Tuesday, February 23, 2010
TD Garden, 7:30 p.m.
TV: CSN New England
RADIO: WEEI 850 AM
By Marc D'Amico
February 23, 2010
Celtics.com
The Boston Celtics and New York Knicks are set to meet on the court at 7:30 p.m. tonight in the TD Garden, just five days after they exchanged five players in a trade that Boston hopes will jumpstart its bench for the remainder of the season.
Nate Robinson, the headline player involved in that deal, will make his Celtics debut tonight at home against his former team. He did not join Boston on the West Coast after the trade was completed Thursday evening because he was battling the flu.
The 5-foot-9 guard appeared in 30 games for the Knicks this season, scoring 13.2 PPG to go along with his 2.4 RPG and 3.7 APG. He'll now be looked upon as the primary offensive sparkplug off the Celtics' bench, a title Eddie House used to hold.
House, who was sent to New York along with J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker, has had mixed results in his two games as a Knickerbocker. He scored 24 points in his debut with the team, which also served as his reunion with run-and-gun coach Mike D'Antoni, but then shot only 4-of-16 from the floor for 10 points against the Bucks Monday night.
House will surely be aiming to light up the nets tonight in the building he built so many fond memories in during the past two-plus seasons. The C's, however, will be hoping that Robinson is the fresh face who contributes largely to tonight's scoring.
Boston might need that scoring more than ever tonight, as it sounds like Paul Pierce may not be available. He has played through a thumb injury since Thursday night in Los Angeles and at an appearance last night, stated that "getting it a few days off to rest" is something he'll need to consider.
Doc Rivers had actually already hinted at that possibility over the weekend. When a coach and player are on the same page regarding time off due to an injury, it's almost certain that it will happen.
If Pierce is out of the lineup, the start will go to either Tony Allen or Marquis Daniels. Allen has received seven starts in place of Pierce at the small forward position this season and averaged 9.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 3.1 APG in those contests. But all of those starts came before Daniels, who is more of a prototypical small forward, returned from injury.
Rivers usually likes to stick with what works -- a la starting Allen, who has performed successfully as a starter -- but he will need to think long and hard about putting Daniels out there with the first group tonight. With the recent acquisition of Tracy McGrady, New York is now one of the tallest and longest perimeter teams in the league. McGrady and Wilson Chandler, who are both 6-foot-8, hold down the shooting guard and small forward positions, and Daniels would match up better with both of them in terms of length.
Speaking of McGrady, he is the new face of the franchise in New York -- at least temporarily. The end-goal of acquiring McGrady was for the Knicks to reach out to two maximum contract free agents this summer, but in the meantime he'll be leaned on to be the team's go-to scorer.
His first game was a home run, as he poured in 26 points on 10-of-17 shooting. But just as House's did, McGrady's production fell off in his second game, as he scored only 15 points on 5-of-14 shooting.
McGrady and House weren't the only Knicks to struggle from the field last night, though. The team managed to score only 67 points against Milwaukee on 33.8 percent shooting from the floor. Much of that is due to the fact that D'Antoni has to new faces in his starting lineup, McGrady and Sergio Rodriguez, who was also acquired last week.
With the Knicks playing in the second night of a back-to-back and having issues with a new rotation, the C's should be able to capitalize at both ends of the court. Boston's defense has been stout of late, once again regaining the intimidation factor that most opponents have felt against them in the past. Tonight should be no different at that end of the court. Offensively, the Celts will be taking on a Knicks defense that gives up the sixth-most points in the league, so they should be able to break the century mark for only the second time in their past eight games.
Contain David Lee
Some say it's D'Antoni's system that made David Lee a first-time All-Star this season, but no matter how you look at it, this kid is putting up monster numbers, to the tune of 20.1 PPG, 11.5 RPG and 3.5 APG. He ranks fourth in the league in total rebounds (630), fourth in double-doubles (35) and seventh in field goals made (467).
Up until last night's dud performance by the Knicks, Lee had notched at least 20 points and eight rebounds in seven straight games, six of which were double-doubles. He is relentless on the glass, has added the mid-range jumper to his repertoire and has become an elite free throw shooter for his position.
Shutting Lee down, especially in this system, is nearly impossible, so Kendrick Perkins' job will be to simply contain Lee. Perk will need to limit Lee's hustle rebounds and also take away passing lanes. Lee's improved passing has helped him become somewhat of a point-forward in the Knicks' offense at times, so if Perk can take away his passing abilities it will pay big dividends for Boston's defense overall.
Lastly, Perk will have a clear size advantage offensively, so the C's are sure to get him the ball in the post. He leads the league in field goal percentage, and that's mostly due to his ability to get shots off within five feet of the bucket. He will need to bang with Lee on the block tonight and do his best to get off more shots like that, all while wearing the Knicks' center out physically.
