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Lincoln-Boys & Girls boys' basketball breakdown
By Zachary Braziller January 6, 2009
At a glance: PSAL Brooklyn AA League Game
Where: Boys & Girls HS, 1700 Fulton Street in Brooklyn
When: Tuesday, 5 p.m.
Lincoln Railsplitters
Coach: Dwayne (Tiny) Morton
Record: 7-3, 5-0 in Brooklyn AA
Player to watch: Lance Stephenson
Boys & Girls Kangaroos
Coach: Ruth Lovelace
Record: 8-4, 5-1 in Brooklyn AA
Player to watch: Mike Taylor
Outlook: Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson may be building quite a rivalry, but it’s nothing compared to when the three-time PSAL city champion meet Boys & Girls. It has reached a crescendo each of the last two seasons, the two clubs meeting a total of seven times, including twice at Madison Square Garden for the Class AA title game.
While the Kangaroos graduated several stars, including high scorers David Imes, Clayton Sterling and Pat Jackson, and Lincoln is again on top of the local hoops scene, this match-up still has plenty of intrigue.
The Railsplitters should be whole again after sophomore point guard Shaquille Stokes missed their last five games for disciplinary reasons and power forward James Padgett (ankle) and shooting guard Darwin (Buddha) Ellis (broken pinkie) battled injuries. It will ease the burden on star Lance Stephenson, who was brilliant in the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla., where Lincoln finished fifth.
Boys, meanwhile, has shown flashes, knocking off Christ the King, but also losing twice in the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C., last week. It also fell to John F. Kennedy in the PSAL Tip-Off Classic. The perimeter-oriented Kangaroos have arguably the best sophomore in the city in Mike Taylor, a sharp-shooter averaging 15 points per game that talent evaluator Tom Konchalski said could end up being the best player in the East New York school’s well-chronicled history. He is joined by Lamount Samuell Jr., a transfer from Adelphi Academy who does it all for Boys – occasionally runs the point, bangs down low when needed and can shoot it from deep. Senior guards Anton Dickerson, Devante Cutler and Richard Brown III add depth and experience to the frenetic attack.
Prediction: Can The High handle Lincoln’s depth inside? That’s the question.
Boys will need to shoot the ball well from the perimeter to stay close and may need a superhuman effort out of either Taylor or Samuell to pull off the upset. But the key will be forwards Leroy Isler and Tyler Young, dependable lunch-pail big men that can be effective. They will need to be at their best against Padgett, Davon Walls and Allen West.
The Railspllitters should have too much depth for Boys – and anyone else in the city, for that matter – to be upset here. Stephenson will score his usual quota of points and Lincoln will own the paint. Plus, the Coney Island school can shoot almost as well from deep as Boys if Ellis and Anthony Allen are on.
It won’t be easy. The Kangaroos could get off to a quick start, using electric energy in their home gym. But Lance doesn’t want to lose a league game his senior season. He won’t let it happen here. The only other realistic pratfall is Feb. 3 at Jefferson.
Lincoln 75, Boys & Girls 66
zbraziller@fiveborosports.com
Where: Boys & Girls HS, 1700 Fulton Street in Brooklyn
When: Tuesday, 5 p.m.
Lincoln Railsplitters
Coach: Dwayne (Tiny) Morton
Record: 7-3, 5-0 in Brooklyn AA
Player to watch: Lance Stephenson
Boys & Girls Kangaroos
Coach: Ruth Lovelace
Record: 8-4, 5-1 in Brooklyn AA
Player to watch: Mike Taylor
Outlook: Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson may be building quite a rivalry, but it’s nothing compared to when the three-time PSAL city champion meet Boys & Girls. It has reached a crescendo each of the last two seasons, the two clubs meeting a total of seven times, including twice at Madison Square Garden for the Class AA title game.
While the Kangaroos graduated several stars, including high scorers David Imes, Clayton Sterling and Pat Jackson, and Lincoln is again on top of the local hoops scene, this match-up still has plenty of intrigue.
The Railsplitters should be whole again after sophomore point guard Shaquille Stokes missed their last five games for disciplinary reasons and power forward James Padgett (ankle) and shooting guard Darwin (Buddha) Ellis (broken pinkie) battled injuries. It will ease the burden on star Lance Stephenson, who was brilliant in the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla., where Lincoln finished fifth.
Boys, meanwhile, has shown flashes, knocking off Christ the King, but also losing twice in the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C., last week. It also fell to John F. Kennedy in the PSAL Tip-Off Classic. The perimeter-oriented Kangaroos have arguably the best sophomore in the city in Mike Taylor, a sharp-shooter averaging 15 points per game that talent evaluator Tom Konchalski said could end up being the best player in the East New York school’s well-chronicled history. He is joined by Lamount Samuell Jr., a transfer from Adelphi Academy who does it all for Boys – occasionally runs the point, bangs down low when needed and can shoot it from deep. Senior guards Anton Dickerson, Devante Cutler and Richard Brown III add depth and experience to the frenetic attack.
Prediction: Can The High handle Lincoln’s depth inside? That’s the question.
Boys will need to shoot the ball well from the perimeter to stay close and may need a superhuman effort out of either Taylor or Samuell to pull off the upset. But the key will be forwards Leroy Isler and Tyler Young, dependable lunch-pail big men that can be effective. They will need to be at their best against Padgett, Davon Walls and Allen West.
The Railspllitters should have too much depth for Boys – and anyone else in the city, for that matter – to be upset here. Stephenson will score his usual quota of points and Lincoln will own the paint. Plus, the Coney Island school can shoot almost as well from deep as Boys if Ellis and Anthony Allen are on.
It won’t be easy. The Kangaroos could get off to a quick start, using electric energy in their home gym. But Lance doesn’t want to lose a league game his senior season. He won’t let it happen here. The only other realistic pratfall is Feb. 3 at Jefferson.
Lincoln 75, Boys & Girls 66
zbraziller@fiveborosports.com