Kenner League Semi-Final Rundown

Ron Bailey, Publisher

Pay-for-pay guys arrive and mix it up with collegians on Saturday.

August 15, 2009 – Four teams met up at Georgetown’s McDonough Arena for Jabbo Kenner League semifinal play today. Two earned the right to compete tomorrow at 2p for the league’s ‘chip’. Saturday’s pair of tilts saw an upset realized and one that slipped away. Professional roster additions also marked the day.

Beyond Belief 66 Clydes 50

Before the game, word got out that Clydes would be buoyed by a National Basketball Association center – Roy Hibbert. The prodigal son returned home.

Though he dropped 15 points, and saw former Georgetown Final Four teammates Jeff Green (from the NBA’s Oklahoma Thunder) and Jon Wallace (German A-League’s EWE Baskets) enter the contest for Clydes after tip off, the squad was behind for most of the game. In fact, their 35-33 deficit with 16:18 in regulation was the closest Clydes got.

Why you ask, particularly when Beyond Belief was undersized and on paper, out-gunned? According to junior Quinnipiac guard, Deontay Twymon, the team used what it possessed.

“What we had was speed and quickness” he opined afterward, scoring 12 points for the game. “What they had in size, we made up for in speed and quickness”.

True words spoken, as in the first half Beyond Belief got into the lane off the bounce virtually at will. It was a broad attack, as their leading scorer and most dangerous offensive option, Israeli professional league standout Isaiah Swann only scored nine points for the game; at half time Swann noted “I’m not tripping off scoring, I’m trying to get my teammates involved. I don’t have to score 40”.

James Gist, formerly of Italy’s A-League and presently headed for the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs’ training camp led Beyond Belief with 15 points, including a nasty, late alley oop that sealed the win. Jason Clark, a sophomore Georgetown guard, scored 14 points for Clydes.

Gilbert Arenas (right) was ball dominant in the second half, constantly attacking the rim.

Madness/A. Wash 57 Bearcats 55

McDonough was abuzz at the sight of Gilbert Arenas, a Washington Wizard and when healthy, one of the best scorers in the NBA. He didn’t disappoint, particularly in the second half when the man known as Agent Zero did most of his damage, attacking the rim repeatedly, earning trips to the foul line resultantly.

Madness/A.Wash needed every one of his 14 points, as the Bearcats pushed them to the limit. Former Romanian League forward Brian Mathews led the victors and game with 17 points.

Sophomore, Morgan State swingman Dwayne Jackson (15 points) was huge in the Bearcat’s effort, shooting from long distance, slashing to the cup, defending and rebounding. Of his 20 foot drive to the cup with 55 seconds remaining, one that knotted the score at a double-nickel, Jackson shared “I had to think smart. They were calling me ‘Shooter’, so I attacked the rim”.

Enter Arenas again, who scored the game winning pair of points from the charity stripe, seconds later.

Senior South Florida guard Chris Howard matched up at times with him for the Bearcats, scoring 14 points in the process.

Kenner quarterfinal action Thursday

Kenner quarterfinal action Friday