Attack the Knicks' defense
New York has great length from point guard to power forward, but that's about all those players offer defensively. Wilson Chandler is by far the best defender of the Knicks' starters, and even he is not considered great at that end of the floor.
As a result, Boston will have the opportunity to attack the Knicks in many ways. Asserting players like Perkins, Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace on the block will certainly be a priority considering Boston's size advantage on the frontline. But while success around the paint will be expected, attacking off the dribble and excellent movement away from the ball should be, too.
If the C's work hard at the offensive end, they should get plenty of easy looks from all over the floor. Expect a big night from the C's offensively, because the Knicks just don't match up very well with them at that end of the court.
How will Robinson adjust?
As stated, this will be Robinson's first game in Celtics green, against the only team for which he's ever played an NBA game. He has never had to adjust to being traded, and he couldn't be coming into a system that's any farther from that of which he came.
D'Antoni's offense is free-flowing, has barely any constraints and allows its guards and perimeter players to dominate the game and play at a pace that's higher than nearly every other team's in the league.
Here in Boston, it's almost the exact opposite. Doc Rivers' offense is structured, with well-crafted plays that are based on discipline and execution. Boston's offense is also one of the slowest in the league, as the C's take the fewest field goal attempts per game of any team in the NBA.
So Robinson will not only have to adjust to a new city, lifestyle and teammates, he'll have to change the way he thinks and reacts on the floor. This will be his first game with the C's, so expect him to be a bit rusty in the new situation, but he's an intelligent player, so he should be able to handle it well.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Latin Academy wins third straight City championship
By Peter Martin, Globe Correspondent | February 19, 2010
Latin Academy won its third consecutive Boston City Championship yesterday 5-0 over East Boston at Matthews Arena at Northeastern University.
The Dragons overcame a lackluster first period effort by turning on the style in the final two frames and taking advantage of a series of Eastie penalties.
''We came out flat,'' Latin Academy coach Rob McCormick said. ''We had a good talk in the locker room after the first and really got the troops going.''
Those troops were led by sophomore Brendon Kerrigan who had two goals and two assists in the game. His efforts were rewarded with the game's Most Valuable Player award.
His linemate and fellow sophomore Kevin Moran chipped in two goals and an assist as well.
''Those guys are leaders for us,'' McCormick said. ''They are really coming into their own this year, we kept that line together to try to get them to build some chemistry and it really worked.''
The Dragons finally got their offense clicking late in the first despite peppering Logan Coughlin for the entire period. Kerrigan drew first blood with a wrist shot thanks to a feed from Moran at the 12:41 mark on the team's ninth shot of the period.
Latin Academy added another goal in the second period, this time from Moran. The sophomore was able to bury the puck in an open net after a pretty series of passes in the offensive zone from Kerrigan and linemate, Michael Clough.
''The guys on the team really wanted to do this for themselves,'' said McCormick. ''They knew that the winner here gets to the state tournament and they were really motivated.''
That motivation showed and the flood gates opened in the final frame when Latin Academy scored three more times. First, Kerrigan scored his second unassisted after a pretty individual move and then Moran grabbed his second, with a helper from Kerrigan.
Latin's final tally came from a freshman, Paul O'Keefe. His goal was icing on the cake coming with less than a minute to play.
The Dragons now return the the Division 3 North sectional tournament for the fourth straight year where they will look improve over last year's one-and-done performance against Tyngsboro.
Latin Academy won its third consecutive Boston City Championship yesterday 5-0 over East Boston at Matthews Arena at Northeastern University.
The Dragons overcame a lackluster first period effort by turning on the style in the final two frames and taking advantage of a series of Eastie penalties.
''We came out flat,'' Latin Academy coach Rob McCormick said. ''We had a good talk in the locker room after the first and really got the troops going.''
Those troops were led by sophomore Brendon Kerrigan who had two goals and two assists in the game. His efforts were rewarded with the game's Most Valuable Player award.
His linemate and fellow sophomore Kevin Moran chipped in two goals and an assist as well.
''Those guys are leaders for us,'' McCormick said. ''They are really coming into their own this year, we kept that line together to try to get them to build some chemistry and it really worked.''
The Dragons finally got their offense clicking late in the first despite peppering Logan Coughlin for the entire period. Kerrigan drew first blood with a wrist shot thanks to a feed from Moran at the 12:41 mark on the team's ninth shot of the period.
Latin Academy added another goal in the second period, this time from Moran. The sophomore was able to bury the puck in an open net after a pretty series of passes in the offensive zone from Kerrigan and linemate, Michael Clough.
''The guys on the team really wanted to do this for themselves,'' said McCormick. ''They knew that the winner here gets to the state tournament and they were really motivated.''
That motivation showed and the flood gates opened in the final frame when Latin Academy scored three more times. First, Kerrigan scored his second unassisted after a pretty individual move and then Moran grabbed his second, with a helper from Kerrigan.
