The Playoffs at iS8/Nike: Day One

SOUTH JAMAICA, NY - Playoff games for the 2016 iS8/Nike Spring H.S. Classic began Thursday evening at Intermediate School #8. There were two games on the schedule. Here are recaps.

The first game on the marquee was Ben Gordon All-Stars (aka Mount Vernon HS) against Team Price. Guard Jalin Suber scored a game high 28 points to help Team Price get the victory.

The Ben Gordon squad jumped out to an early lead, ending the first quarter with a 17-10 lead behind a couple of long jumpers from guard Jason Douglas-Stanley. Ben Gordon was still in control of the game midway through the 2nd quarter, building a lead to as many as 11 points.

However Team Price was able to turn the tide and they went on a 12-0 run to end the half. The run was aided by two threes from Averi Parker. The score was 28-26 at halftime.

BG big man Greg Calixte helped push the lead to 34-30 after an offensive rebound and a put-back. That was when Suber caught fire for Team Price and sparked his team to eventually take over the lead. Suber was fouled on a floater and made the free throw. He followed that up by nailing two three-pointers from the left wing, the last one giving Team Price a 37-34 lead.

In the fourth quarter, Team Price was able to maintain their small lead. Sita Conteh (14 points) contributed by adding a couple of three pointers to the tally. BG did get a little more desperate to get back into the game, but could never gain enough momentum to really challenge for a victory.

Douglas scored a team high 20 points for the Ben Gordon All-Stars. Calixte scored 15 points, while Derrick Hamlin added 13.

LPAC came out on fire, draining three pointers from all over the court. One particular player, listed only as Tay S. in the scorebook, drained 5 threes in the first quarter on his way to scoring 17 points in the period. New Heights fell all the way down to 31-14 after the first quarter. LPAC was draining threes, splashing the nets and making it look easy.

Plus New Heights only had 5 players at the beginning of the game. It is very difficult to play with only 5 players if the opponent is actually capable of exploiting the lack of a bench. To take it a step further, the only player that was able to score was guard Keith Williams. Williams, who led all scorers with 34 points, scored the first 12 for New Heights. But it wasn’t anywhere near enough to make the game look competitive. LPAC held a dominating 31-14 lead after the first period.

However, as the game went on, that 17 point lead started to shrink for LPAC. In fact, LPAC only scored a total of 14 points for the 2nd and 3rd quarters combined. New Heights chipped away at the lead with Williams and another big guard in Saquan Singleton.

Both players were able to control the game and continuously attack the smaller LPAC team. By the time the fourth quarter came around they had found their rhythm. LPAC was on top 45-41 when the final quarter began, but Williams found his range and drained a pair of triples to give New Heights their first lead of the game at 46-45.

The teams traded the lead for the rest of regulation, with neither team gaining any type of real advantage. With 9 seconds left, LPAC held a 62-58 lead. Singleton (12 points) was able to make two free throws after getting fouled on a drive. LPAC missed a pair of free throws after being sent to the line and 6’11” Moses Brown was able to grab the rebound and get fouled with: 01 second left.

For most of the game, Brown (12 points) could not any free throws. In fact, Brown was 0-6 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter. He wasn’t particularly close on any of the six attempts.

So of course Brown swishes both free throws with basically no time left and sends the game into overtime. Williams made another three from the right elbow to start the scoring in the fourth quarter. Idan Tretout (12 points) scored on a tough drive to the basket, which was followed by a Williams offensive rebound and put back. In a blink of an eye, New Heights was already up 69-62, and the smaller LPAC team looked a little worn down at that moment. There was no more resistance and New Heights was able to win an advance to the next round.