Brooklyn Takes 3rd Place in WCC
Brooklyn is known for having some of the best high school basketball teams, especially the public schools.
Even though they couldn't clench the championship for the Wheel Chair Classic they made sure they won the 3rd place spot beating Queens 117-111 April 23rd at Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus.
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"Well I was hoping queens would win cause I'm from queens," said scout and Wheel Chair Classic organizer Tom Konchalski. "But Brooklyn, their pressure really turned us over a great deal and they won the game."
Though this all-star classic victory was a combined effort with several players in double digit scoring, Justin Greene from Lincoln was the leading scorer for Brooklyn with 17 points. For Queens, Blaise Ffrench from Holy Cross, was the high scorer with 21.
Brooklyn didn't seem like they would turn out the victor being down almost the whole game since two minutes in the fourth quarter. Nathaniel Wilson of Campus Magnet and Sylven Landesberg of Holy Cross were off and running on continuous fast breaks. The first three quarters where extended for 10 minutes, substitutions were made every 5 minutes to give every player equal opportunity.
So after the first quarter substitutions Yves Jules of Canarsie traded baskets against Allen Thomas of Thomas Edison ending the quarter at 28-29, Queens up. When Sylven returned in the second it seemed like he was on a lay-up line with all the Queens fast breaks. Guard Vincent Council of Lincoln kept Brooklyn honest with a few assists, and shaking and spinning his way to the basket for some of his own points, but they still trailed 57-51 at the half.
In the third quarter Brooklyn had a new attitude and it started with Carnarsies Yves Jules going to the rack twice in the first minute, causing Head Coach Lloyd Desvigne from Holy Cross to call timeout. However, Brooklyn had their own plans after that timeout. They came out trapping on both half and full court sets, causing several turnovers, one leading to a two-handed stuff by Jules. Brooklyn managed to take the lead at one point, but the quarter ended with Queens up 84-87 with Sylven slamming one down on a fast break barely beating the buzzer.
Queens owned the beginning of the fourth as well, as Isaiah Stokley decided it was his turn to contribute for Queens with two three's and a few lay-ups. Brooklyn battled back and Clayton Sterling of Boys & Girls hit a three to tie it up 102 a piece. Allan Thomas took the lead quickly back as he weaved into the lane past everybody for an uncontested slam.
"When they (Brooklyn) played with a lot of guards in the fourth quarter they got in the open court, they ran and they scored in transition. That's how the game turned," added Konchalski.
After the 3-minute mark Brooklyn went on an 11-0 run. James Padgett laid an alley oop from Vincent Council. James Johnson of Bishop Loughlin converted an and-1 and another fast break lay-up. The teams traded buckets for the last minute as Queen fouled to make Brooklyn earn it on the line, and they sure did.
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