SMARTBall Classic Day 4: New World Order?

HARLEM, NY – Day four of the SMARTBall Classic featured two games plus a make-up game, but if you placed your bets on the obvious choices, we hope you didn’t bet with rent money. Only one of the three favorites prevailed in the Thursday evening for the ages.

Bishop Loughlin came into the contest. After all, Fredrick Douglas Academy is only a Class AA team in the PSAL while Loughlin has been a powerhouse Class AA team in the CHSAA for years. FDA must’ve missed the memo as the dominated the Lions during a rescheduled game.

FDA blasted out in front twenty-three to nine to start the second quarter as Lasana Camara (27 points & 4 rebounds), Amadou Fana (13 points & 4 assists) and Jayquen Robinson (13 points, 3 assists & 3 rebounds) came hard out the block. They also received solid rebounding from James.

Loughlin closed the game in the second quarter stoked by perimeter and transition buckets by Keith Williams (16 points & 2 rebounds) but still trailed by six to start the second half.

Point guard Markquis Nowell (15 points & 3 assists), who’s normally a stat stuffer for Bishop Loughlin was somewhat held in check, but with that being said Jordan and Williams managed to tie the game at 66 and again at 68. Each time FDA managed to keep the Lions coming from behind as Robinson orchestrated some clever out-of-bounds plays. Eventually there was no more time for Loughlin to come from behind

“We knew the Keith Williams and Markquis Nowell are the best player on their team,” said Robinson. We tried to get the ball out of their hands. FDA apparent did their homework on Loughlin’s other players. “We know the weaker player will only play in the paint so we sagged in except for one shooter [Adrien Nunez].

Being a Class A team, FDA wanted to serve notice to all Class AA teams said Robinson. “Everybody. They sleep on us. That’s why we had a 23-8 run [on them].”

Without the help of Shamorie Ponds or Rasheem Dunn who’ve moved on to college, Jefferson is in reload mode but against Curtis they forget to pull the trigger until it was too late. Warrior’s Malik Martin said he was especially pumped about beating the defending PSAL Class AA City champs. “[This game] motivated us especially since [Jefferson] knocked us out in the quarterfinals last year.”

With only six senior players available the Curtis Warriors lit up the young Orange Wave team, 40-29 in the first half as Martin crashed the boards and Samuel Majeck (6 points & 3 assists) and Christopher Fabozzi (7 points & 2 assists) added offense.

The Wave began to show signs of life in the third quarter was Shevon Anisca (19 points & 8 rebounds) and Kyle Harding (15 points & 3 steals) stepping up their games. Stephen Monerieffe (6 points & 11 rebounds) also emerged as a beast on the boards. Going into the final quarter, Jefferson managed to cut its deficit to eight-points.

The Orange Wave would reduce its disadvantage to two-point before Martin put the Warriors back on track but soon long range bombs by Harding would give Jefferson it first lead. With 2 minutes’ left in regulation, Jefferson held a 58-57 lead but transition baskets by Adeleye Oyekama (10 points & 3 rebounds) and Ransford Agyeman (14 points & 3 assists) help Curtis win by a hair.

For a hot minute, it seemed as if we were heading for an upset trifecta. First Loughlin, then Jefferson and early in the game, the SMARTBall Classic defending champion Lincoln Railsplitters were down 5-0. 6’5” Joshua Moore (16 points, 5 rebounds & 2 assists) put points on the boards while Lincoln remained silent. That is until, SMARTBall MVP Donald Flores (11 points, 2 assists & 3 rebounds) got it poppin’.

The senior guards sparked a 22-5 run that left J.F.K. down by 12 with 5 minutes’ left in the opening quarter. Kennedy did not lie down quietly as Omar Gooding (8 points & 2 steals) help to narrow Lincoln’s lead to 26-19 at the half.

That lead to start to once again expand as Michael Reed (12 points, 2 rebounds & 1 assist) mirrored Flores’s first half offensively. Once again with the 12-point lead at the end of the third quarter, the Railsplitters basically cruised to victory.

Monday 8/22

6:30 pm Scanlon vs. Boys & Girls

8:00 pm St. Raymond's vs. F.D.A.

Tuesday 8/23

6:30 pm Cardinal Hayes vs. Curtis

8:00 pm W.H.E.E.L.S vs Abraham Lincoln

Wednesday 8/24

6:30 pm Semifinal #1

8:00 pm Semifinal #2

Thursday 8/25

6:30 pm All-star Game

8:00 pm CHAMPIONSHIP GAME