Pickin' Splinters

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Jones leads big second half as Monroe avenges earlier loss with win over World of Inquiry

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By PAUL GOTHAM

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Gavin Jones scored 12 of his game-high 22 points in the second half as Monroe High erased a deficit and went on to defeat World of Inquiry (No. 1 NYSSWA Class B), 78-59 in Rochester City Athletic Conference (RCAC) action, Tuesday night.

Jones finished twice in the lane including a reverse layup along the baseline and then set up teammate Navareon Patton for a corner 3-pointer as part of a 12-3 run to open the third quarter.

“It was execution,” said Monroe head coach Terrell Cunningham. “We probably do more shooting in practice more than anything. It’s a situation where it’s about that work translating on the court.”

Jones connected five times from the floor in the second half. The senior guard scored on back-to-back layups in the fourth quarter when the Redjackets extended their lead to double digits.

“If you watch most of our games, he’s looking to drive and create for others,” Cunningham said. “It’s like, ‘Yo, if you’re open, shoot the ball.’ With sectionals coming up, we need to have him be an effective scorer. That way we can be balanced on offense.”

World of Inquiry’s Jaedon Adams-Griffin scored 10 points in the first half as the Griffins took a 41-39 lead into the locker room.

“We knew the game plan was to stop Jaedon,” Cunningham said. “Jaedon is a great kid from a great family. You can’t completely stop him. You have to throw different looks at him.”

The Redjackets held the senior guard to three free throws in the second half.

“For us, it was about getting the ball out of his hands and forcing somebody else to initiate their offense. He’s still going to get his. It’s hoping that he’s not the one with the ball a majority of the time taking those shots because he’s more than likely going to make them.”

Curtis Bell led World of Inquiry with 15 points on the night. Marcus Norwood added 12, and Devin Bell had 10.

World of Inquiry (14-2) took a 56-53 decision when the two teams met in mid-December.

Patton hit three threes and added 17 points for Monroe (13-4). Jermaine Montgomery accounted for 12. Will McKinney connected twice from distance as part of a nine-point effort.

The Redjackets played without starting guard Taj Mullins who has missed the past three games due to an illness.

Monroe hosts Rochester Prep for a non-league matchup on Thursday. A 6:15 p.m. tip-off is scheduled.

World of Inquiry travels for a 6:15 p.m. start on Thursday.

MONROE (13-4)
Gavin Jones 8 3-4 22, Will McKinney 3 1-2 9, Jordan Reis 2 0-0 5, Marcus Freeman 2 0-0 4, Khalil Herring 0 1-4 1, Navareon Patton 6 1-2 17, Ja’Ron Shears 1 2-4 4, Kyair Calloway 0 2-4 2, Jermaine Montgomery 5 0-2 12 TOTALS 27 10-22 — 78

WORLD OF INQUIRY (14-2)
Marcus Norwood 4 2-4 12, Kanaz Linder 3 1-4 7, Jaedon Adams-Griffin 2 7-12 13, Junayde Dunn-Richardson 0 0-0 0, Curtis Bell 6 2-2 15, Devin Dillon 3 3-4 10 TOTALS 18 15-26 — 59

MONROE 16 23 21 18 — 78
WORLD OF INQUIRY 23 18 10 9 — 59

3-point goals: MONROE 12 (Jones 3, McKinney 2, Reis 1, Patton 4, Montgomery 2); WORLD OF INQUIRY 6 (Norwood 2, Adams-Griffin 2, Bell 1, Dillon 1).

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