Latin's final tally came from a freshman, Paul O'Keefe. His goal was icing on the cake coming with less than a minute to play.
The Dragons now return the the Division 3 North sectional tournament for the fourth straight year where they will look improve over last year's one-and-done performance against Tyngsboro.
Off the streets at last, on a fast break for hope
Mentors and new programs provide support for athletes that had been sorely lacking
By Bob Hohler, Globe Staff | February 21, 2010
As dusk fell one evening last May, Alex DoSouto was walking alone down a grim Dorchester street, headed toward home, which meant headed toward trouble.
Then he heard a sound he knew only too well.
From a passing car, two assailants with semiautomatic weapons opened fire. One round ripped into DoSouto’s leg, marking him as the fourth brother in his family wounded by gunshots - one died of a bullet to the heart - in the ongoing street war among Boston’s most violent Cape Verdean factions.
At 18, DoSouto was a jail veteran and high school dropout running with the so-called Cape Verdean Outlaws. When the bullet struck just above his court-ordered ankle monitor, he slumped to the pavement, steps from where his brother was fatally wounded three years earlier.
“It changed my life,’’ DoSouto said. “I could have been killed. I said, ‘I can’t keep living like this.’ ’’
In crisis, he turned back to the Boston Public Schools. Back to something he loved, interscholastic basketball. Back to the dream he’d abandoned, of college.
As city leaders confront gang violence, a high school dropout rate twice the state average, and the high cost of incarcerating youths rather than educating them, DoSouto embodies the spirit of a collaboration among the schools, youth-oriented nonprofits, and the new Boston Scholar Athlete program aimed at providing student-athletes, even last-chance students like DoSouto, the resources to succeed.
Five months removed from a jail cell, DoSouto enrolled last fall for his senior year at English High School, the bullet scar on his leg still fresh. School officials say he is on pace to graduate in June, with a chance to land a college basketball scholarship.
“Whatever happened in his life, Alex is filled with buoyancy,’’ English headmaster Sito Narcisse said. “We’re very excited about his prospects.’’
Community leaders hope DoSouto serves as an example of how education and sports can help divert at-risk youths from the streets. He is one of many student-athletes in Boston schools who have been perpetrators or victims of violent crimes.
“Not too long ago, Alex couldn’t picture any of this,’’ said Anthony Robinson, a street worker who helped DoSouto return to school and stick with it. “He was hanging in the streets, causing trouble, and trying to protect himself from the elements. Now he can see prosperity happening in his life.’’
DoSouto’s greatest supporters include two ex-convicts - older brothers Milton DoSouto and Mike Fernandes - who bear scars from a 15-year feud among Cape Verdean crews in Roxbury and Dorchester. Milton DoSouto, 28, who walks with a cane after suffering 11 gunshot wounds in two separate ambushes, and Fernandes, 26, who took a bullet to his leg, said Alex has a chance to reshape their family’s legacy.
The older brothers first landed behind bars as adolescents - Fernandes as a seventh-grader - and neither finished high school. Their criminal histories, including convictions for assaulting police officers, date to the 1990s.
“We don’t want Alex to follow in our footsteps,’’ said Fernandes, who was identified by the Boston Police in 2003 as one of the “impact players’’ in the Cape Verdean gang culture.
“Milton and I didn’t have an older brother to give us good advice,’’ Fernandes said. “We’re trying to teach him the opposite of the way we grew up.’’
Swept up in a deadly cycle of violence, the older brothers said they have buried at least one young relative or friend every year since the ’90s. Fernandes took issue, however, with law enforcement’s characterization of the family-affiliated Outlaws as a gang. He is one of 10 children raised by Alfredo DoSouto and Luisa Fernandes on Hamilton Street in Dorchester.
“One thing people fail to realize is that we are all blood family, blood brothers, and cousins,’’ Fernandes said. “You will never find someone in our group who is outside the family. If they want to blame us for protecting each other and fighting for each other, I don’t know what to call it.’’
Fernandes, who runs a memorabilia business, and his brother, Milton, a barber, indicated they are transitioning out of the street life, a difficult challenge given their deep-rooted conflicts with rival factions.
The two older brothers have attended nearly all of DoSouto’s basketball games since he gave up the streets for school. So has another brother, Steve DoSouto, 25, who is waging a personal campaign against the mayhem in their neighborhood near Bowdoin Street and Geneva Avenue.
Last November, Steve and Alex DoSouto arrived for a night basketball game at the Marshall Elementary School just as a gunman opened fire in the gym and shot one of their friends. The 22-year-old victim, whom police have not identified, fled to his nearby home, where the DoSoutos found him lying on the floor, bleeding from both hands.
Alex, who recently testified before a grand jury about the incident, said he used his shirt to bandage the victim, then rushed upstairs to inform the victim’s mother.
For Steve DoSouto, the attack became a tipping point, one senseless casualty too many.
