PSAL Quarterfinals (Day One)
NEW YORK, NY -The Quarterfinal round of the Public Schools Athletic League Championshiop (PSAL) got underway on Saturday at Baruch College. The opening game advanced one team to the semifinal round for the first time in 4 years. The final game of the day sent a perennial powerhouse back to the semis yet again.
Curtis Warriors exile Queens H.S. of Teaching, 54 - 48
It wasn’t pretty but the Warriors prevailed in a game that was won by who missed the least in the fourth quarter. “We played them in the third game of the season,” said Curtis head coach Dwayne Archbold. “They shot the light out the ball.” Knowing that the Tigers like to run the ball up and down the court, Archbold said he wanted to slow the ball down which resulted in a grind ‘em out type of game.
In addition to navigating his team, Coach Archbold also knew he had to get his teakm emotionally ready after suffering a tough loss. ”We lost the Staten Island championship last week by rushing shots.”
Senior guard Sammy Majekodunmi ’17, who came up big for Curtis in the second half, said his team accessed their short-term memory in order to put that championship loss into perspective. “Every loss we gotta put it behind us and just keep fighting.” The strategy has worked so far in the PSAL City Championships as the Warriors laid waste to Brooklyn Collegiate in the second round.
Colby Simpson '17 and C.J. Kelly ‘17 helped give Q.H.S.T. a 7-point head start by the end of the first quarter while Curtis responded sluggishly. Majekodunmi along with Ransford Agyeman Budu ’17 showed signs of life for the Warriors. After cutting their deficit three points, Curtis got smoked late in the half by Justin Steed ‘17, Dwight Reed ‘18 and William Ellis ‘17 and trailed 29 – 20 at the half.
“Coach [Archbold] went crazy on us in the locker room and that kind ticked something off in me so I had to step it up in the second half,” said Majekodunmi. “[Kelly] was doing good in the first half so coach told me to guard him so I just had to lock him down.”
The Warriors came on strong to start the second half with production from Agyeman Budu and Majekodunmi . A clutch three-ball by Malik Martin ‘18 with 2:21 left in the third quarter capped off a 15-5 run by the Staten Island giving them a 35 – 34 lead.
Although still down by a point as the fourth quarter got under, Q.H.S.T. was not about fade quietly into the sunset. They would have to be pushed over the ledge kicking and screaming. Kelly could be heard saying to Tigers Head Coach Mike Shelton, “I need help.”
Steed and Ellis did provide some offensive assistance that briefly regained the lead for the Queens high school but another perimeter shot by Martin put Curtis back in the driver’s seat for good. The Tigers compounded their difficulties, missing free-throws down the stretch on six different possessions.
“Last year, we went to the quarterfinals and lost,” said Majekodunmi. “I’m a senior. This is my last year. I can’t go out like that.”
For the Warriors, advancing in the PSAL Playoffs is emotional said Majekodunmi. “Everybody sleeps on us in Staten Island. Nobody really knows who we are so we’re trying to make ourselves known in the city.”
Agyeman Budu led Curtis with 14 points with Majekodunmi adding 13 points. Kelly led Queens H.S. of Teaching with 14 points.
Abraham Lincoln cremates Springfield Gardens, 57 – 38
At the end of the first quarter, the Lincoln Railsplitters and the Springfield Garden Golden Eagles were tied at 8 apiece but after that, it was like being in quicksand for Springfield Gardens. With Donald Flores ‘17, Mike Reid ‘17 and Jasiah Lewis ‘18 running on all cylinders, the Golden Eagle trailed by eight at the half and by 16 point at the end of the third.
The Golden Eagles did get some offensive production from Tyreke Guthrie ‘17 but the normal tag team of Khayri Harris ‘17 and Hegel Augustin ‘17 combined for a total of nine points and were all but M.I.A. Compounding their woes was Harris’s foul trouble along with massive over dribbling from the other guards.
The Railsplitters' lead ballooned to 25 points before head Coach Dwayne “Tiny” Morton subbed out his starters and mercifully released the proverbial choke hold on neck of the Golden Eagles.
Flores and Reid led Lincoln with 12 points apiece with Lewis contributing 8 points. Guthrie was high man for Springfield Gardens with 8 points.
Day Two of the Quarterfinals will take place on Sunday at Hunter College starting at 11:00 am. Schedules & Results
