Robeson Falls to Westinghouse at Finish line

BROOKLYN, NY - When you're an NYCHoops.net Top Ten NYC team, you walk around with a target on back. Especially when you're up against an opponent that's on the bubble. Such was the case when #9 ranked Paul Robeson HS traveled into the home of George Westinghouse HS on Thursday.

Westinghouse had been misfiring at the Eagles for the majority of play. The Warriors finally hit the bulls eye in the fourth quarter to put down Robeson for good, 57-54.

Even though the Warriors were in an uphill battle for most of the game, Head Coach Everett Kelley told his team to stay the course. "[Robeson] plays zone so it's gonna be ugly possessions," said Kelley. "[I told them to] just keep running our stuff."

Coach Kelley said that in the end because Robeson was in foul trouble and Westinghouse was in the penalty, the Warriors wanted to get to the foul line, stop the clock and make free throws. In addition, Kelley said he wanted to shut down Robeson big man Isaac Kante '16 (6 points).

"We were just trying to keep Isaac from getting as many touches as possible," said Coach Kelley. Kante would make the Warriors' job that much easier when he got himself into foul trouble early in the first half.

In the opening quarter, the lead changed hands as Rashaad Staten '18 (10 points) scored for Westinghouse only to be countered by forward Messiah Hill '16 (5 points) and guard Keith Swinton '17 (14 points). Point guard Aquarn Butler '18 (15 points) would get a steal, putting the Eagles out front by four points to begin the second quarter.

The Warriors charged back with 5-0 run at the top of the quarter to take a 1 point lead with 7 minutes left in the half. That lead increased to 26-19 as forward Saheem Anthony '16 (5 points), Butler and Kante stepped up offensively. A late bucket by Arsheen Jones '16 (6 points) staved off the Robeson's run but Westinghouse still trailed 29-22 at the half.

Westinghouse came out in the third quarter blazing paced by Akeem Tate '16 (18 points) but only managed to shave off two-points from its deficit as the final quarter got underway. After sitting for most of the first half, Kante reentered the game but quickly committed a turnover and subsequently fouled out. Robeson head coach Todd Myles equated Kante's sub-par performance to that of being "a deer in the headlights."

With Robeson now considerably smaller and more vulnerable in its frontcourt, Gerald Williams '16 (11 points), who was scoreless in the first half, began to go to work, both in the paint and from the perimeter. With 1:44 left in regulation, Williams powered his way to the hole, drew a foul and gave the Warriors a brief taste of the lead.

Robeson fired back as the lead volleyed back and forth but the momentum had already permanently shifted to the home court. With 13.8 seconds left to play, Williams put Westinghouse up and over the top as the Warriors upset the Eagles.

Robeson was playing without their senior point guard Johnathan Murray '16 who is out for a few weeks with an forearm injury. Without the veteran PG at the helm, Coach Myles said his young team will just have to "weather the storm" until he returns. The Eagles will also need Kante to rise to the occasion.