“I decided to see what I could do to stop the violence,’’ he said.
He launched the Boston Peace Basketball League at the Marshall School. With grants from the Boston Foundation’s StreetSafe program and Robinson’s nonprofit Youth in Crisis Inc., the league provides a free alternative to the streets for dozens of at-risk youths. The Boston Police support the program by staffing the games with two officers to provide security.
“I was afraid kids would stop coming to the gym because they were scared,’’ Steve said. “I didn’t want them to think everyone who comes here is carrying a knife or a gun.’’
Alex plays in the league, coached by Milton, who recently made his own attempt to save children from the dangers of the streets. Meeting with students from the Curley K-8 School in Jamaica Plain, where a 13-year-old boy was charged in December with stabbing two other 13-year-olds in the school gym, Milton spoke about the toll of youth violence. “If you want to be out running the streets,’’ he recalled telling the students, “you’re going to end up burying your best friends, your cousins, your brothers.’’
By nearly all accounts, Alex avoided criminal activity until his brother, Luis DoSouto, was shot to death at the age of 25 in front of their home in 2006. Alex, then 16, saw his brother dying in the street.
“My brother’s life came down to a single moment and in that moment I felt a part of me slip away like the smoke that quickly rises and disappears after the flame on a candle has been put out,’’ Alex wrote last fall in his college admissions essay.
Alex, when asked during an interview at the Marshall School to reflect on how his brother’s death affected him, rushed home and returned with his essay, saying it expressed his genuine feelings about his personal history.
He wrote that he became “fearless’’ after his brother’s death, “not caring if I was shot or killed.’’
“He didn’t want to listen to anyone,’’ Steve said. “He went downhill pretty fast and kept getting locked up.’’
In February 2008, Alex was a junior at Dorchester High School and a star on the basketball team when his street life cost him his freedom. Still on probation for a 2007 marijuana offense, he was charged with driving a getaway car while accomplices robbed three individuals at gunpoint in separate assaults in Quincy.
Jailed for violating probation, Alex began a yearlong cycle in which he repeatedly was released from custody, only to land back behind bars on additional charges. In the most serious case, Alex allegedly punched a 46-year-old man in the Back Bay, knocking him to the ground before a gun-wielding accomplice robbed the victim and a companion of their wallets and a shoulder bag.
Alex, who pleaded not guilty to the armed robbery charges in Quincy and Boston, could face prison time or probation if he is convicted. With the cases pending, he declined to discuss his alleged criminal activities, other than to acknowledge, “I got caught up in the street life and went around starting trouble.’’
He wrote in his college essay that he recognized “the poor choices I had made, how far they had taken me from my childhood dream, and how I was responsible for being so far away from all that I was capable of.’’
In all, Alex spent nine months in jail for probation violations and pretrial detention. Then, two weeks after his last jail stint, came the ambush in front of his house that inspired him to step out of the firing line.
“I didn’t want to become another hole in my mother’s heart,’’ he wrote in his college essay.
At Alex’s request, a judge assigned Robinson to help him turn his life around. Robinson, 49, who grew up in the Bromley-Heath projects in Jamaica Plain and played basketball at English, had several counts in his own criminal history and had spent years working with youths across the city. He is known on the streets as “Big Time.’’
“I’ll always have love for him because of what he has done for my little brother,’’ Milton said.
(Robinson also embodies the risks of backsliding into trouble. He was arrested in November on charges of assaulting a police officer after a domestic altercation with his wife, and is awaiting trial.)
At English High, Alex has received intensive individual support, particularly from Rene Patten, the basketball team’s academic coach. Under the Boston Scholar Athlete program, every boys’ and girls’ basketball team has been assigned an academic coach and must participate in mandatory study halls, many staffed by volunteer tutors from area colleges. Mayor Thomas M. Menino launched the program last year after a Globe series detailed pervasive inadequacies in the city’s high school athletic system.
Patten said the extra attention has proven especially helpful for students like Alex.
“We have a lot of at-risk youths who are dealing with similar things,’’ she said. “It’s important they find somebody in the school to work with them because it gets overwhelming dealing with court dates and absences and trying to make up the work.’’
Narcisse, the English headmaster, raised expectations for the school’s student-athletes this year by increasing the minimum grade-point average to play interscholastic sports to 2.0 from the citywide standard of 1.67. Alex has posted a 2.16 GPA, Patten said, and is on track to improve that mark while carrying a full course load, including honors biology. He also is studying for the SATs.
“He’s a really bright student who picks things up quickly,’’ Patten said. “That works in his favor as he closes the gaps in his education.’’
Worried about Alex’s safety, Patten drives him to school every morning. She said he could be in danger riding a school bus, a concern Fernandes shared as he waited to drive Alex home from a basketball game.
“We could walk out the door right now and something could happen,’’ Fernandes said. “And if trouble comes, it won’t be a fistfight because they don’t come to fistfight.’’
