By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — On a night when they celebrated an individual milestone, the Leadership Academy Lions also snapped a three-game skid.
Rondell Watson scored 11 of his game-high 31 points during the fourth quarter, and Leadership downed the McQuaid Jesuit Knights (No. 8 NYSSWA Class AA), 81-76 in RCAC action Friday.
The senior guard, who earlier in the night scored his 1000th career point, converted a steal and layup then hit a floater in the lane as part of a 9-4 Leadership run over the final three minutes of the game.
“He’s our guiding force,” Leadership Academy head coach Reggie Simmons said of his senior guard. “He leads the team. We lost a lot (because of graduation) after last year, and Rondell has taken on so much pressure and responsibility because other teams are going box-and-one, man-to-man and denying him the ball.”
Rondell Watson gets ahead of the defense for an way deuce, but @McQuaidBball has closed the gap to 3 with 3-balls from Kobe Long and Jermaine Taggart. 5:24 remaining Leadership up 66-63 pic.twitter.com/ZIDx1HkfK8
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 5, 2019
But the Lions let a second half double-digit lead slip away in the fourth quarter.
Jermaine Taggart scored 14 of his team-high 26 points in the final stanza to pace McQuaid. Coming out of a timeout, the junior guard got loose on a backdoor cut and took a pass from Connor Zamiara for an easy deuce.
:22 Jermaine Taggart. Leadership 77 @McQuaidBball 76 pic.twitter.com/QetSBFpwc0
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 5, 2019
He followed with a 3-pointer. After teammate Kobe Long also connected from long range, Taggart scooped up a loose ball along the sideline and went the length of the floor for a dunk. His rebound and putback with 3:45 remaining gave the Jesuit Knights their first lead of the second half at 69-68.
“I’m saying ‘Here we go, again,'” Simmons commented. “Every time we get to the fourth quarter, we have a young team so we begin to turn it over and throw it just anywhere. But we dedicated ourselves to defense and, the guys really came through.”
Playing man-to-man for the majority of the contest, Leadership stepped up the pressure in the closing moments and allowed just two field goals over the final three minutes.
“We think that we’re quicker than any team in the county,” Simmons said of his squad. “Once we play great defense and we’re fast-breaking, we can compete with anyone.”
McQuaid’s lead was short-lived. On the next possession, Kennyh Hardeman finished underneath for two of his 20 points on the night to give Leadership a 70-69 edge.
Kennyh Hardeman underneath. Leadership back in front pic.twitter.com/4IKrehYe0R
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 5, 2019
The Lions did not trail again.
“The guys were very hard on themselves,” Simmons said of the recent skid. “Here at Leadership, basketball is the sport, so when we lose everyone hurts. This is going to get our guys out of the funk.”
After Watson’s steal and layup, Shamir McCullough drilled a corner three. Maurice McKinney converted a pair of free throws, and Hardeman sealed the win with a steal and dunk.
Kennyh Hardeman steal and dunk for the win. Leadership 81 @McQuaidBball 76 pic.twitter.com/M0AG7dpOY8
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 5, 2019
“I was just trying to make a big play for the team,” Hardeman said. “Hoping to just get this W. That was good to come back and get a win.”
Fittingly, Watson scored his 1,000th career point on a catch-and-shoot 3-ball from the top of the key. A year ago, Watson connected 10 times behind the arc and amassed 52 points in a win over Wilson Magnet. Friday night, time was called to honor the senior.
“I love that kid,” Simmons said. “He’s a hard worker. He’s been dedicated to the program since he was in seventh grade.”
Watson also collected three steals on the night.
Hardeman hauled in 16 rebounds and blocked two shots.
McCullough finished with 14 points for Leadership (5-4). Nate Doyle, Jr. (5), McKinney (5) and Onajae Anderson (4) rounded out the scoring for the Lions.
Long finished with 14 for McQuaid (6-2). Connor Zamiara added a season-high 15. Rueben Daniel scored eight points, and Harry Bruu had seven.
The same two teams meet again on January 19th at McQuaid.
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