By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Joe Jackson remembers when Franklin boys’ basketball competed for sectional titles on an annual basis.
The third-year Bulldogs’ coach thinks his current group has a chance to bring back the enthusiasm of years past.
Tuesday night’s effort was a step in that direction.
Sha’mere Freeman led four in double figures as Franklin put together back-to-back wins for the fourth time in the past four seasons with a convincing 96-60 win over Gates Chili in non-league action from the Norton Street campus.
Freeman scored 20 of his game-high 34 points in the first half and then turned on his playmaking skills to set up teammate Clarence Thompson who connected for seven 3-pointers in the second half.
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“Freeman, he carries the load for us; he does what he does,” Jackson said. “We do have some shooters. I kinda let them play. I don’t want to put them in a headlock or anything like that. I just want them to play their game.”
An Anthony Dicesare triple cut the Franklin lead to 39-34 early in the third quarter. By the end of the frame, Jackson’s squad had the game well in hand with a 65-45 lead.
Thompson responded to Discesare’s trey with one from distance of his own. Freeman hit a pull-up jumper then converted two free throws.
Back-to-back possessions, Sha’mere Freeman gets the paint touch and finds Clarence Thompson for a corner 3. pic.twitter.com/VijypnlugF
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 7, 2022
Freeman drove the lane and found Thompson in the corner for another trey.
“When we shoot well from behind the line, we’re going to be tough to beat.”
Terence Thompson, the 6-foot-7 twin of Clarence, caught the ball at the free throw line and drove the lane. Shawn Goins scored on a second-chance opportunity.
Sha’mere Freeman. pic.twitter.com/CKHvK0pcHj
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 7, 2022
Clarence Thompson hit threes on two of three possessions, and Freeman capped the frame with a deep trey at the buzzer.
“We started moving the ball more in the second half especially at the end of the third, beginning of the fourth. We started moving the ball. Everybody started getting touches. We wanted to get Terence more touches in the paint. That kinda opened the zone up a little bit more, so Clarence can do his thing from the corners.”
Franklin improved to 2 wins and 1 loss on the season.
“We played over the weekend in the Aquinas tournament. That just showed our guys that there’s another level of basketball to be played. We came out today. We were kinda sluggish in the first half. I’m going to call it growing pains with the guys. Once they settled down and started having fun, we knocked the doors off it.”
Sha’mere Freeman has 20. @boys_Franklin 39 @GatesChiliBball 30 Kani Mitchem has 11 for the Spartans. @SecVBBasketball pic.twitter.com/FlmkCAbBUw
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 7, 2022
Franklin won four sectionals from 1993 to 2001 under the late Trent Jackson, Sr. The 1996 team, led by Trent Jackson, Jr., won its first 26 games before falling in the state final to Peekskill led by eventual NBA veteran, Elton Brand.
“Franklin is back,” Jackson said. “That’s how it feels. The fans are here. The stands are crowded. Everybody is locked in and anxious to see what’s going to happen.
“We’re still trying to figure it out. A lot of people don’t realize that we’re still kinda young. I got a bunch of juniors.”
Freeman scored 37 points in Franklin’s 75-72 win over Webster Schroeder last Saturday. The senior guard’s career high is 45 which came in a game last season against Edison Tech.
Clarence Thompson scored 23 points on Tuesday. Terence Thompson added 17. Goins had 11. Karon Beale scored five points. Mohamed Ahmed (3) and Horace Watson (3) also contributed to the scoring.
Anthony Dicesare from this side of Hudson Ave. @GatesChiliBball is within 5 at 39-34. pic.twitter.com/E0N9cNu5lw
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 7, 2022
Kani Mitchem led Gates (0-2) with 21 points. DiCesare hit four threes and finished with 14 points. Jeremy Tantalo had 13. Brandon Randolph (4), Jalen Hill (2), John Williams (2), Tremier Lewis (2) and Darquinn Johnson also contributed for Gates.
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