Longtime English basketball coach Barry Robinson said Alex shares a characteristic with many street-hardened youths who have passed through his program.
“Does he still have a rough edge?’’ Robinson said. “Yes, he does. But he may need that rough edge to survive.’’
Alex has proven vital to Robinson’s team, emerging as one of the city’s top point guards. Beyond his exceptional court vision, passing ability, and leadership as a team captain, the 6-footer has given the undersize English roster a boost in scoring, logging 30 points against New Bedford, and 20 or more in several other games.
English is 13-7 (10-4 in the Boston City League) and bound for the state tournament. “Thank God for that young man,’’ Robinson said. “I don’t think we would have won too many games without him.’’
Alex has drawn interest from several colleges, including North Carolina A&T, a Division 1 program. His next challenge - while dealing with the court case - may be winning over admissions officers.
“My experiences in life . . . have all come together and taught me how to face adversity,’’ he wrote in his college essay. “This has not only made me a better person but has prepared me to face the challenges of my future as a man and college student.’’
A community is counting on him.
“I know he’s going to college,’’ Fernandes said. “He’s going to let a lot of people down if he doesn’t.’’
Bob Hohler can be reached at hohler@globe.com.
Lynn English’s Buzzy Barton penalized
Can’t coach in tourney
By Dan Ventura | Saturday, February 20, 2010 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Other High School
The Lynn English boys basketball team will get a chance to defend its sectional and Eastern Mass. titles.
The Bulldogs just won’t do it with their head coach, Buzzy Barton.
After listening to testimony Feb. 12 from East Boston headmaster Mike Rubin regarding Lynn English’s recruitment of former Jet Cory McMillan, a hearing board consisting of seven members from districts A and B agreed unanimously that Rule 44 of the MIAA Rulebook had been violated.
The biggest victim was Barton. As part of the punishment, Barton is ineligible to coach in the upcoming state tournament and must sit out either 10 games or 50 percent of next season’s schedule, whichever is greater. Barton can run practices, but must attend an MIAA coaches program before returning.
“This is unbelievable,” Barton said. “I think the punishment is unacceptable. I’m clearly not happy with this. It’s very unfair.”
Lynn English athletic director Gary Molea was surprised with the severity of the punishment. While he expected some sanctions against his staff, Molea thought it was an extremely stiff sentence.
“We were prepared for some things, but not this,” Molea said. “I have spoken to my principal (Andy Fila) and we are planning to appeal the punishment. I can see doing something about this year, but punishing Buzzy into next year is a little too much in my opinion.”
The committee also voted 7-0 on the additional punishments: 1) assistant coach Simmie Anderson, whom Rubin figured as the chief recruiter, is ineligible until further notice from coaching any MIAA inter-scholastic sport team; 2) Lynn English principal (Fila) will be sent a letter of reprimand citing his culpability in the recruitment of a student; and 3) a letter will be sent to Molea instructing him to work with the Superintendent of Schools (Catherine Latham) to establish clear guidelines in regards to residency and the transfer of students in and out of Lynn schools.
Fila is in Florida and was unavailable for comment.
There had been some talk that the team, which is 19-1 and seeded second in the upcoming Division 1 North state tournament, could face penalties. But committee members were swayed by Rubin’s comments at the meeting, insisting the players shouldn’t be punished for actions of the administration.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/high_school/general/view.bg?articleid=1234191
By Dan Ventura | Saturday, February 20, 2010 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Other High School
The Lynn English boys basketball team will get a chance to defend its sectional and Eastern Mass. titles.
The Bulldogs just won’t do it with their head coach, Buzzy Barton.
After listening to testimony Feb. 12 from East Boston headmaster Mike Rubin regarding Lynn English’s recruitment of former Jet Cory McMillan, a hearing board consisting of seven members from districts A and B agreed unanimously that Rule 44 of the MIAA Rulebook had been violated.
The biggest victim was Barton. As part of the punishment, Barton is ineligible to coach in the upcoming state tournament and must sit out either 10 games or 50 percent of next season’s schedule, whichever is greater. Barton can run practices, but must attend an MIAA coaches program before returning.
“This is unbelievable,” Barton said. “I think the punishment is unacceptable. I’m clearly not happy with this. It’s very unfair.”
Lynn English athletic director Gary Molea was surprised with the severity of the punishment. While he expected some sanctions against his staff, Molea thought it was an extremely stiff sentence.
“We were prepared for some things, but not this,” Molea said. “I have spoken to my principal (Andy Fila) and we are planning to appeal the punishment. I can see doing something about this year, but punishing Buzzy into next year is a little too much in my opinion.”
