Thomas Jefferson guard Corwin Austin goes up for a shot. Photos by Damion Reid
By Zachary Braziller February 13, 2009
By Zachary Braziller February 13, 2009
Lawrence Pollard didn’t care that the opponent was bigger and stronger. It didn’t matter that Hopkins (Minn.) had four high major Division I-bound seniors or that it shot the lights out.
He was disgusted with his Thomas Jefferson boys’ basketball team after its 79-65 loss. The level of opponent didn’t make a difference.
“We got punked,” he fumed, moments after the Orange Wave’s lackluster loss in the finale of the Nike Super Six Invitational on Friday at Fordham University. “We were soft tonight.”
Joel (Air Jamaica) Wright led Jefferson with 18 points, Marcus Romain added 16 and Davontay Grace had 15. Raymond Cowels, a Santa Clara-bound guard, keyed the Hopkins attack with 25 points and five 3-pointers, and forward Royce White, who will play at Minnesota next fall, had 22 points and nine rebounds.
Hopkins Royce White
Pollard said the lopsided defeat had more to do with what his players didn’t do, than what the 16th-ranked team from the Midwest accomplished. The Orange Wave (17-9) were pushed off the low blocks, basically forced to run their offense on the perimeter. They committed 22 turnovers, had just eight assists and allowed the Royals to shoot 50 percent from the field. They were beat up inside, particularly off the boards, out-rebounded, 39-32. Most of the Royals’ points, Pollard said, came from hustle plays or toughness, not necessarily superior skill.
“They played more physical than us,” senior Keith Spellman said. “They pushed us around.”
Of course, Jefferson was without its leading scorer, Spellman, too. He re-aggravated a season-long back injury and may be lost for the season. He won’t play, Pollard said, in Sunday’s Brooklyn borough championship game against Lincoln at Long Island University. The coach ruled him out of the city playoffs also, although Spellman wasn’t willing to go that far.
In his absence, Pollard didn’t get what he was hoping from reserves Corwin Austin, Dontay Payne and Eric Turpin Jr. The three sophomores, who have shown flashes of brilliance from time to time, struggled against Hopkins, combining for nine points in 37 minutes. The three guards will have to do better Sunday – much better.
Hopkins Marcus Williams
“We have to be more of a team now,” Romain said. “We have to go to the scorers we have and work off them.”
Pollard lamented another lost opportunity against a high-profile opponent. Jefferson had already lost twice to three-time defending city champion Lincoln and once apiece to Mt. Vernon (N.Y.) and Paterson Catholic (N.J.), although it led in all four setbacks.
“It’s disheartening,” the coach said. “We’ve had chances to put our program on the national stage. We wanted to come in here and put up a big fight.”
Pollard wanted to see his players – any of them – force Hopkins (19-0) out of its comfort zone. Instead, they were a punching bag, enabling the visitors to have the lay of the land.
When told it should’ve been the other way around, considering the game featured a Brooklyn school, a borough known for its toughness, playing a group from Minnesota, Pollard said his players were more interested in talking on AOL Instant Messenger than working on their game.
“AIM is the only way to get in touch with them,” he cracked.
Hopkins spent much of the evening throwing down ferocious slams and sinking open jumpers. The Royals held a 26-13 lead after the first quarter. The closest Jefferson got was nine, 37-28, late in the second quarter. The Royals scored eight of the game’s next 11 points – including two Cowels 3-pointers – to push the lead back to 14. They were never in danger in the second half.
“We could’ve shown more heart,” Romain admitted. “It’s a lesson to learn.”
He was disgusted with his Thomas Jefferson boys’ basketball team after its 79-65 loss. The level of opponent didn’t make a difference.
“We got punked,” he fumed, moments after the Orange Wave’s lackluster loss in the finale of the Nike Super Six Invitational on Friday at Fordham University. “We were soft tonight.”
Joel (Air Jamaica) Wright led Jefferson with 18 points, Marcus Romain added 16 and Davontay Grace had 15. Raymond Cowels, a Santa Clara-bound guard, keyed the Hopkins attack with 25 points and five 3-pointers, and forward Royce White, who will play at Minnesota next fall, had 22 points and nine rebounds.
Hopkins Royce WhitePollard said the lopsided defeat had more to do with what his players didn’t do, than what the 16th-ranked team from the Midwest accomplished. The Orange Wave (17-9) were pushed off the low blocks, basically forced to run their offense on the perimeter. They committed 22 turnovers, had just eight assists and allowed the Royals to shoot 50 percent from the field. They were beat up inside, particularly off the boards, out-rebounded, 39-32. Most of the Royals’ points, Pollard said, came from hustle plays or toughness, not necessarily superior skill.
“They played more physical than us,” senior Keith Spellman said. “They pushed us around.”
Of course, Jefferson was without its leading scorer, Spellman, too. He re-aggravated a season-long back injury and may be lost for the season. He won’t play, Pollard said, in Sunday’s Brooklyn borough championship game against Lincoln at Long Island University. The coach ruled him out of the city playoffs also, although Spellman wasn’t willing to go that far.
In his absence, Pollard didn’t get what he was hoping from reserves Corwin Austin, Dontay Payne and Eric Turpin Jr. The three sophomores, who have shown flashes of brilliance from time to time, struggled against Hopkins, combining for nine points in 37 minutes. The three guards will have to do better Sunday – much better.
Hopkins Marcus Williams“We have to be more of a team now,” Romain said. “We have to go to the scorers we have and work off them.”
Pollard lamented another lost opportunity against a high-profile opponent. Jefferson had already lost twice to three-time defending city champion Lincoln and once apiece to Mt. Vernon (N.Y.) and Paterson Catholic (N.J.), although it led in all four setbacks.
“It’s disheartening,” the coach said. “We’ve had chances to put our program on the national stage. We wanted to come in here and put up a big fight.”
Pollard wanted to see his players – any of them – force Hopkins (19-0) out of its comfort zone. Instead, they were a punching bag, enabling the visitors to have the lay of the land.
When told it should’ve been the other way around, considering the game featured a Brooklyn school, a borough known for its toughness, playing a group from Minnesota, Pollard said his players were more interested in talking on AOL Instant Messenger than working on their game.
“AIM is the only way to get in touch with them,” he cracked.
Hopkins spent much of the evening throwing down ferocious slams and sinking open jumpers. The Royals held a 26-13 lead after the first quarter. The closest Jefferson got was nine, 37-28, late in the second quarter. The Royals scored eight of the game’s next 11 points – including two Cowels 3-pointers – to push the lead back to 14. They were never in danger in the second half.
“We could’ve shown more heart,” Romain admitted. “It’s a lesson to learn.”
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