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Sports U/Team IZOD falls in Semi at iS8
The third iS8/Nike quarterfinal game on
Sunday, Sports University, undermanned and lacking their star power would
play against a fully loaded New Heights Seniors squad.
In what would be a losing proposition, the NJ squad would ultimately fall
by the wayside, 87-78.
M. Wingate
Jayvaughn Pinkston |
Playing only 6 deep and
without their two recently committed star players, Derrick Williams
(Richmond) and Kyrie Irving (Duke), Sports U still managed to stay up
by 8 point playing on adrenaline with 1:53 seconds remaining in the
first quarter. Eli Carter (17) busted up the New Heights defense
early, scoring points from the perimeter and in transition. Recent
Uniondale H.S. re-transfer Devon McMillian (10 points), in response,
made the push for New Heights late, scoring deep from the corner and
frewthrows by David Coley (2 points) cut the Sports U's lead to 6
going into the second. Sports U
kept up the intensity and a fast pace but the lurking question would
continue to be, could the NJ squad maintain this pace without all its
players? A New Heights run capped by a Jayvaughn Pinkston (28 points)
lay-up knotted the score and began to answer that question with 5:53
left in the half.
Even though Jayon James (13 points) and Lucky Jones (21 points) would
add logs to the Sports U fire, the New Heights team would still
significantly close the gap and with 47 seconds remaining, the score
was tied. Jones would get fouled taking a three but would only go 1-3
from the charity stripe. Ashton Pankey (26 points) would then score on
an out of bounds play to give New Heights a 43-42 lead at the half. |
12 quickly shifted the lead to
Sport U pushing the ball up court before New Heights could set up and 15
would provide points from above the rim. Down by as many as 5 points,
Corey Edwards (10 points) began to orchestrate the New Heights offense and
with skillful assists and buckets by Devon Collier (8 points) and Pinkston
along with freethrows by Pankey reversed the lead. An Edwards floater and
a Pankey putback and New Heights had extended their lead to 8 points with
2:51 left in the third.
New Heights imposed a fullcourt defense in attempts exhaust the shorted
handed Sport U team but James and 6th man, Chris Compas (18 points) still
cut the lead to 3 points with at the 37 second mark.
A Pinkston lay-up at the end of the third gave New Heights a 66-61 lead
going into the fourth quarter but Jones midrange kept Sports U hovering
below the lead by three.
Turnovers began to plaque Sports U as James fell into the 1 on 1 trap and
New Heights took advantage pushing the lead to 9 points with 3:40 left in
the game.
To Sports U's credit, they were able to score. What could not seem to do
is stop New Heights from countering. With a 1:12 left, New Heights tried
to spread the floor and run time off the clock. Poor freethrows by New
Heights offered glimmers of hope for Sports U but in the end coming to the
iS8 half cocked is rarely a recipe for success.
October 25, 2009
Maurice Wingate
NYCHoops.net Publisher |