The committee also voted 7-0 on the additional punishments: 1) assistant coach Simmie Anderson, whom Rubin figured as the chief recruiter, is ineligible until further notice from coaching any MIAA inter-scholastic sport team; 2) Lynn English principal (Fila) will be sent a letter of reprimand citing his culpability in the recruitment of a student; and 3) a letter will be sent to Molea instructing him to work with the Superintendent of Schools (Catherine Latham) to establish clear guidelines in regards to residency and the transfer of students in and out of Lynn schools.
Fila is in Florida and was unavailable for comment.
There had been some talk that the team, which is 19-1 and seeded second in the upcoming Division 1 North state tournament, could face penalties. But committee members were swayed by Rubin’s comments at the meeting, insisting the players shouldn’t be punished for actions of the administration.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/high_school/general/view.bg?articleid=1234191
Cardinals rely on dazzling duo
By Bruce Lerch / City Boys Hoops | Saturday, February 20, 2010 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Other High School
The moment Madison Park point guard Spencer Braithwaite was able to establish the two-man, high-low game with center David Campbell was the moment that spelled doom for New Mission.
Campbell scored 17 of his game-high 25 points in the second half and the top-ranked Cardinals captured their second consecutive Boston City championship by defeating the Titans, 66-59, in front of a packed house at Madison Park High.
“The game plan was to get it inside to the horse, to the man,” MP coach Dennis Wilson said of Campbell. “There’s no big man that can stop him. He’s so athletic, he can shoot, he can take you off the dribble and he can post you up. The game plan was (to) take it inside, two-man basketball, and they made it work.”
New Mission (19-2) led 37-36 midway through the third quarter before Braithwaite started connecting with Campbell. Four straight times he put the ball in his big man’s hands, and Campbell’s array of post moves proved unstoppable. Braithwaite kept one for himself, draining a 3-pointer with 17 seconds left in the third quarter to cap a 11-0 run that gave MP a 47-37 lead.
“Spencer and I have been playing together for four years now and we really know each other’s games inside and out,” Campbell said. “He was able to get me the ball in space and I went strong to the hoop.”
Despite dominating the action, the Cardinals still couldn’t put the Titans away, and Osmel Odena (17 points), the man responsible for New Mission being in the finals, drained a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to five (58-53) with 2:53 to go.
New Mission kept fighting, closing to within three points after a two-handed dunk by Kachi Nzerem made the score 62-59 with 47 seconds to play. However, with the Titans looking to make it a one-point game, Jamal McCollum came down with the biggest rebound of the game and fired an outlet pass to Braithwaite, who then hit Campbell in stride for an easy layup, and the final dagger was inserted.
“We came out in the second half and went inside to DC a couple of times and he was hot,” said Braithwaite, who dished out 11 assists. “We knew we had to ride him from there, so we kept looking down low.”
The other key was Madison Park’s defense and rebounding. Campbell (12 rebounds) and Khayree Hudson (15 boards) dominated the glass, while Braithwaite (15 points, five steals) and Kevin Stokes (six steals) were responsible for harassing the New Mission guards.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/high_school/general/view.bg?articleid=1234188
The moment Madison Park point guard Spencer Braithwaite was able to establish the two-man, high-low game with center David Campbell was the moment that spelled doom for New Mission.
Campbell scored 17 of his game-high 25 points in the second half and the top-ranked Cardinals captured their second consecutive Boston City championship by defeating the Titans, 66-59, in front of a packed house at Madison Park High.
“The game plan was to get it inside to the horse, to the man,” MP coach Dennis Wilson said of Campbell. “There’s no big man that can stop him. He’s so athletic, he can shoot, he can take you off the dribble and he can post you up. The game plan was (to) take it inside, two-man basketball, and they made it work.”
New Mission (19-2) led 37-36 midway through the third quarter before Braithwaite started connecting with Campbell. Four straight times he put the ball in his big man’s hands, and Campbell’s array of post moves proved unstoppable. Braithwaite kept one for himself, draining a 3-pointer with 17 seconds left in the third quarter to cap a 11-0 run that gave MP a 47-37 lead.
“Spencer and I have been playing together for four years now and we really know each other’s games inside and out,” Campbell said. “He was able to get me the ball in space and I went strong to the hoop.”
Despite dominating the action, the Cardinals still couldn’t put the Titans away, and Osmel Odena (17 points), the man responsible for New Mission being in the finals, drained a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to five (58-53) with 2:53 to go.
New Mission kept fighting, closing to within three points after a two-handed dunk by Kachi Nzerem made the score 62-59 with 47 seconds to play. However, with the Titans looking to make it a one-point game, Jamal McCollum came down with the biggest rebound of the game and fired an outlet pass to Braithwaite, who then hit Campbell in stride for an easy layup, and the final dagger was inserted.
“We came out in the second half and went inside to DC a couple of times and he was hot,” said Braithwaite, who dished out 11 assists. “We knew we had to ride him from there, so we kept looking down low.”
