Brooklyn Harlem advance to Battle
LOWER EASTSIDE, NY -The Battle of the Boroughs semi-final round took place Saturday afternoon at Rivington Street Park. Brooklyn played the Bronx in the second game of the afternoon, and the floor was loaded with some of the best high school players in the city. The Brooklyn roster was extra stuffed with talent, which may be the reason they were able to dominate the Bronx and run away with win.
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The final score was 94-81, but the game wasn't as close as the score might suggest. After an even first quarter where Brooklyn only led by a single point, it was just too much talent for the Bronx to handle. One of those players was Isaiah Whitehead, a 6-4 rising junior, who was extremely hot in the first quarter. Whitehead knocked down 5 straight jumpers in the quarter, and they weren't exactly close shots. Four of them were three pointers. Whitehead finished with a game high 27 points.
Whitehead had the best game out of any player on the floor. He was spectacular on both ends. He had a beautiful reverse lay-up while getting fouled in the second quarter. He missed the free throw, but hustled down the floor and was able to block a shot after trailing the play. Leroy Fludd, who will play in prep school this coming year, showed off his all-around game. He had a vicious one handed dunk at the end of the first quarter, scored from the outside, and made a couple of nice passes. Fludd finished with 15 points.
The Brooklyn team was loaded. Jaquan Lynch (14 points), a 6-0 rising senior guard, started in the backcourt with Whitehead. Coming off the bench was Terrence Samuel, one of the top point guard prospects in the entire nation. It was a dominating effort, and the lead expanded to well above 20 points at points in the second half.
There was a lot of potential in the matchup because the Bronx wasn't light in the talent department themselves. They had Shane Rector and also Chris McCullough, a five star recruit who is arguably the most athletic front court player from this area. McCullough had a team high 14 points. Still, that wasn't nearly enough to stop the Brooklyn juggernaut.
Brooklyn advanced to the championship game on Sunday against Harlem.
Harlem does away with Queens, 84-78
Hassan Martin put on an above the rim show for Harlem as he scored 18 points and helped Harlem advance to the championship game in the Battle of the Boroughs. There was one sequence when Martin dunked on back to back plays. It showed just how explosive and tenacious the 6-7 Martin can be when he is on the court. He wasn't the only player attacking the basket from above. Larry Beckett had his share of dunks also, and in fact the 6-7 Beckett actually led Harlem in scoring with 21 points. Both players were highly affective scoring inside the paint.
Marquise Moore led Queens with a game high 22 points. Jordan Washington added 13 points in the game.