Cardozo takes loss, is rebuilding

Ron Bailey, Publisher

Charlie Harrison has a plan for former DCIAA flagship.

January 24, 2012 - Thursday afternoon Cardozo High School (DC) hosted Coolidge (DC) at its temporary home gym at neighboring Dunbar, hoping to advance a DCIAA West win mark of one game. It wouldn’t be, as Coolidge raced ahead early, before winning 78-38. For the season, Cardozo’s Clerks now stand 2-9, 1-4 in league play, while Coolidge is an enviable 12-4/4-1.

Despite losing by a boatload - invoking a rule mandating 30 point deficit, second half deficits producing a running clock in the process – Cardozo’s head coach Charles Harrison is taking a positive, long view of things.

Aaron Young with the first half teardrop.

“Our team and my kids are playing really hard” afterward said the first year coach and former collegiate standout at Georgetown and Wake Forest. “We just have to focus for four quarters and fight through adversity, just be good teammates and play hard – That’ what I’m looking for and the rest will take care of itself”.

An example of battling adversity came via Coolidge’s 1-2-2 press that at times mimicked a diamond alignment, with as Harrison noted “traps everywhere, even in the half court”. The Colts ran out to an 18-9 early advantage, though Cardozo did close it to 20-16 with 5:25 remaining in the second quarter.

“We broke their press by moving the ball and hitting the open man. But you can’t dribble through a good press like that and that was the difference – turnovers and transition baskets” opined Harrison of what eventually doomed his team.

Said turnovers were key to Coolidge extending their 14 point intermission lead to 42-24 with a little more than five minutes to play in the third quarter. Cardozo was scoreless during this period.

The Clerks were led by senior guard Aaron Young’s nine points. Fellow fourth year student Alex Kajumol supplied eight points. Coolidge was paced by senior forward Nijee Britton’s 20 points.

Cardozo, long an afterthought in DC Interscholastic Athletic Association competition but possessing a pround history, is undergoing a culture change brought by Harrison, assistant coach Brian Jefferson. Though daunting, Harrison is steeled for the journey.

“I knew what I was getting into when I took this job” said Harrison. “I love the challenge. I love seeing kids get better and pretty soon Cardozo will be back to the good ‘ole days, trust me. We will keep working hard to represent Cardozo. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon with this program”.

They are certainly in the race now.

Recruiting Roundup:

David Khadri - Standing 6'6" and weighing around 210 pounds, Khadir is an active, aggressive four-man that rebounds, blocks shots, and will hit the 10 footer.

North Carolina A&T, Florida Gulf Coast and Garner Webb have tendered Khadri, a Coolidge senior, scholarship offers, while Radford and approximately 10 schools are showing interest, according to Coolidge's coach, Vaughn Jones.

In college, Khadir must work on his perimeter skills, including one-two-three dribble pull ups and defending in space.