victory in every game they play. “Our coach preaches team
defense," says Andy Bousono. This young man is very athletic and skilled and has
a jump shot that is out of this world. He makes plays all over the floor on both
ends. Coupled with Zakee Byrd and his dynamic speed and defensive abilities,
these two guards make up a fierce backcourt that should cause problems in the
division. Although they may have problems dealing with the bigger guards in the
division, they are up for the challenge. “ We want to compete to make sure we
are noticed in the division.” Andy says. It isn’t likely that these seniors are
going to let their last run at the Public League playoffs pass them by without a
strong fight. Their high-energy coach Terrance “Tiny” Hudson has this
team clicking on all cylinders, yet they still can get better developing team
chemistry. They have a Jr. G/F Brandon Abner that can play down low and
bang on the boards and step outside and shoot the ball well. They also have a
rising sophomore by the name of Parris Baldwin, who is as
energetic as his coach and has a very high motor, alongside a “budding”
sensational freshman Da’Quan Ballenger. This team will continue to get
better and should be right there in the divisional match-ups this season. I have
them losing about 5 games this season and if they can sneak a game from
Friere, Hope, Comm. Tech, or Imohtep, they should be primed for the
playoff run they all have envisioned for this season. They came in second place
in the tournament after fighting to the end against the tournament champion
Friends Select. The crowd in attendance made the game look as if Esperanza was
the host team and showed their undying support throughout the entire game. Coach
Hudson looked deflated because he knew he let one slip away but had to be
gratified that his team played as hard as they could and he saw the future in
his frontcourt grow a bit more which will get them ready for this very strong
and talented division. Some of the parts may be old on this team but the
attitude, desire and will to win along with some welcoming additions definitely
puts the “New” in Nueva Esperanza. (The school has dropped "Nueva" from its
name, but you get the point -- smile.)
Da'Quan "The Dapper Dandy" Ballenger
Esperanza has a
freshman sensation that not only they, but Division C, should covet for the
next four years. Opponents in Division C will also have to contend with his
immense basketball prowess over the next four years as well. Freshman Da’Quan
Ballenger played for St. Rosaline Middle School last year and wanted
to play for Esperanza because he wanted a chance to “make the team better and
possibly win a championship.” While Imhotep and Freire were
lurking to see if they could land Ballenger, they were a bit leery due to not
seeing him play in Middle School. Ballenger played AAU basketball for the
Northeast Sting and in various recreational leagues with little recognition and
became an unknown product amongst his family and close friends. Ballenger says
he tried out because he knew he “could make the team and excel.” Talking to
Ballenger, you can see he is a well-mannered young man with a strong sense of
humility. He is a respectable young man and appears to just try to fit in with
the team. “I just want to make my family happy and be a part of the family here
are Esperanza.” Ballenger plays almost every position on the floor at 5’ 10”
with the wing span of a 6’ 2” player, he extends the defense and grabs rebounds
that most players his size would dream to grab. He also plays big offensively
down low, putting shots back over larger defenders and even scoring from the
wings when the ball finds its way to his side of the floor. “He’s always been
good and knows he can play," says his father. “He is just one of those guys who
can play the role of being the man or accept his role and play his part when
necessary. Most kids won’t do that.” On this team his dad couldn’t be more
accurate. Ballenger plays his role very well on this team and is not only a
starter as a freshman but will play a major role on this team, and while
mistakes are bound to happen, he covers them up very well by shaking them off
and making a good play to follow. Ballenger plans to take the PSATs very soon
and has his eye on Temple, Georgetown, and Villanova amongst other schools. His
hopes aren’t far-fetched and he is certainly in control over his destiny thus
far. With a strong support system in his father and a dynamic coach he is
destined to be a success through his eagerness to learn and his humility. This
year he is learning and wearing a diaper during his freshman experience, by the
time his career comes to an end at Esperanza, he should definitely be wearing a
crown showing that he has matured and developed into a sensational senior.