By JOHN LIKANJE
HILTON, N.Y. – Senior guard Jakhi Lucas scored six of his game-high 30 points during a 14-0 run as UPrep fended off top-seeded Hilton, 67-64, in the quarterfinals of the Section V Class AA playoffs.
“We played bad the first half and we were only down one,” Lucas said. “In the locker room, we talked about it, came out with a lot of energy, started making our shots and then we finished.”
“It just shows what type of kids we have at UPrep,” UPrep head coach Demond Stewart said. “We have kids that are disciplined, hungry, talented, and once you can bring them all together and they all believe in one another, anything can happen.”
Trailing 51-47 near the end of the third quarter, Lucas sparked the surge with a left wing three-pointer. Junior forward Kayshawn Ross netted a trio of free throws to give the UPrep Griffins a 53-51 lead they would not relinquish.
“These last two games, he’s (Ross) stepped up big,” Lucas said about his teammate. “When he’s on, we’re on. With him stepping up, we’ll be successful.”
After the Griffins secured a rebound, Lucas knocked down his fifth long-range shot of the night for a 56-51 edge and force a Hilton Cadets’ timeout with 6:20 remaining in the game.
“Defense wins games,” Lucas explained on the Griffins’ run. “Coach told us to lock in on defense, so that’s what we did.”
Coming out of the huddle, senior forward Krystain Lee converted a three-point play to extend the lead to 59-51. Ross capped the run with a steal and flushed down a breakaway, two-handed dunk.
“I got my team at the right point at the right time,” Stewart explained. “But it took time to get there.”
During the surge, the Griffins held the Cadets to five missed field goals and three turnovers in eight possessions.
“Sometimes, you got to go old-fashioned defense,” Stewart explained on his squad’s adjustments. “I tried to throw all types of schemes out there. Try to speed up their (Hilton) offense, trap, and all the rest of the stuff. It wasn’t working. You got to go man-to-man, take pride, get stops.”
Lucas poured in 17 of the Griffins’ 21 points in the third quarter on four three-pointers, a pair of layups and a free throw. The senior guard has now amassed 61 points in two sectional games for the Griffins.
“I was playing bad basketball,” Lucas explained. “I had a lot of turnovers, so I came out aggressive looking for my shot. They (Hilton) were going under the screens, so I had to find my jumpshot and it finally fell.”
“I got the best guard in Rochester,” Stewart said about Lucas. “He’s battle-tested and he got this attitude, ‘Not again. It’s not going to happen again.’ I’m just grateful he’s on my team. He’s a warrior.”
Ross scored 14 of his 19 points in the first and fourth quarters combined as the Griffins outscored the Cadets, 32-27. The junior forward has netted 50 points in a pair of sectional games.
“All of a sudden, the last six games, Kayshawn’s started being the real Kayshawn,” Stewart said about Ross. “He’s one of the top guards in Rochester and he’s finally showing it at the biggest stage now.”
Kayshawn Ross runner gives UPrep a 63-57 lead with 2:46 to go pic.twitter.com/8QIGLOX6Rr
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) February 23, 2019
Lee (7), Christian Jefferson (5), Na’Zea Folks (4) and Kendrick Cheyshad (2) rounded out the scoring for the Griffins.
Jakhi Lucas finds Krystain Lee UPrep 67 @Hiltonhoops 64 with 14.2 to go pic.twitter.com/fq0nDvas7L
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) February 23, 2019
Junior forward TahJae Hill scored 17 of his team-high 28 points in the first half on a pair of free throws, a three-pointer, a dunk off a fullcourt pass from senior forward Mitchell Carr and five layups-including one to give Hilton a 30-29 lead going into the locker room.
.@iamtahjaehill layup for 2 of his 17 1st half points gives @Hiltonhoops 30-29 halftime lead over UPrep. @lucas15_j and Kayshawn Ross each have 8 points for the Griffins. @PickinSplinters @SecVBBasketball pic.twitter.com/zSF0ZSdruQ
— John Mitchell Likanje Junior (@jml5798) February 23, 2019
“The goal was to just not let him (Hill) get a break,” Folks said when explaining the Griffins’ defensive gameplan against Hill. “Not give him a breath or breathing room. We just came out here trying to apply pressure and we did.”
Tahj Hill wastes no time making a 3-point game pic.twitter.com/LOYSrfjelZ
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) February 23, 2019
Carr netted 10 of his 12 points in the third quarter. Junior guard Colin Burkis contributed 11 points. Senior Noah Malta chipped in 10.
Najier Daniels (2) and Jack Gombatto (1) rounded out the scoring for the Cadets.
UPrep will play Fairport in the semifinals Tuesday night at 6:00 PM at the Blue Cross Arena. The Fairport Red Raiders defeated Edison Tech, 53-47, in the quarterfinals Friday.
Leave a Reply