The other key was Madison Park’s defense and rebounding. Campbell (12 rebounds) and Khayree Hudson (15 boards) dominated the glass, while Braithwaite (15 points, five steals) and Kevin Stokes (six steals) were responsible for harassing the New Mission guards.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/high_school/general/view.bg?articleid=1234188
Mission: Accomplished
Niesha Kelley’s big effort helps Titans land title
By Brian Fabry / City Girls Hoops | Saturday, February 20, 2010 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Other High School
Senior guard Niesha Kelley nearly recorded a triple-double, and New Mission captured its second consecutive Boston City League title with a 59-32 rout of Burke yesterday.
The win was the Titans’ third this season against the Bulldogs, whose longtime coach, John Rice, lost a City League playoff game for the first time in 28 tries.
“Wow - to play against a coach of John’s caliber, you are playing history, so I was nervous but honored,” New Mission coach Greg Berry said. “We have a young team with only one senior, but I may cry in Niesha’s last game.”
Kelley collected 29 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.
The entire Titans defense, meanwhile, neutralized All-Tournament selection Khadijah Ellison (15 points) with a modified 3-2 zone that utilized a two-player trap once the ball passed half court.
New Mission (16-3) held an 11-8 lead after the first quarter before really turning it on in the second. It held Burke (14-5) to just two points in the period as it took a commanding 30-10 lead into the break.
“They can’t shut (Ellison) down, she can only stop herself,” Rice said. “We are not talented in all areas, so tip of the hat to New Mission. (It) beat us three times, so the better team won. They are a real classy program, never pressed or ran it up on us, and they should be the favorites to win (the states).”
The second half was much of the same for the Titans.
Donnaizha Fountaine scored the first five points of the third quarter to give New Mission a 25-point lead some six minutes in.
Fountaine finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Edna Cristo-John grabbed a game-high 20 rebounds to go with 10 points.
Overall, New Mission dominated the offensive boards, 28-11.
“We now prepare to get ready, game-by-game . . . conduct practice, and I expect a long tourney run, so it’s going to be fun,” Berry said.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/high_school/general/view.bg?articleid=1234184
By Brian Fabry / City Girls Hoops | Saturday, February 20, 2010 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Other High School
Senior guard Niesha Kelley nearly recorded a triple-double, and New Mission captured its second consecutive Boston City League title with a 59-32 rout of Burke yesterday.
The win was the Titans’ third this season against the Bulldogs, whose longtime coach, John Rice, lost a City League playoff game for the first time in 28 tries.
“Wow - to play against a coach of John’s caliber, you are playing history, so I was nervous but honored,” New Mission coach Greg Berry said. “We have a young team with only one senior, but I may cry in Niesha’s last game.”
Kelley collected 29 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.
The entire Titans defense, meanwhile, neutralized All-Tournament selection Khadijah Ellison (15 points) with a modified 3-2 zone that utilized a two-player trap once the ball passed half court.
New Mission (16-3) held an 11-8 lead after the first quarter before really turning it on in the second. It held Burke (14-5) to just two points in the period as it took a commanding 30-10 lead into the break.
“They can’t shut (Ellison) down, she can only stop herself,” Rice said. “We are not talented in all areas, so tip of the hat to New Mission. (It) beat us three times, so the better team won. They are a real classy program, never pressed or ran it up on us, and they should be the favorites to win (the states).”
The second half was much of the same for the Titans.
Donnaizha Fountaine scored the first five points of the third quarter to give New Mission a 25-point lead some six minutes in.
Fountaine finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Edna Cristo-John grabbed a game-high 20 rebounds to go with 10 points.
Overall, New Mission dominated the offensive boards, 28-11.
“We now prepare to get ready, game-by-game . . . conduct practice, and I expect a long tourney run, so it’s going to be fun,” Berry said.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/high_school/general/view.bg?articleid=1234184
It’s Mission at buzzer
By Dan Ventura / City Playoffs | Friday, February 19, 2010 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Other High School
Photo by Herald file
It wasn’t quite the way New Mission basketball coach Cory McCarthy drew it up, but he wasn’t quarreling about the end result.
Osmel Odena took an inbounds pass, dribbled to the top of the key and banked in a 3-pointer as time expired to give New Mission (19-1) a stunning 68-67 victory over East Boston in a Boston City League semifinal last night at Madison Park. The Titans will take on No. 1 Madison Park, a 70-52 winner over Boston English in the other semifinal.
“I knew it was do or die,” said Odena, who missed the first meeting between the teams because of a family emergency. “As soon as I let it go, I felt pretty confident that it was going in.”
New Mission needed a big defensive stop to keep its flickering hopes alive. The Titans forced a Jets turnover off an inbounds play with four seconds left to gain possession at midcourt.
“Our defense gave us a chance,” said McCarthy. “We kept telling the kids every time their heads were down to keep on fighting, fighting, fighting. I knew they would be rewarded for their hard work.”
