NY Teams @ Summer Jam Fest (Day 2/Part II)
MANHEIM, PA - Saturday night brought the Round of 16 in the 17u Bracket at the Hoop Group Summer Jam Fest, and only the cream of the crop was remaining meaning that the New York teams would have to really step their games up to another level if they wanted to be among the elite advancing to Sunday mornings quarterfinals.
The Round of 16 proved to be very good for the teams from New York as the maximum number of teams advanced as now 4 of the 8 teams remaining are representing not just New York, but New York City, once again showing that grassroots basketball is still thriving in the city that doesn't sleep.
You have to start with the first team to clinch their berth into the quarterfinals and that was CM3 Elite. They may not get the attention that many other teams around NYC get, and they may not have boatloads of future Division 1 players, but they play extremely well together and they never quit as they demonstrated against Middlesex Magic on Saturday night.
CM3 was down by 10 at the half and ended up trailing by 16 points with just 9:30 to go in the game. They weren't defending the perimeter all that well, were struggling to finish around the basket like they normally do, and weren't showing good body language as the likes of Cormac Ryan (Milton Academy, MA '18) and Matt Donahue (Northfield Mount Hermon, MA '17) were lighting up the scoreboard from long range.
Eventually though the thought of bowing out on Saturday night must have clicked to CM3 and their players and the intensity was turned up, and things started to turn around. They defended the perimeter a lot better and closed out quicker on the Middlesex shooters and that allowed CM3 to slowly chip away.
Be it Mike Laster (Institute for Collaborative Studies '16) or Elvin Rodriguez (Greens Farms Academy, CT '17) with the ball in their hands, both were pushing the tempo and quickening the pace against a deliberate Magic squad. The deficit eventually was cut to 41-40 after Kevin Fee (Canterbury Prep, CT '18) connected on a three from the corner, and that was followed up by a three ball from Jamel Kearney (Campus Magnet '16) from the left corner to give CM3 their first lead with just over 2 minutes to play.
Patrick Harding (Fairfield Prep, CT '17) had a chance to give Middlesex back the lead, but he missed a contested layup inside and it was Kearney finishing inside off a Laster feed to see CM3 go up by 3 with under a minute to go.
Donahue was fouled from long range with 41 seconds to go, and 3 made FT's would've tied the game up, but he was only able to connect on 2 of 3, and while they struggled from the line early in the game, CM3 came up big in the clutch as Rodriguez closed out the game with clutch FT's late, and when Ryan's good look at 3 at the buzzer fell off the side of the rim, it was CM3 who were able to celebrate with a big 50-48 victory.
CM3 was the first NYC team to advance to the quarterfinals, but they wouldn't be the last as up next was the NY Jayhawks, and while CM3 had to fight back to get their spot, the Jayhawks had to hang on late as a closing run by Team Philly came up just short as the Jayhawks would advance in a nail biter 59-58.
It was as good a start for the Jayhawks as they probably could've hoped as they were able to apply a full court press that rattled Team Philly in the early going allowing C.J. Kelly (Queens H.S. of Teaching '17) and Jaheam Cornwall (Putnam Science Academy, CT '17) were both able to force turnovers and finish in transition to build a quick double digit lead.
Team Philly did eventually settle down and fight their way back into the game late in the opening half, but two closing threes from wing Ryan O'Leary (Sayreville, NJ '17) allowed the Jayhawks to retake a 10-point lead at 33-23 at the break.
It seemed as if that really swung the momentum towards the Jayhawks as they really started to build on that lead to begin the second half as Kelly connected on a scooping lefty lay up around 2 defenders, and when Wes Nelson (Notre Dame Prep, MA '17) was able to hit on a floater in the lane, the Jayhawks had a 17-point lead with 8:30 to go.
The one thing that was hindering Team Philly from getting any sort of traction to make a run was their inability to connect from long range, but that changed in the final 7 minutes of the game as while they hadn't hit a triple until that point, suddenly both Yazid Powell (Boys Latin, PA '17) and Bernard Lightsey (Imhotep Charter, PA '18) were lighting it up as they connect on 6 threes in the last 7 minutes get them right back in the game.
With just a 2-point lead at 57-55 with under a minute to go, Team Philly fouled to put Nelson on the line for 2 FT's, and cool as a cucumber Nelson hit both to seemingly seal the game. Powell though hit a three from the wing with 3 seconds left, but without a timeout left, the Jayhawks didn't even inbound the ball, just letting time expire as they were able to hold on for a big 1-point win.
Kelly and Chris Coalman (Long Island Lutheran '17) both came up big throughout the game, and a young star may have been born in long and athletic big man Kareem Reid (John Bowne '19) who showed he can hang regardless of the level or competition he is playing.
Up next was a NYC vs. NYC matchup as the NY Lightning faced off with Team NYC, and while Team NYC was able to hang for nearly the entire game, fouls and Chris Duarte (Redemption Christian Academy '17) eventually did them in as the star guard once again led the Lightning to the 73-61 win.
Don't be deceived by the score line though as this game was nip and tuck throughout with Team NYC even taking a 56-55 lead with 4:36 to go in the game, but they just couldn't avoid fouling an aggressive Lightning squad as Duarte made a living at the line in the second half where he was nearly perfect, giving the Lightning back the lead with under 4 to go, a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
While Duarte rightfully will get a lot of the credit, Ziv Basden (Redemption Christian Academy '17) was a tough undersized 4 man with good athleticism to dominate the glass, and Hafeez Melvin (Maple Shade, NJ '17) was excellent helping Duarte out in the backcourt relieving stress off the ultra-talented Duarte.
The Lightning eventually pulled away closing the game on an 18-5 run to put away a tough and scrappy Team NYC squad that got great efforts from both Losini Kamara (Park Center, MN '17) in the backcourt, and Korey Lee (Walt Whitman '17) on the wing in what was a very game and strong effort overall.
Three teams were through, and to close out the night it was Castle Athletics turn to try and made it 4 of 8 in the quarterfinals from NYC, and while it wasn't easy, like the prior 3 team from New York, they as well made enough plays late to come through with the 70-67 win.
Much like he was earlier in the day, Malachi de Sousa (Kennedy Catholic '17) was able to create off the dribble and fight back from an early hole and put Castle in front late in the opening half as they looked to be grabbing control as a team heading into the half.
They were taking on a good half court offensive team in the York Ballers, and Castle used they fact they were far more athletic to their advantage as Victor Potter (Msgr. Scanlan '18) was able to throw down impressive dunks to show off just what he could do with his 6'7" frame.
Tilquan Rucker (South Bronx Prep '17) once again was a tough guard 1 on 1 for York as he had a speed advantage and he wasn't afraid to attack and finish against anyone who tried to man him up in the halfcourt, and when a bucket was needed late, there was de Sousa who proved why he was one of the best on Saturday as he came up big when Castle needed him as he helped carry them late to propel them to the hard fought 3-point victory.
So with half of the 17u field from New York City it's easy to say that NYC is truly doing a great job of representing the area here in Manheim, PA. Sunday morning's quarterfinals will take place at 10:40am, and the matchups are as follows:
NY Jayhawks vs. NY Lightning
Castle Athletics vs. Team Legacy (MD)
Jersey Shore Warriors vs. Team Final (PA)
CM3 Elite vs. Playaz Remix (NJ)
It certainly should be an exciting start to Sunday with 4 exciting matchups, and dozens of college coaches on hand to scout the action.
