Friday, December 28, 2012

The Streak is Over!!!

Happy Holidays everyone. Looking forward to a Happy New Year, but first comes a game that I especially looked forward to this year. The rivalry game that is played in the heart of Roxbury every year since 1992 between Madison Park and O'Bryant has been a lop-sided one. The last time the Tigers of O'Bryant won a game over their rival was the 2005 Boston City Conference Championship. This year OB hosted. Madison Park walked into this with a winning streak to maintain in their rivalry and a 2 game losing streak to snap. They lost the "infamous" buzzer beater at home to East Boston that made the top 10 ESPN plays and that was followed up by a 16pt loss at Tech Boston (Dorchester). So, it's about time to get a win don't you think?

Well, in the first quarter, MP's full court press was thoroughly ineffective. But what wasn't ineffective was the triple team down low OB set up on the Cardinals' only big threat, David Stewart. To end the period, MP had only scored 5 pts, all which came from the free throw line. O'Bryant's junior captain, Ricardo Ortiz, got his team started with 6pts including 4pts from the strip.

O'Bryant 16   Madison Park 5

In the second quarter, OB took a timeout (5:54) after MP took a 6pt run. A rotation of Tigers including Ortiz hit 3s to keep the steady lead into the half despite the guard play of Shaq Robinson and Mike Benitez heading to the free throw line numerous times.

O'Bryant 29   Madison Park 19

The Cardinals 12 pt run to start the half gave them a small lead. But they soon took a timeout (1:00) after a 3 pointer by Harry Demosthene. At that point, the score was 34-33 OB. Then, the game got interesting seeing as MP fouled into the bonus (0:24). David Stewart would close out the quarter with a buzzer beater to tie it up.

O"Bryant 35   Madison Park 35

The Tigers hit 4 quick points off of 2 steals that forced an MP timeout (7:08). Then Gabriel Vieira, for the Tigers, hit both free throws when MP fouled into the double bonus with just under 5 minutes to go. Benitez, would get a steal and score to bring his squad within 1. OB called timeout as a result (2:22). Stewart would score 2 pts and then commit his 3rd foul which sent him to the bench. Ortiz, made both FTs to keep OB up 1. MP timeout (1:36). Out of that, MP got a shot clock violation (1:23) and then they caused a reach'-in foul (0:52). The Tigers lack of made free throws at the end kept the lead close. MP timeout was taken after Ortiz missed those ensuing FTs. (0:47) But after another foul was committed, Ian Jaffier would hit a FT. The next inbounds never made it down the court and as MP tried to foul time ran out.

O'Bryant 45   Madison Park 43

Madison Park will now have to finish out their vacation with a 3 game losing streak and 3rd year coach Drew Brock of the Tigers recieved his biggest victory of his tenure so far, a streak breaking win over the rival Cardinals. This takes them to 4-2 on the year including a 3 game win streak.

O'Bryant Tigers 45

Ricardo Ortiz 13, G. Vieira 9, I. Jaffier 9, H. Demosthene 6
J. Hall 4, B. Lawler 4, J. Butler 1

Madison Park Cardinals 43

David Stewart 11, #34 10, Mike Benitez 10, S. Robinson 8
T. Williams 2, M. Silveira 2

Thursday, December 20, 2012

New Mission at Brighton

New Mission walked into Brighton undefeated at 3-0. They went to New York and won their first game and then toasted Charlestown in their house by 27. Brighton on the other hand just came off a 19 pt loss to Charlestown. Well, to both squads I say, welcome to the North Division of the Boston City Conference. But you still have to face each other. With a big crowd on hand and an electrifying crowd, here we go.

Nick Simpson, who is oh so used to playing against his AAU coach during the high school season started by only missing 1 of first 8 FTs. He dropped 10 pts in the quarter. New Mission's size beat themselves. With the hustle of the Bengals post players, the Titans found themselves on the wrong end of the then 18-10 score and called a timeout(1:33). More of the same pressure from the post had the gym excited.

Brighton 23 New Mission 15

New Mission came on next period though. In an attempt to contain Simpson who added another 7 pts that quarter, 6 different players scored. One of which was 6'1 sophomore transfer, Juwan Gooding from Milton High School, who along with bench forward, Samuel Freeman, who both put up 5 pts a piece to lead the 2nd quarter push. When they had finally succeeded in getting Simpson into foul trouble, Jason Jones would prove a good backup in the paint. He always seemed to be there in the heat of it. He put up 12pts. He hit a buzzer beater to keep the game tied at the half just as the Titans had established a small lead. Nick Simpson, even after returning to the game later would not score again. He finished with 17.

