By Paul Casey Gotham
ROCHESTER, NY — Gerry Burns and his Monroe Community College Tribunes won’t earn style points for their efforts on the hardwood. Doesn’t matter, they’re not looking to win a beauty pageant.
Eddie Callender (Philadelphia, PA/Lankenau) and Francis Obumneme (Nigeria/Konigin Des Fredes) each registered double-doubles and a stifling Tribune defense led the way as the Tribs defeated the Cuyahoga Community College Challengers 76-62 in the first round of the MCC Tribunes Tournament.
Monroe’s defense held the Challengers to just one field goal in the final eight minutes of the first half. Meanwhile, Callender put bookends on a 24-7 run as the Tribunes grabbed a commanding 40-26 lead at halftime.
The 6’7″ freshman corralled a loose ball on the offensive end and bodied his way to the basket for the deuce. One trip later, Callender gave the Tribs a one-point edge with a reverse layup when Andre Armstrong (Queens, NY/Notre Dame Prep) found him cutting along the baseline. Callender caught the pass, slipped past the defense and finished on the opposite side of the rim.
Algeron Torrance (Syracuse, NY/Corcoran) grabbed the baton and continued the momentum.
The 6’6″ sophomore finished a drive from the right side of the basket. One possession later he took a pass from Isaiah Jefferson (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo East), used an upfake, a dribble from left to right and hit a pullup jumper at the free throw line.
The Black and Gold increased the lead to four when Francis Obumneme caught a pass in the post and patiently waited out a triple team. The 6’10” sophomore ball faked, pivoted, missed a jumper then sliced through a pair of defenders for the rebound and bucket.
“Francis played really hard,” Burns said. “That’s the first time that we have seen him play like that. He’s changing shots. There were a couple times where we really needed a rebound. Francis got it. He needs to play that way. When he turns the offense totally on, we’re going to have a really good basketball player.”
Obumneme blocked five shots to go with his 13 points and 11 rebounds.
The Tribs picked up where they left off to start the second half. Mike Wilson (Philadelphia, PA/Rise Prep) grabbed a loose ball and ran the length of the floor before dropping a pass back to Jefferson for the easy layup. After a stop on the defensive end, Wilson drove the lane, drew contact and connected on a pair of free throws.
At the same time the Tribune defense dusted off their Elvis Presley collection and played Return to Sender with opposing shooters. Jefferson and Torrance blocked shots on consecutive possessions. Wilson made it three blocks in four trips with a spectacular rejection of an open floor layup attempt.
But the rally fizzled. Sloppy offensive execution led to a 13-2 Cuyahoga run.
“You got to take care of the basketball,” Burns said. “If you take bad shots or turn it over, against good teams it just goes the other way and they score immediately.”
By the time Darrell Robinson (Philadelphia, PA/Bartram) drove the lane and finished, Cuyahoga closed the gap to 58-46.
“It was like two different teams that played out there,” Burns explained. “It was the team that played the first half. If we could get that for 40 minutes, now you got a chance of really doing something good. The second half we got away from our game plan. We gave up too many easy shots in the second half. The first half all those shots were contested. There was help. There were no second shots. In the second half they ended up getting a lot of those little gimmes or beating us off the dribble.”
TJ McKiver (New Haven, CT/Hillhouse) offered a response. Wilson gave a post entry over the defense. After it was tipped away, McKiver secured the orange globe and finished off the glass.
Callender drew contact on a baseline drive and made two from the free throw line. Torrance also took advantage of Cuyahoga’s charity and hit a pair on the next trip.
Torrance led all scorers with 19. Armstrong added 12. Wilson and Armstrong each handed out three assists.
The Tribunes improve to 3-0 on the season and advanced to Sunday’s championship game. The Tribs will square off with Sullivan County CC. Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Obumneme sounds like a fundamental player and workhorse. At 6’10”, that has to be alluring to some DI schools. Is anyone following him hoping to sign him from MCC?
Nobody following…YET!
You havent seen anything yet. Obumneme will soon explode. Lets follow him now.
Obumneme is a pure gold that is passing through a furnace now. Watch out!!!!!!!!!!!