NYCHoops.net - New Heights (Srs.) Out Man Sports U.

October 25, 2009

Maurice Wingate
NYCHoops.net Publisher

The third iS8/Nike quarterfinal game on Sunday, Sports University, undermanned and lacking their star power would play against a fully loaded New Heights Seniors squad.

In what would be a losing proposition, the NJ squad would ultimately fall by the wayside, 87-78.

Playing only 6 deep and without their two recently committed star players, Derrick Williams (Richmond) and Kyrie Irving (Duke), Sports U still managed to stay up by 8 point playing on adrenaline with 1:53 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Eli Carter (17) busted up the New Heights defense early, scoring points from the perimeter and in transition. Recent Uniondale H.S. re-transfer Devon McMillian (10 points), in response, made the push for New Heights late, scoring deep from the corner and frewthrows by David Coley (2 points) cut the Sports U's lead to 6 going into the second.

Sports U kept up the intensity and a fast pace but the lurking question would continue to be, could the NJ squad maintain this pace without all its players? A New Heights run capped by a Jayvaughn Pinkston (28 points) lay-up knotted the score and began to answer that question with 5:53 left in the half.

Even though Jayon James (13 points) and Lucky Jones (21 points) would add logs to the Sports U fire, the New Heights team would still significantly close the gap and with 47 seconds remaining, the score was tied. Jones would get fouled taking a three but would only go 1-3 from the charity stripe. Ashton Pankey (26 points) would then score on an out of bounds play to give New Heights a 43-42 lead at the half.

12 quickly shifted the lead to Sport U pushing the ball up court before New Heights could set up and 15 would provide points from above the rim. Down by as many as 5 points, Corey Edwards (10 points) began to orchestrate the New Heights offense and with skillful assists and buckets by Devon Collier (8 points) and Pinkston along with freethrows by Pankey reversed the lead. An Edwards floater and a Pankey putback and New Heights had extended their lead to 8 points with 2:51 left in the third.

New Heights imposed a fullcourt defense in attempts exhaust the shorted handed Sport U team but James and 6th man, Chris Compas (18 points) still cut the lead to 3 points with at the 37 second mark.

A Pinkston lay-up at the end of the third gave New Heights a 66-61 lead going into the fourth quarter but Jones midrange kept Sports U hovering below the lead by three.

Turnovers began to plaque Sports U as James fell into the 1 on 1 trap and New Heights took advantage pushing the lead to 9 points with 3:40 left in the game.

To Sports U's credit, they were able to score. What could not seem to do is stop New Heights from countering. With a 1:12 left, New Heights tried to spread the floor and run time off the clock. Poor freethrows by New Heights offered glimmers of hope for Sports U but in the end coming to the iS8 half cocked is rarely a recipe for success.

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