NYCHoops.net - Eagles Collapse, Kangaroos Advance (In OT)

October 27, 2009

Jay Mumford
NYCHoops.net Staff Writer

Talent is dangerous. Chemistry can be even more dangerous. But a combination of the two can either make a team nearly unstoppable or cause them to unravel, depending on the situation.

The BC Eagles and Boys & Girls HS Kangaroos possess both talent and chemistry, but the former blew a game that was on the way to won when their chemistry fell by the wayside. Hot shooting from Boys & Girls' Mike Taylor, a back door lay-up from Jeff Neverson, a scrappy team defensive effort and a late game meltdown from the BC Eagles stamped Boys & Girls' ticket to the iS8 semi-finals, 93-91, in overtime.

Boys & Girls wasted no time adhering to a defensive mindset at the start, and they were rewarded with an early 15-8 lead when Brandon Williams converted on a bucket. They also exhibited good ball movement and out hustled the Newburgh-based BC Eagles, but after a time out, the Eagles conjured up a run of their own. Point guard Marcus Henderson and swingman Mike McLeod began to make a push for the Eagles in the open floor, and PF Anali Okoloji- who was inserted after the time out and joined the BC Eagles' roster for this game- gave them a much needed boost. It wouldn't be long before McLeod capped the 9-0 run with a long ball to put the Eagles on top, 17-15. From that point until the end of the half, the game would hold the trademark back and forth action of a playoff game, with 11 ties and 9 lead changes. Both teams would take a trip into the land of turnovers, but the 6'8 Okoloji would begin to rack up a handful for himself in attempts to go coast to coast against Boys & Girls' smothering defense. However, after McLeod and Cleanthony Early knocked down six free throws in a row, followed by a three from sophomore guard LJ Sculock, the Eagles were up, 43-39, at the half.

The chemistry that the Eagles -and their core of the Newburgh Free Academy HS team- are known for began to click in the third quarter, and Boys & Girls appeared to be unraveling by the second. When the 5'6 Henderson jitterbugged his way through the press and fed forward Pat Johnson a dazzling assist to put the Eagles up, 47-41, they were off and running. McLeod began to get hot from numerous spots on the floor, Johnson displayed astute passing ability for a big man and Early got into the mix on both sides of the ball after a slow start. When Okoloji pounded the ball inside for a bucket, the Eagles had gone up 60-49 and Boys & Girls began to bicker amongst themselves.

The Eagles seemingly were on their way to the semi-finals, but they suddenly chose implode against the wrong team.

The Eagles' forwards attempting to play point guards -and in turn removing Henderson from the flow of the game- allowed Boys & Girls to have a field day stripping the ball. Their system essentially became a free for all, with Okoloji again turning the ball over in attempts to bring the ball up and McLeod getting out of control with ball handling and shot selection. With the Eagles abandoning their vaunted chemistry via everyone trying to do too much, Boys & Girls ended the quarter on a Taylor and Anthony Hemingway-keyed 11-2 run.

In the midst of the Eagles' undoing, Taylor began to torch them. The second of his three long balls in the quarter tied the affair at 68, a lay-up with 2:36 left to play tied it again at 76, and moments later, a free throw gave them their first lead since the second quarter, 77-76. Okoloji, Early and Johnson kept the Eagles afloat with play in the paint and big rebounds, but McLeod missed a crucial pair of technical free throws and Henderson -albeit still on the floor- was completely removed from the action both mentally and physically. Taylor tied the game again at 80 with a pair of free throws, but Okoloji couldn't get the desperation jumper to go on the Eagles' final possession and the game was headed to an extra session.

The first few possessions of overtime resembled the see saw action of the first half, but it wasn't long before Boys & Girls got some separation with a corner three from Hemingway. They were now on top, 88-84, and a pair of free throws from Antoine Slaughter made it a six point game. The Eagles again regressed into chaos, as they were careless with the ball down the stretch. Okoloji managed to make a pair of free throws (before missing another pair), and eventually got a tough drive to the hoop to fall and make it a 91-88 game with 30 seconds left. The Eagles got a late lift when Early got a three to go from the wing with 21 seconds left, but failure to lock down Boys & Girls on their last possession allowed Neverson -who had been quiet on offense all game- to go back door for the game winner with two seconds left on the clock.

Mike Taylor's game high 32 points led Boys & Girls, while Antoine Slaughter chipped in with 18. BC Eagles were led by Mike McLeod's 22 points and Pat Johnson's 18.

Boys & Girls HS will face the Panthers on Saturday (October 31st) at 10:30 AM.

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