Wadleigh Rolls By W.H.E.E.L.S.

Just over one year ago, Wadleigh head coach Mike Crump passed away suddenly, and since that time only W.H.E.E.L.S. have been able to knock off the Tigers in what is now called Coach Crump Court. For the first time since last year's playoff win, the Wolves came to Wadleigh on Tuesday evening, and the Tigers had revenge on their minds.

If revenge is what Wadleigh wanted, revenge is what they got in dramatic fashion as guard Brandon Ellis '16 knocked down a pair of free throws with 1.2 seconds to play, breaking up a tie game and giving the Tigers the 64-62.

Current Wadleigh head coach Joe Hunter was a longtime friend of Crump's and said that when the season started that he and team made a decision that the court, which is now named in the late coaches honor, would not be a place where they would lose.

"We bonded and honored that we weren't going to lose another game on Coach Crump Court. They did beat us year last season and we owed them," Hunter said.

His Tigers came out with intensity and drive as they ran out to a quick 14-2 lead on W.H.E.E.L.S. who seemed to be playing as if they were a little intimidated in the eyes of their head man Josh Krinsky.

After a timeout to settle his team down, the Wolves slowly but surely started to right the ship. The deficit was 20-11 after one, but 8 points in the 2nd quarter from guard Morrisana Camara '17 helped bring W.H.E.E.L.S. right back into the game.

Wadleigh were started to settle for shots according to Hunter instead of continuing to do what was working early on. W.H.E.E.L.S. scored the final 7 points of the 2nd quarter and actually had a chance at the buzzer to take the lead, but an Emile Lewis '15 jumper fell short, letting Wadleigh hold onto the slim 29-28 lead at half.

Both coaches were a little disappointed with things about their performances in the open half, but the Wolves went into the half with momentum, and out of the locker room they grabbed their first lead of the game Camara knocked down a short baseline jumper.

It became a back and forth quarter as the two teamed traded the lead back and forth on numerous occasions. It was 39-37 W.H.E.E.L.S. with 1:45 to go in the 3rd, when for some reason according to Krinsky, everything seemed to fall apart for his group.

"We started to take control a bit, and then they went man and it completely unnerved us," Krinsky said about how the 3rd quarter finished. "We practice man defense all the time and to get unnerved on 5 possessions in a row was tough."

All 5 possessions that Krinsky was talking about were turnovers by his guards, and they all led to points on the other end as Wadleigh cashed in and closed the quarter on a 10-0 run to take a 47-39 lead heading to the 4th.

As impressive as the run that the Tigers took, and the lead that they grabbed were, they couldn't hold it. Lenny Kadisha '15 did a nice job connecting on a pair of midrange jumpers, but W.H.E.E.L.S. seemed determined, and with Lewis taking control, they stormed back.

Lewis had 7 points in the 4th after being held in check for much of the game due to a box and one defense that Hunter employed on him, but when his team needed him most, he rose up and took charge. The comeback was complete by the Wolves when guard Emilio Cerda '16 scored 5 straight, and with 2:53 to go in the game, W.H.E.E.L.S. had retaken the lead at 59-58.

It was disappointing to see the lead slip away according to Ellis because once again they were getting away from what had made them successful, but he felt that getting back to the teamwork they have become known for would bring them back.

"We weren't communicating on defense, but when we started talking more and coming together as a unit, everything started coming together again," Ellis said.

Wadleigh retook the lead when guard Angel Malave '15 hit on a pair of FT's. It was once again and nip and tuck game. Tied at 60 with 1:10 to play, wing Chuba Ohams '16, who dominated the game early on both inside and outside, came back and connected on a runner down the right wing over two defenders to put Wadleigh back on top, but Lewis came back and countered with a tough floater to tie the game back up at 62 a piece in the closing seconds.

It looked as if with the shot clock off, that Wadleigh was going to hold the ball for the final shot, but with 11 seconds left, Kadisha put up a FT line jumper that was off, and the rebound was grabbed by W.H.E.E.L.S., but it was poked away by Ohams, and the ball just happened to find Ellis on the outside who went to make a move, but he got fouled with 1.2 seconds to play, sending the junior to the line for a one and one in a must make situation, a situation that had him as nervous he says as he has ever been.

"I was nervous and anxious at the same time, it was crazy, but I was confident too," Ellis said about heading up to the FT line.

Hunter called Ellis one of his best free throw shooters, so it wasn't surprising that after a timeout that he stepped up and calmly sunk the front end of the one and one. He made the 2nd as well to give Wadleigh back the lead at 64-62, still with 1.2 seconds to go.

W.H.E.E.L.S. went to inbound the ball needing to get a shot off quickly, but Lewis inbounded it into the corner, and Wadleigh quickly doubled the ball as time ran out, giving the Tigers sole possession of first place in the Manhattan "AA" with a 64-62 win over the Wolves.

Ohams and Kadisha each led the way with 18 points apiece for Wadleigh, with Ohams also grabbing 11 big rebounds as well in the win. Ellis also had 13 points for the Tigers in the victory, and according to Hunter, him being in the right place at the right time was what enabled his team to come out victorious.

"I was telling the team, the 50/50 balls are what is going to make the difference," Hunter said about what he discussed with his team before the game. "Don't overplay the ball, be where you are supposed to be and the 50/50 balls will start to come your way. Brandon was where he was supposed to be and got the ball and got fouled."

It was also an amazing moment for Ellis, a first year varsity player, who credited his father with practicing with him at 5am on many mornings to helping him have the ability to confidence to knock down the clutch free throws.

In the loss, W.H.E.E.L.S. were led by both Lewis and Luis Valdez '16 who each had 13 points, while Camara chipped in with 10.

It was a great win for Wadleigh though as they look to reclaim the Manhattan "AA" title this season, and while all the players for the Tigers were happy after the win, all were also thinking of their former coach, with Ohams saying all they do and accomplish this season is for the man who they all miss so dearly.

"Everything we do is for him. All this is for Crump. Rest in Peace Coach."