Beacon 158 B2S: Monday Heats Up

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BAYSIDE, NY - While the Beacon 158 Back-to-School Tournament has had its fair share of very good matchups, it was Monday's game between Cardozo and Wings Academy that has been the one everyone has been waiting for.

The two teams came in fully stacked, and while neither team wanted to admit it, it was a very big game for preseason standards and you could tell that the intensity for both squads was there. The game certainly didn't disappoint, and neither did the opener between Holy Cross and Holy Trinity, so here is a recap of the highly anticipated action from Monday.

Wings Academy Pre-Judges Cardozo, 61-56

The crowd was fired up as the stands at the Middle School 158 in Bayside, Queens were packed to capacity for this one, with the pro-Cardozo crowd ready to cheer on their Judges, but out of the gate it was 6'10' Wings big man Jessie Govan '15 who did all he could to take them out of it.

Govan used his size to elude two defenders for a putback on the left side. He followed that up with a dunk after receiving a pass from Desure Buie '15, and then a short jumper from about 10 feet saw the Georgetown bound center score 7 of the team's first 15 points and Wings jumped out to a 15-6 lead with 12 minutes to go in the half.

Along with Govan and Buie it was guard Randy Corporan '15 who was a great third option for the Bronx school on this one. He scored early on with a pull up jumper to open the scoring and then was able to use his speed to get to the basket and finish strong at the rim.

Tahiyr Vines '16 broke up the Wings run with a dunk in transition for Cardozo, and Rashond Salnave '16 then hit his first bucket from the field on a three from the right wing. The Judges were quickly back to within 5 but then Corporan soon after Salnave hit his three, came down and banged in one of his own.

That shot by Corporan seemed to turn the tide as the pressure and size of Wings once again seemed to make the Judges get out of their rhythm. They settled for jumpers instead of getting inside, and didn't have an answer on the inside for Govan who late in the half converted on a putback while getting fouled. R.J Frazier '15 scored on a weakside putback in the closing seconds of the half and Wings seemed to be in full control up 30-17 at the break.

Salnave came out to start the 2nd half by draining a three from the left wing, and even though Cardozo played better early on in the half, they weren't making up much ground. Corporan scored on back to back possessions pushing the tempo and getting out and finishing going coast to coast, and Frazier, who showed he can be a valuable part of the offense from the perimeter, scored four straight by getting inside.

Guard Eli McNeely '15 started to give Salnave some offensive help as he finally gave the judges a presence going to the basket and at Govan. He scored 6 points in a 2:25 second span, as he and Tareq Coburn '16 started to help chip away at the Cardozo deficit.

Coburn knocked down 2 threes to get the Wings lead down to 48-41 with 4:42 to go, but Corporan hit a pair of FT's and Jose Perez '17, a young and talented Wings interior threat, scored off a beautiful length of the court feed from Corporan, and soon the lead was one again up to 11 at 54-43 with 2:02 left.

Cardozo showed no quit though and behind 6 straight points from McNeely it was 54-49 in the blink of an eye. Turnovers, and strong defensive play got the Judges back into the game. Cardozo had to take defensive chances though still down 5 with just over a minute to go, and FT's were going to be key.

Buie connected in a pair of FT's after a foul in the backcourt to break the run, but Coburn came straight down and nailed his 3rd three of the game to make it 58-54 with 26.8 to play. Govan soon after got fouled and calmly stepped up and connected on his 2 FT's to make it 60-54. It was a two possession game, and Salnave tried to make it a one, but he missed a contested three. Corporan got the rebound and was fouled to go to the FT line with under 10 seconds to go. He made one of two, and while Salnave came down and scored a basket late, it was Wings Academy that left Queens with the 61-56 victory over the defending PSAL champions, Cardozo.

Govan led all scorers with 19 points in the win for Wings Academy, while Corporan added 14, and Buie chipped in with 11.

Salnave paced Cardozo with 18 points in the loss, with McNeely pouring in 14, 11 of which can in the 2nd half.

It may have been just a preseason game that both Wings coach Billy Turnage and Cardozo head man Ron Naclerio both downplaying, but Corporan may have said it best after the game as to what the game meant to them.

"We came out from the Bronx to Queens, and we knew the intensity would be crazy in the building, but it's just preseason. We are just sending a statement right now."

Undermanned Holy Trinity Nails Holy Cross, 62-60 in OT

Playing without their leading scorer Jimmy Golaszewski '15 who broke his nose this weekend at a team camp on Long Island, Holy Trinity led for a total of 48 seconds of regulation, but they held tough and never let the deficit get too out of hand, and behind Billy Sixsmith '15 and Jack Sixsmith '15, the Titans were able to overcome the tremendous play of Knights wing Christian Wilson '16 and grab the two point overtime win.

The game was tied at 29 at the half, but it was Wilson's 14 points at the break, along with a retuning from injury Jermaine Bishop '15 had Holy Cross looking poised to take control in the 2nd half.

The Knights did take control with Wilson showing an array of moves getting to the rim, along with an improved midrange jumper that helped put Holy Cross up by as much as 8. Jamel Horton '16 was also strong going to the rim at the guard spot as Bishop struggled to effectively knock down shots from the perimeter, but the two young juniors did all they could to lead the Knights to victory,

Sixsmith, who has routinely knocked down threes at Beacon 158 from near halfcourt, developing a cult following of fans who cheer after each of his long range shots, knocked down 3 bombs from long range in the last 9 minutes of the game, including a pair that helped cut the once 8 point deficit and tie the game at 50 with 3:07 to play.

Sixsmith's brother Jack was also a big contributor with his ability to drive and take on defenders going to the rim, and he and Mike Farella '15 were able to do a good job maintains the ball and limiting the turnovers. They were helped by big man Edward Higgins '15 who had a size advantage at 6'6" over the Holy Cross front line.

The game was tied at 54 in the waning moments of regulation and Holy Cross had a chance to win it but Wilson's three ball from the left side fell off the side of the iron and the game was headed to OT.

The teams traded FT's to start the overtime session with Higgins and Horton each knocked down a pair. Sixsmith then connected on two after that as he was fouled in the backcourt by Horton. Bishop had a chance to tie it up again with under a minute to go but he missed an easy layup inside, and Higgins grabbed the rebound for the Titans and called timeout with 20.1 to go.

Sixsmith was fouled on the inbounds and made another pair of FT's and it was now a two possession game at 60-56. Horton was fouled in the backcourt on a bad defensive miscue, and he then stepped up and nailed his pair to once again make it a 2 point game.

Sixsmith, this time Billy, then was fouled, and the Titans, who thrived from the line all day, again made his two and it was 62-58 Holy Trinity. Horton went the length of the floor and made the easy uncontested lay in with 3.4 to go, and immediately made the foul. Holy Trinity went on to miss their first two FT's of the half, but Farella came in and grabbed the offensive rebound and time ran out to give the undermanned Titans the 62-60 victory.

The Sixsmith's led Holy Trinity in the winning effort with Billy leading the way and scoring 21 points and Jack adding 14.

For Holy Cross, Wilson had a game high 26 points, with Horton adding 18 as well in the loss.