By Paul Casey Gotham
ROCHESTER, NY — It’s early in the season, but Gerry Burns and his Monroe Community College Tribunes are in search of what they can be.
Sunday’s performance on Monagan Court offered hints of the future.
Mike Wilson registered a double-double (Philadelphia, PA/Rise Prep) to lead five scorers in double figures as the Tribunes dispatched of the Sullivan County Community College Generals 89-70 in the championship of the MCC Tribunes Tournament.
Wilson’s nine points and two assists sparked a 17-10 run as the Tribs took a 38-33 lead at half.
The left-handed point guard pulled up in transition and hit from behind the arc to start the rally.
Francis Obumneme (Nigeria/Konigin Des Fredes) followed with a rebound and putback of an Andre Armstrong (Queens, NY/Notre Dame Prep) three-point attempt.
Wilson led Algeron Torrance, with one of his ten assists, along the baseline for a reverse layup.
On the defensive end, the 6’4″ native of Philadelphia grabbed a defensive rebound, raced the length of the court and finished a layup in traffic. After a free throw, MCC pulled within one at 29-28.
Wilson gave the Black and Gold its first lead at 31-29 when Isaiah Jefferson found him with a diagonal pass in transition for his second trey.
“Our coaches put us in a structure of offense,” Wilson said. “As long as we are on the break, we pass the ball and share it.”
The point guard added to the momentum with a steal on the defensive end. He executed a 2-on-1 advantage leading Armstrong for an easy deuce.
“We were just worrying about playing hard and playing good defense.” Wilson added.
Another defensive rebound and outlet and Wilson threaded a pass to a breaking Jefferson. The Tribs led 35-31.
Armstrong closed MCC’s scoring for the stanza with a three off a baseline-out-of-bounds play. The 6’3″ guard inbounded the ball to Wilson who kept the ball moving from right to left around the top of the key to Marcus Feagin (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Falls) before completing the reversal to Armstrong for the trifecta.
Despite being outrebounded 26-14 in the first half including 12 on the offensive boards, the Tribs led by five.
“Their front court guys were really good,” said Burns making special note of Cleanthony Early (Middletown, NY/Mt. Zion Prep) and Willie Williams (Norwalk, CT/Stamford Academy). “They just pounded. I think that’s the first time all year that somebody has come at us with the inside presence and that intensity. They must have had 10 easy points in the first six, seven minutes just getting offensive rebounds.”
The Tribs opened the second stanza with a defensive stop, and Jefferson kick started the scoring. The 6’3″ freshman caught the ball on the wing below the foul line extended, used a shoulder fake before taking a dribble, getting the defender in the air with an upfake and then a step through for a bucket.
The Tribs put the Generals in the rear view mirror and never looked back. Wilson stretched the lead to ten with his third trey of the day. Sullivan responded with a timeout.
“That was the first somebody has come at us,” Burns noted. “As the game went on, we got back to our kind of play. Defending and unselfish and that’s the key.”
The Generals stopped the bleeding with a layup off a baseline out-of-bounds play, but the Tribunes got going again.
Wilson curled into the lane, caught, drove and finished over the front of the rim.
Next possession, Wilson hit Jefferson in the middle of the lane for a turnaround jumper.
Armstrong and Eddie Callender (Philadelphia, PA/Lankenau) took over from there. Callender from the inside, and Armstrong from the outside. The Tribune offense got in rhythm and steamrolled.
“We watched film this afternoon,” Burns said. “One of the issues we were having in our open set was that guys were not getting correct spacing. Today, the spacing was good. We got back door cuts, lay ups and dribble penetration.”
Wilson found Callender open on the baseline for a lay-in. Kenny Johnson (Philadelphia, PA./Abington Friends) hit Feagin slashing to the basket, but the ball rattled around the rim and bounced out. Callender and T.J. McKiver (New Haven, CT/Hillhouse) kept the ball alive before Callender put it home.
After a Sullivan basket in transition, Callender used a spin dribble at the free throw line to open the lane for a layup.
Johnson led Obumneme in transition for a dunk. Callender scored on a baseline out-of bounds play, and Armstrong took advantage of open spaces on the perimeter and connected from behind the arc.
“All of the kids played really well,” Burns commented. “It was a good effort all the way around.”
Armstrong hit 6 of 12 from the field including 4 of 9 from long range to lead Monroe with 18 points.
Feagin led the Tribunes with nine rebounds.
Jefferson and Wilson chipped in 16 a piece with Callender adding 15 and Obumneme getting 10.
Sullivan’s Early and Williams each had a double-double in the losing effort. Early getting a game-high 21 points and Williams a set the pace with 13 rebounds.
MCC’s defense held Sullivan to 34.4 percent (22-64) from the field. One day after the Black and Gold limited Cuyahoga CC to 33 percent. Opposing teams are shooting 34.1 percent (86-252) while the Tribs are connecting at a pace of 45.4 percent (113-249).
Monroe improves to 4-0 on the season. MCC travels to Kirtland, Ohio next weekend for the TJ Memorial Classic at Lakeland Community College. The Tribunes play Glen Oaks CC Friday. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.
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