(Derrick Bishop & Middle College knocked off #1 small school Health Sciences)
Health Sciences has been rolling all season, lighting up scoreboards with multiple scoring threats that love to play fast. Middle College has been rolling for years, and despite a start to the season that cast them in the shadows of the top small schools for the first month, the Kats seem to have things figured out and are back in the forefront of the area's top teams. One of the things they figured out on Thursday night - how to slow down the Falcons offense.
Middle College limited the transition game of Health Sciences and squeezed them out of the paint, to come away with a 54-51 win. For the #1 ranked Falcons, it was their first loss of the season to a WNY small school.
Packing into a 2-3 zone, the Kats never allowed more than 15 points in any quarter and did a great job of keeping Health Sciences' Davonte Gaines out of the lane, forcing the big man to look for points on the perimeter. Gaines finished with a team-high 14 points, while Kameron Briggs added 12 points.
"The lane was shutdown for him and we forced him into jumpers," Middle College coach Randy Rich said. "We compressed a little bit, but we extended a few guys to make them feel pressure, but still have our back line in tact, and I think the big thing was we knew where their shooters were."
In the second quarter, Health Sciences knocked down three 3-pointers and got its most production from Briggs, while getting their only points of the night from senior Wize Threat. But in the second half, the Falcons connected from beyond the arc just once and struggled from the field over the final 16 minutes.
"That's kind of been our achilles heel this year," Health Sciences coach Ty Parker said. "We're going to get better at it - we've got to move the ball and we've got to make shots."
Hakeem Dobbins and Derrick Bishop led the Kats with 15 points & 14 points respectively, and each knocked down three 3-pointers in the game. Bishop added eight rebounds in the game, while Dobbins grabbed six boards and dished five assists. The two were not only the most productive, but their contributions continually came when Middle College most needed them.
Dobbins hit what would be the first of four 3-pointers for the Kats in the opening quarter (Bishop & two from Nader Kompany) to ignite a 14-4 run to end the opening quarter that gave them an 18-12 lead. Bishop & Dobbins each struck again early in the second frame to give Middle College its largest lead of the contest at 26-19. When a third quarter run by the Falcons cut their deficit to one point, Dobbins scored the next buckets for his team, including his third splash, to take the lead back to six points.
"It's our best shooting team ever," said Rich. "We have four guys who consistently knock down the three...it's a weapon, we probably taken more this year than ever before."
When Tayvion Nelson scored the first basket of the final stanza, it tied the game for Health Sciences. The Kats answered with a 9-3 run capped by a bomb from Bishop for a 51-45 lead with 2:09 left in the game. When a bucket by Gaines cut the Middle College lead to two with 1:35 left, Bishop was able to penetrate and respond with two points for the Kats for a 53-49 lead in the final minute.
"Hakeem Dobbins is a good player, I have a lot of respect for him...he wanted it," Parker said. "And I coached Derrick Bishop in football - he plays hard and has the heart of a champion."
Gaines got himself into the paint and made it a two-point game again with just 30 seconds left on the clock. After Middle College got the ball over half court, Gaines & Briggs trapped the ball handler, and Briggs earned a steal. As he raced ahead in the other direction towards the basket, the Falcons bench looked for a timeout but couldn't get one before a drive into a crowded lane resulted in a missed shot. Middle College secured the rebound and hung on for the win.
"You've got to lose to learn how to win," Parker said.
Azyion Clemons scored six points, dished seven assists, and grabbed five rebounds in the victory.
Health Sciences hosts Oracle on Saturday afternoon, while Middle College visits South Park on Monday.
Health Sciences 12 - 15 - 13 - 11 = 51
Middle College 18 - 13 - 11 - 12 = 54
Point Totals
Health Sciences: Davonte Gaines 14, Kameron Briggs 12, Tayvion Nelson 6, Tysheen Lott 6, Josiah Haygood 5, Wize Threat 3, Shakir Cook 3, Jaquan Renfro 2
Middle College: Hakeem Dobbins 15, Derrick Bishop 14, Nader Kompany 6, Aziyon Clemons 6, Nathyia Jackson 5, Zachary Jones 4, Allen McDuffie 2, Marcellous Tolliver 2
- centercourt
Comments