By TIM IRVING
Leadership basketball coach William Broome will keep saying it.
“I’ll take my guards against anyone.”
Senior co-captains Maurice McKinney and Sean Smith scored 25 points each as the Lions held off Edison Tech, 79-71.
The Inventors got out to a fast start as Marcqell Freeman, Chaheim Fowlks and Shaheem Ellis knocked down three pointers and built a ten-point lead.
But by the end of the quarter, Smith and McKinney hit two three-balls each and Edison’s lead was down to three at the end of the first quarter.
“I don’t like it, but the slow starts get them motivated,” Broome said.
Sufficiently warmed up, the Lions went on a 12-3 run to start the second quarter before the Inventors started to work the ball inside with both Alvion Williams and Ta’jier Orum scoring in the paint.
Leadership ended the second quarter on an 8-0 run with both Smith and Khalid Ortiz-Price hitting threes, 44-36 Leadership at the half.
Smith and McKinney combined for 30 in the first half and both hit three-pointers early in the third to push the lead to 50-36.
The Lions led Edison by ten points most of the rest of the way until Ellis hit a driving scoop shot to cut it to 75-69 with under a minute to play before McKinney iced it with a pair of free throws.
The teams know each other well and Edison coach Reggie Simmons coached the Lions when the program started, so everyone knows everyone.
“They see each other in summer leagues, AAU, the playgrounds, it’s just a lot of mutual respect,” said Broome.
The win keeps Leadership in the fourth spot in Class A1 while Edison will miss the eight-team Class AA Sectionals this season.
SCORING:
Leadership
Sean Smith (25), Khalid Ortiz-Price (11), Maurice McKinney (25), Rayshawn Boyd (6), Kamari Smith (8).
Edison Tech
Marcqell Freeman (10), Shaheem Ellis (17), Chaheim Fowlks (17), Mike Morgan (10), Alvion Williams (9), Andy Larancuent (2), Ta’jier Orum (4).
Leave a Reply