By JOHN LIKANJE
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Less than 15 seconds into the third quarter of the Section V Class AA final, the UPrep Griffins held an 11-point advantage over the McQuaid Jesuit Knights. UPrep had just finished off a strong first half in which it led, 40-27, while forcing nine turnovers and 16 missed field goals over 33 possessions.
But McQuaid had been in a similar scenario the past two years when these squads also met in the sectional final. The Knights recovered from late UPrep rallies with runs of their own and it wasn’t much of a stretch to think they would do it again. In 2018, McQuaid went on a 16-6 run after its double-digit first half lead evaporated three minutes into the third quarter. Last season, Jack Leasure’s squad ended the contest on an 11-5 run after UPrep rebounded from a 15-point deficit with a 20-5 surge.
Fast forward to the present. On the opening possession of the second half, McQuaid’s Jermaine Taggart inbounded to Reuben Daniel on the left wing. Taggart, being closely guarded by UPrep’s Na’Zea Fowlks, sprinted towards his teammate for the hand off, took a pair of dribbles and two long strides along the baseline and cradled in a reverse layup.
It was the senior forward’s fifth and sixth points of the contest. Taggart, averaging 21.4 points per game this season, was held to a pair of fastbreak dunks in which he was able to sneak ahead of the defense in transition. After scoring 12 of his game-high 26 points in the second half of McQuaid’s win over Victor, there was a possibility for Taggart to ignite another comeback. The Knights averaged 75.5 points per game and their senior duo of Kobe Long and Taggart combined for 44.7.
It was still an 11-point game but the Griffins needed a response on the ensuing possession. Fowlks provided the UPrep answer. The senior guard, averaging 11.9 points per game, had already scored 11 at this time. Besides his highlight-reel dunk, the senior guard connected from distance three times in the first half.
“On a team like this, you don’t really care if it’s not your night because we have so many scorers and athletes,” Fowlks said of his role on offense. “I might not score 20 tonight, but I know I can play defense.”
“There’s no options on this team,” UPrep head coach Demond Stewart explained. “Na’Zea did a phenomenal job. That first half was unbelievable.”
Council to @nazeafowlks , 5-2 UPrep. @pickinsplinters pic.twitter.com/zuV2bO16BO
— Billy Heyen (@BillyHeyen) March 8, 2020
When Fowlks received a swing pass from Melvin Council, Jr., he was several feet beyond the arc. Yet, the senior guard bent his knees, settled into his shooting motion and let it fly. The ball found nothing but twine, surprising the near-capacity crowd, but Fowlks stomped his foot in frustration. Part of it was because Taggart made a tough shot over him earlier, but he was also determined not to let this game slip away.
“I know last year, I didn’t start in the finals,” Fowlks said. “I said ‘Just to be locked in the whole time.’ It meant so much. Me doing that.”
“He could be the best player in Rochester,” Stewart proclaimed about Fowlks. “Na’Zea is special. Na’Zea is a unique young man because he can shoot from the outside. He’s athletic. He can jump off each leg. He can attack the basket. And he’s a great kid. You got to root for kids like that.
“I’ve been knowing Na’Zea for a long time. I’m nothing but proud of Na’Zea. Had a wonderful game, but I expect it from him.”
.@SecVBBasketball AA Final – @McQuaidBball vs. UPrep: @nazeafowlks from deep. @PickinSplinters @BillyHeyen pic.twitter.com/LQaaCMDfXD
— John Mitchell Likanje Junior (@jml5798) March 8, 2020
The shot set the tone for the other three seniors in the starting lineup (Council, Christian Edwards and Ross) that this game was theirs for the taking. Along with Fowlks, the senior quartet combined for 34 of the Griffins’ 41 second-half points en route to their second sectional title in program history and first in Class AA. Fowlks, who kept talking to himself and his teammates about how much time was left in the contest, didn’t crack a smile until Brandon Moore, Jr. hit two free throws to secure the block.
“My teammates, seeing me locked in, it helped them focus,” Fowlks explained. “They were like ‘Okay, maybe we can really win this.’ Once they all bought in, everything fell through.”
“I try to tell people,” Stewart said. “I’m not trying to be disrespectful, but all those four seniors playing together. It’s hard to beat them in Rochester. They got the best team in Rochester when they play together. They are very gifted young men.
“I tell them all the time, ‘That’s God’s plan. There’s no way in the world all four of ya’ll should be on the same team at the same time.’ And make it work. It’s hard, too, because you got different egos and all of a sudden, they put all the egos to the side and it came to one goal.”
UPrep advances to the NYS Far West Regional and will take on Section VI champion, Lancaster. Game is slated for Saturday at 8:30 p.m. at Buffalo State College.
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