Presidential Hoopfest rundown

Ron Bailey, Publisher

The Presidential Hoopfest stood out, once again.

February 19, 2012 - Saturday, Northwestern HS (MD) was teeming with talented high school players competing in Presidential Hoopfest action. Following is brief game coverage.

Montrose Christian (MD) 53 Friendship Collegiate (DC) 50
Big Timer takes control

Headed to Baylor University, Montrose Christian’s Ishmail Wainright almost willed his team to victory, basically single-handedly withstanding Friendship’s pressure defense – particularly in overtime where he brought the ball down the court by backing down defenders or blowing by them. Wainright, who also scored key baskets finished with 12 points, while fellow senior forward Mark Williams led the Mustangs with 16 points.

Ishmail Wainright, getting it done in overtime.

Friendship got 20 point performances from a pair of performers; junior guard Tony Blackwell and senior backcourt mate Byron Ashe. The pair was at time electric, while at other moments failed to execute.

The game could have, to coin a phrase, ‘gone either way’. Friendship Collegiate is 14-11 on the year, while Montrose stands 17-4.

Riverdale Baptist (MD) 71 Miller School (VA) 64
Johnson heats it up

When a player has 25 points in the third quarter, he or she is clearly on fire. Senior guard Nigel Johnson did just that, finishing with 30 points for the game.

Whenever the Crusaders needed a bucket, it was Johnson who supplied it. Case in point was his work mid-way through the third and fourth quarters, where Johnson was key in pushing his team’s lead from two to ten.

Khory Doby, the senior forward headed to NC A&T supplied 12 points for Riverdale Baptist. Miller’s sensational forward Isaac Copeland dropped 22 points. His teammate, Tony Washington, provided 15.

The victors stand 22-10, while Miller dropped to 14-9.

Princeton Day Academy (MD) 91 Middleburg Academy (VA) 78
A little giant awakens

Down two points at halftime, Princeton Day needed a second half boost, and found one on its roster. Enter senior guard Aquille Carr.

Carr, who was scoreless in the first half, finished with 25 points, many delivered in exciting, full court style. It is there most of his seven dimes were also notched , with senior forward Anton Waters game high 27 points) the recipient of several no look alley oop passes from Carr, which he promptly pounded through the rim.

Carr’s disappointing first half was driven by Middleburg’s zone defense, causing him to jack up errant perimeter shots and drive into traffic, where he failed to convert, turned the ball over, including being whistled for a charge. The second stanza saw increased defensive tempo by PDA (30-10), producing the game-breaking run outs.

Dunbar's Kamau Stokes gets to the rim, while Mike Warren defends.

Middleburg (18-11) was paced by sophomore swingman Delante Jones’ 22 points. Senior guard Marcus Haynes finished with 14 points.

Dunbar (MD) 79 Theodore Roosevelt (DC) 62
Charm City checkmate

During pregame warm up, Dunbar of Baltimore didn’t pass the ‘eye test’ when compared to D.C.’s Theodore Roosevelt, as the latter was longer and seemingly significantly deeper. The first quarter more or less justified those thoughts, with the Roughriders seemingly in control, early.

But a change developed in the second stanza, propelling the Poets to a 37-32 halftime advantage. It continued into the second half, generating a 79-62 Dunbar victory.

What happened? More or less a man to man Poet defense that featured frequent trapping, and offensively dives to the cup, resulting in scores, drop offs, or kick outs. Essentially, greater pace on both sides of the floor occurred.

Roosevelt got more aggressive defensively themselves, trimming a nine point third quarter deficit to three, but by the time junior center Trevis Buchanon pounded a posterizing jam with around four minutes left to play, the Poets were in total control 66-58.

Senior guard Daxter Miles (game high 27 points) along with junior backcourt guys Kamau Stokes and Keandre Gibson were key in the Dunbar barrage, driving, scoring and finding. That pair finished with 15 and 14 points, respectively, for Dunbar (19-1).

Roosevelt (22-2) was led by senior guard Mike Warren’s 15 points. Junior guard Johnnie Shuler finished with 13, while junior shooting guard Jarrell Allen had 10.

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