Brighton 37 New Mission 37

Immediately after the start, a couple hard fouls kept the ball in Brighton's hands. New Mission was slowly losing it. The Bengals' guard play led by all city point guard Malik James forced a Titan timeout(2:57). James had 13 at that point. It became very repititious for New Mission. A guard would miss a long ball. Brighton would rebound and one of those guards would shoot and/or go to the line.The Bengal lead increased to 10, which drew another New Mission timeout(1:29). In the same instance, during the timeout, James of Brighton would recieve a technical foul. (It was a small price to pay, after establishing a lead and getting their home crowd energized.)

Brighton 56 New Mission 49

James would only be seated briefly. In the midst of the return of Simpson and James for Brighton, it was the Titans turn to turn up. Fred Rivers would lead the comeback with 10 4th quarter points. Shaquan Murray would hit a 3 that caused a Brighton timeout(5:54) as the Titans took a 1 point lead. During another timeout, the already reseated Simpson caused a ruckus when he was taunted by New Mission fans. A 66-64 Brighton lead was in progress at this point. James started up again with 4 straight points to cause a Titan timeout(3:04) to retake a 2 pt lead. A technical was called on Juwan Gooding during a tie up(2:35) which sent James to the line to hit 2 more FTs. They led by 4. The possession after the technical in addition to an inside miss by New Mission led to 4 more points and a timeout called by New Mission(1:37) who was now down 8. A double technical involving Isshiah Coleman of the Titans caused a ruckus after Brighton's Prince Unaegbu secured the ball in a tie up(36.3). Two more fouls while they were in the bonus added 4 pts to James' total as he finished with 30pts. When the game was over, New Mission and Brighton had lost their cool so bad that officials at the game wouldn't allow the teams to shake hands for the safety of all players and people in the gym. Too much had transpired. The Titans took their first loss to their rival. This is the 3rd straight loss to them in 2 years and they see each other at least once more in Hyde Park at New Mission. Brighton improved to 2-2. The Titans are 3-1.

Brighton Bengals 79

Malik James 30, Nick Simpson 17, Jason Jones 12, Mark Mojica 10
D. Edwards 5, P. Unaegbu 5

New Mission Titans 68

Fred Rivers 14, Juwan Gooding 10, B. Jones 9, S. Murray 9, N. Anderson 6
C. Ebele 6, I. Coleman 5, S. Freeman 5, K. Harris 2, P. Gomez 2

West Roxbury at O'Bryant

Well off to the O'Bryant I went to see another 0-2 team try and find their first win. That team was the West Roxbury Raiders on the road after losing to Madison Park and Latin Academy. The Tigers prepared to host them after comin off a win vs CASH to have a 1-1 record. Markus Neale did not start for the Raiders due to injury. Here we go.

After a couple early traveling calls and some sloppy plays, Westie forced a timeout (2:35) when they went on a 9 pt run led by Timoy Jarrett. He scored 5 of that 9. He would finish the quarter with 10pts. That wouldn't be enough to hold off the post presence of O'Bryant's Jared Butler who would end the period with a buzzer beater as he put up 11pts.

O'Bryant 19 West Roxbury 18

In the second, here come the Raiders' Taquan Skeen with 6pts in a team 10-2 run that forced another OB timeout (2:19). Jarrett added another 9 to his total. With Westie in the bonus though, the Tigers' Gabriel Vieira went to the line a few times dropping 7 of his 11 halftime points. That kept them in range.

West Roxbury 34 O'Bryant 32

In the next quarter ,Westie turned it up. Deven Robinson would put up 6 of a team 8pt run to cause another opponent timeout (4:16). In comes Marcus Neale who scores 6 straight points off the bench. That forced another timeout (2:02). He would finish with 13. That run brought the Raiders into a double digit lead that they would keep.

West Roxbury 58 O'Bryant 39

Despite a couple small runs by O"Bryant, West Roxbury would hold the cushion they had established. Timoy Jarrett would finish with 29.

West Roxbury 73 O'Bryant 58

The Raiders win their first game on the road moving to 1-2. The Tigers drop to 1-2.

Interview to be posted later.

West Roxbury Raiders 73

Timoy Jarrett 29, Markus Neale 13, Deven Robinson 11, T. Skeen 8
B. Henri 4, R. Delarosa 3, J. Wheeler 3, R. Charitable 2

O'Bryant Tigers 58

Jared Butler 16, Gabriel Vieira 15, Ian Jaffier 12, J. Hall 6
R. Ortiz 5, J. Martin 3, H. Demosthene 1          

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Brighton at Charlestown


Charlestown Townies 66

Taris Wilson 17, Frederick Oliveira 13, Alijah Robinson 13, Colin Collins 10
J. Edwards 9, R. Gunter 3, W. Abdullah 1

Brighton Bengals 47

Daivon Edwards 10, M. James 8, M. Mojica 6, P. Unaegbu 6, J. Edmonds 5
K. Hemingway 4, J. Jones 4, N. Simpson 2, N. Succes 2