iS8/Nike Pool Play Sunday
Sunday at the iS8/Nike Tip-Off Classic featured seven games throughout the day.
NYCHoops.net was on hand to check out two of the more interesting pool play games. The first one was between Raising Champions and Our Savior New American followed by players from South Shore and the Holy Cross Knights.
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OSNA abuse Raising Champions, 80-43
After annihilating Farmingdale HS by 30 points earlier in the day, Our Savior New American topped themselves against Raising Champions. Christopher Obekpa was hindered due to tendonitis in knee but still managed to have a block party with 13 shot rejections which kept RC at bay for most of the game.
Up 24-10 going into the second quarter, Lebrent Walker (8 points) and Nick Lewis (21 points) were instrumental in increasing that lead to 42-19 at the midway point.
Starting off the third quarter, Raising Champions, coached by John "JR" Rodriguez fell behind even more as high flyer Felix Balamou (23 points) spearheaded a 6-0 OSNA run.
The Champions did receive offensive assistance from big man Isiah Manderson (10 points) and Jaleel Charles (10 points) but steals and turnovers plus a trey by Lewis left them in a 34 point ravine as the fourth quarter began.
It would be a ravine that Raising Champions would not climb out of.
Holy Cross exposes South Shore, 70-62
To their credit South Shore fought hard throughout the game but without the services of three of their starters, their soft underbelly was on display.
Due to an on-court altercation with the Playaz Club last week, Terrence Samuel, Shamiek Sheppard and Wayne Martin were under ejection and/or suspension and MIA for the match-up. Against a well oiled machine like Holy Cross's veteran starters, South Shore's bench faced an uphill battle even before the first point was scored.
Seniors Marquise Moore (19 points) and Eddie Roscigno (6 points) quickly turned the hypothetical into reality as they put Holy Cross up 10-5 early. Sophomore Doudmy St. Hillaire (6 points) would be in attack mode for South Shore even as Will Davis (6 points) drained a trey keeping the Knight comfortable ahead 23-11 as the quarter ended.
Holy Cross would lose their point guard late in the first quarter as he had to receive stitches due to an inadvertent elbow to the eye. The Knights would still manage to circle the wagons Moore, Mariega Clarke (10 points) and Terrell Williams (12 points) helped to extend their lead to 42-25 at halftime.
Theo Brown (13 points), who is in the normal South Shore rotation, scored hard fought point throughout the match and late in the third he and Shakur Spence (2 points) reduced Holy Cross's lead to 11 point with 4 minutes left in the quarter.
Point guard Ayodelle Akinola> (23 points), who subs in for Samuel, also became more assertive offensively as South Shore's pressure defense held serve as the quarter ended.
Down 55-44 to start the final quarter and South Shore's momentum building, Jean Toussaint (9 points) and Akinoila would finally get the Knights lead down to 4 points with 3:57 left in regulation.
South Shore seemed to be in the driver's seat until a basket by Rocigno and a three-ball by Clarke pushed the Holy Cross lead back to six points with 53 seconds left. South Shore scrambled but free-throws by Williams closed the show.
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