Jefferson Orange Waves Off Ravens in OT
BROOKLYN, NY - Taking a break from league action, St. Raymond’s Ravens of Catholic High School Athletic Association left the confines of their uptown New York City location and traveled south to meet Public School Athletic League’s defending champion Jefferson Orange Wave in the New Heights Hoops Fest.
Headlining an action-packed slate of games, the St. Rays-Jefferson match up lived up to the billing as the crowd came out and the stars stepped up in a high-scoring contest that needed an extra period. In the end, Jefferson withstood St. Ray’s final punch and walked out of the South Shore gymnasium victors over their catholic school foe with a 92-85 decision that went into overtime.
In the extra four-minute period, all 18 of Jefferson’s points were scored by the trio of Khalil Rhodes ‘17, Malachi Faison ‘17, Jordan Armstrong ‘17, the team’s top three scorers. Minnesota signee Isaiah Washington ‘17 powered the St. Rays attack, but was contained in the closing minutes with stiff ball prevention to seize him from breaking loose.
With 2:30 on the clock in overtime, both teams were deadlocked at 79 following a trip to the free-throw line by St. Rays that only resulted in one of two points. About 30 second later, that quickly changed with Jefferson holding a comfortable, late lead thanks to gutsy yet timely 3-point attempts.
After the ball swung around the perimeter a few times, Rhodes found a clean look at the basket from the corner 3-point line and knocked down the go-ahead bucket. On the inbounds, a turnover prompted Rhodes to again get a look at the basket — this time from straight ahead, and with a defender closing out, the senior guard drained the 3 to take an 85-79 lead and instilled some energy into the sleepy crowd.
Timeout by St. Rays failed to regroup that startled bunch and the dagger blow was quickly delivered on the ensuing possession with Armstrong connecting on the team’s third successive three, in the same spot Rhodes nailed his first. Rhodes (18 points) and Armstrong (23 points) were shining stars late, though Faison finished with a team-high 24 points while working exclusively inside.
From the outset, Jefferson looked in control of this game as the Orange Wave jumped out to a 19-6 lead to open the game, eventually leading by as much as 15 in the second quarter. Washington, who took his time picking his spots and the floor and keeping his teammates involved, refused to go down easily and his aggression quickly hit another gear heading into intermission.
The future Golden Gopher got out on a fast break and attacked the basket with a head of steam. He attempted a spin move as entered the paint but was intentionally fouled — drawing a pair of free throw shots that he would connect on. He picked off a steal on the inbounds pass and fired on a 3 from the right wing. A rattled Jefferson squad conceded yet another turnover on an inbounds, this time Washington picking it off near halfcourt and buried a buzzer-beating 3 from deep to tie the game at 35 at the half.
Washington, despite the eight-point flurry, ended the game with 22 points while his big man Darius Lee ‘18 had a game-high. Omar Silverio ‘18 added 11 for the squad, who’s missing Dallas Watson ‘18 after a serious hand injury last week versus Loughlin.
In the second half, both teams went back-and-forth but neither team creating much separation past a half-dozen points or so. Jefferson erased a late deficit in the fourth quarter, holding St. Rays to one point as they manifested a 5-1 run to send the game into overtime at 74.