East Boston (16-5) appeared primed to take over the game late in the third quarter. The Jets went on an 8-0 run to take a 45-37 lead, as Dimitri Coronel scored seven of his 11 points in the quarter. But as they did in the first half when they erased an early East Boston lead with a 10-0 run, the Titans scratched and clawed their way back into the game.
Johnathan Basile started the run with a 3-point shot, then Charles Gunter (14 points) went to work, converting a layup and a conventional 3-point play to cap an 11-0 run, giving New Mission a 47-45 lead after three.
The Jets regained the lead at 61-60 on a free throw by Elijah Chisholm (14 points, 10 rebounds), then built it up to as many as five. They appeared safe when Jeff Amazan hit two free throws with 47.2 seconds to make it a 66-62 game. But once again, the resilient Titans refused to cave in, getting a free throw from Odena and an offensive rebound bucket by 6-foot-8 Ousmane Drane (12 points, 14 rebounds, 10 blocked shots) to narrow the deficit to 66-65.
“This was nice, but we have another game to play,” said Odena. “I’ll enjoy this one if we win (tonight).”
In the first game, Madison Park (18-1) struggled to get any flow in the first half. The Cardinals trailed for much of the opening 16 minutes, before David Campbell (22 points, 11 rebounds) and Spencer Braithwaite (19 points), five assists) keyed a spurt to give the Cardinals a 33-27 lead at the half.
“Give Boston English credit, they came out here and battled to win a game,” said Madison Park coach Dennis Wilson. “Even when we built up a big lead in the second half, they fought right back to make a game of it.”
The comeback Wilson was referring to came at the start of the fourth quarter. Trailing 51-35 after three quarters, Boston English (13-8) opened the final stanza on a 13-0 run as Jose Figueroa (19 points) knocked down a 3-pointer. But Braithwaite picked up the pace at both ends, causing several turnovers while scoring eight points in the final five minutes.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/high_school/general/view.bg?articleid=1233943
Photo by Herald file
It wasn’t quite the way New Mission basketball coach Cory McCarthy drew it up, but he wasn’t quarreling about the end result.
Osmel Odena took an inbounds pass, dribbled to the top of the key and banked in a 3-pointer as time expired to give New Mission (19-1) a stunning 68-67 victory over East Boston in a Boston City League semifinal last night at Madison Park. The Titans will take on No. 1 Madison Park, a 70-52 winner over Boston English in the other semifinal.
“I knew it was do or die,” said Odena, who missed the first meeting between the teams because of a family emergency. “As soon as I let it go, I felt pretty confident that it was going in.”
New Mission needed a big defensive stop to keep its flickering hopes alive. The Titans forced a Jets turnover off an inbounds play with four seconds left to gain possession at midcourt.
“Our defense gave us a chance,” said McCarthy. “We kept telling the kids every time their heads were down to keep on fighting, fighting, fighting. I knew they would be rewarded for their hard work.”
East Boston (16-5) appeared primed to take over the game late in the third quarter. The Jets went on an 8-0 run to take a 45-37 lead, as Dimitri Coronel scored seven of his 11 points in the quarter. But as they did in the first half when they erased an early East Boston lead with a 10-0 run, the Titans scratched and clawed their way back into the game.
Johnathan Basile started the run with a 3-point shot, then Charles Gunter (14 points) went to work, converting a layup and a conventional 3-point play to cap an 11-0 run, giving New Mission a 47-45 lead after three.
The Jets regained the lead at 61-60 on a free throw by Elijah Chisholm (14 points, 10 rebounds), then built it up to as many as five. They appeared safe when Jeff Amazan hit two free throws with 47.2 seconds to make it a 66-62 game. But once again, the resilient Titans refused to cave in, getting a free throw from Odena and an offensive rebound bucket by 6-foot-8 Ousmane Drane (12 points, 14 rebounds, 10 blocked shots) to narrow the deficit to 66-65.
“This was nice, but we have another game to play,” said Odena. “I’ll enjoy this one if we win (tonight).”
In the first game, Madison Park (18-1) struggled to get any flow in the first half. The Cardinals trailed for much of the opening 16 minutes, before David Campbell (22 points, 11 rebounds) and Spencer Braithwaite (19 points), five assists) keyed a spurt to give the Cardinals a 33-27 lead at the half.
“Give Boston English credit, they came out here and battled to win a game,” said Madison Park coach Dennis Wilson. “Even when we built up a big lead in the second half, they fought right back to make a game of it.”
The comeback Wilson was referring to came at the start of the fourth quarter. Trailing 51-35 after three quarters, Boston English (13-8) opened the final stanza on a 13-0 run as Jose Figueroa (19 points) knocked down a 3-pointer. But Braithwaite picked up the pace at both ends, causing several turnovers while scoring eight points in the final five minutes.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/high_school/general/view.bg?articleid=1233943
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