(McKinley defenders swarm Jamestown in the paint)
The Macks have been the big dogs in the City of Buffalo over the last few seasons under head coach Zaire Dorsey. They won a state championship in 2013, along with four undefeated seasons as Yale Cup champions from 2012 to 2016. But this season, the big dogs have found themselves in an unfamiliar position coming into some games - as underdogs. That was the case when Jamestown, ranked #7 among WNY large schools visited on Tuesday night for a nonleague game. In the end, the young team from Mack High started to look like a familiar product we've been seeing for years on Elmwood Avenue.
McKinley erased a 17-point first half deficit, forced overtime, and defeated the Red Raiders, 74-68. Davonti Wardlaw finished with a team-high 25 points in the victory, while Deon Spencer scored 16 points and Taivonne Martin added 13 points.
"We just had to grow up," McKinley coach Zaire Dorsey said. "Today we were able to grow up, so we'll just try to build off of the momentum."
Jamestown was the much better team in the early going, defending well and knocking down shots from the perimeter. Matt Hill (16 points) connected on three 3-pointers in the opening quarter, as the Red Raiders took a 13-6 lead after one quarter. As the game neared halftime, McKinley had still scored just 12 points in the game. Marcus Rojas scored eight of his 12 points in the first half and Hill added his fourth bomb late in the second frame. Jamestown seemed well in control, leading 29-12, with the Macks' offense looking completely stagnant.
"The first half went exactly how we wanted it to go," said Jamestown coach Ben Drake. "We were handling their pressure well and getting some good shots, but more importantly, we were getting back on defense and making them earn their points."
In the final minute of the half, McKinley found a spark in the form of Taivonne Martin. The sophomore came in to score the last six points of the half, cutting the deficit to 29-18 at the break. His quick scoring spurt turned out to be a sign of things to come. Cranking up the tempo, the Macks unloaded on Jamestown for 28 points in the third quarter and looked like a completely different team. Spencer scored nine points in the frame, while Wardlaw added eight points. Spencer's 3-pointer to end the third stanza brought the Macks within four points heading to the fourth quarter, 50-46.
"We've been struggling offensively," Dorsey said. "We haven't been able to get into a rhythm."
The new bounce in the step of McKinley offset an 11-point third quarter from James Rojas, who finished with a game-high 27 points. The senior has been tearing up opposing defenses all season, despite being the focus of game plans and finding no easy points.
"Man child," Dorsey of Rojas. "He posed a challenge because he can bring the ball up, he's strong, he's physical, and the motor is always going. I'd love to have him on my team."
Jamestown had its best offensive frame in the third as well, scoring 21 points, but fell into the trap of running with the Macks, which isn't their strength.
"The second half, I thought they played with more energy than we did," Drake said. "Their pressure bothered a lot of our guys and once they started getting that momentum, they became the aggressors."
McKinley got scoring contributions from five different players in the fourth quarter and traded leads with the Red Raiders three times. The Macks had taken a 60-56 lead with just over two minutes left, when Dennis Rosa came out of a timeout to nail a 3-pointer, his second of the fourth quarter. After a stop, Rojas scored to put Jamestown back on top, 61-60. But Kavon Rogers tied the game for McKinley from the charity stripe and regulation stayed scoreless for both teams in the last minute, sending the contest to an extra session.
Martin, who ignited the team late in the first half, knocked down a huge 3-pointer in overtime to put McKinley up for good. It tipped off an 8-1 run to finish the game, as Jamestown went completely cold late and missed several open looks in an attempt to make up points. Rojas was the only Red Raider to score in overtime, before fouling out with 29 seconds left.
"Despite some of our missed shots, we didn't play well enough defensively to win the game," Drake said. "You certainly don't want to lose any of them, but if today makes us more battle-tested, then we got what we came here for."
McKinley also got what they were looking for - a quality win over a top 10 large school and coming out on the right side of a close game.
"Jamestown is a wonderful team," said Dorsey. "Coach Drake is going to have those boys ready to play and they play hard no matter who is on the court."
The Macks will look to pull even with Middle College in Yale Cup I on Thursday, when they host the Kats. Jamestown's next two games are against Frontier, away on Thursday and home on Saturday. The Red Raiders are tied for first place in ECIC I.
Jamestown 13 - 16 - 21 - 11 - 7 = 68
McKinley 6 - 12 - 28 - 15 - 13 = 74
Point Totals
Jamestown: James Rojas 27, Matt Hill 16, Marcus Rojas 12, Dennis Rosa 6, Henry Malarkey 3, Ryan Holdridge 2, Noah Larson 2
McKinley: Davonti Wardlaw 25, Deon Spencer 16, Taivonne Martin 13, Troy Coble 9, Kavon Rogers 6, Nakye Booze 5
- centercourt
Do you know if James Rojas is a D1 player, and if so, do you know the offers? Also, who do you think is the most talented player in WNY?
Posted by: String cheese | Wednesday, January 18, 2017 at 09:31 PM
I think he is borderline D1 player. Is he big enough to play the post at a D1 is he skilled enough to play a wing? Welch is easily the most talented player in WNY in my opinion. Dolan is very very good, may be the best player in the area although not as much pure talent as Welch. Hutchins is a freak athletically , but he has yet to be consistent enough to prove he is the best in the area, he disappears for long stretches of games . Daniel Scott is one of the most talented kids in area also at about 6'0 does he eventually have to become a PG for college ball. Those would be who I think are the most talented players in the area as of now. Not saying there are not other really good players but talent and where they project as college prospects these are the guys.
Posted by: section6observer | Friday, January 20, 2017 at 01:02 PM