COLUMN
The past revisited — sorta
December 21, 2009
By Tommy Kopetskie, NorthRaleighSports.com
The most compelling boys basketball game I've seen this year —Millbrook/Wakefield Dec. 15 — just got a little better.
Why? Because coincidences make everything better. As well as a good game of "What if?"
While discussing last week's 49-47 thriller over Millbrook with Wakefield's Pat Kennedy— the Wolverines won on Nigel King's last-second jumper — the second-year coach pointed out a common link I'll admit I didn't see at first.
With just under 40 seconds remaining, the game tied at 47-47, the Wildcats' Jarrick Brown got a step on defender Maurice Nash and raced toward the basket.
Brown, having already scored eight points in the final half — most coming via strong drives just like this — appeared to be on his way to breaking the deadlock.
But Wakefield big man Keith Armstrong recognized Brown's advantage, and providing great help defense, beat the Wildcat to the block and drew a charge.
For Kennedy, that defensive play was just as big as King's jumper.
However, it's not the first time Brown and Armstrong have collided with plenty on the line. (Foreshadowing alert!)
Millbrook's Jarrick Brown (with ball) and Wakefield's Maurice Nash lead two of the best teams in the Cap-7 Conference. And the two squads have already staged an epic battle this season.
In last year's Cap-7 Conference tournament semifinals match-up between the Wildcats and Wolverines — a game Wakefield rallied to win 64-62 — Brown, while driving, collided with Armstrong and took a terrible fall, breaking his wrist and ending his season.
The incident changed the course of the game as well as the course of the Wildcats' season.
Although a one-loss Enloe team controlled the league's regular season, the Eagles seemed vulnerable during tournament. In fact, the Wolverines — who didn't even reach the postseason — nearly pulled off the upset before falling 60-46 in the championship game.
Say for instance Brown doesn't get injured, Millbrook defeats Wakefield and then Enloe, how do the Wildcats finish out the season?
(The naysayers right now might bring up that Enloe destroyed Millbrook in their second regular season match-up, but that's just the exception that proves the rule. Or in this case, the possibility.)
And I argue Browns' stabilizing presence makes my 'what if?' scenario a reality.
What if, indeed.
Following Brown's injury, the Wildcats managed to still win their first-round contest against Durham Hillside, but fell to a power Panther Creek team in the second round 55-25.
With Brown, and with the league's No. 1, that doesn't happen?
And in the playoffs anything is possible.
So where does that leave us following last week's collision?
Well, it might not have playoff implications — I predict Wakefield and Millbrook to finish second and third in conference — but it makes the Wildcats' visit to Wakefield Jan. 26 something to watch.
And one other small piece of irony.
Three days after Armstrong draws the charge on Brown, Wakefield falls 39-38 to Leesville Road, thanks in large part to a charging violation on Nash in the game's closing minute.
Five things I think you need to know this week
1. Tomlinson is the real deal
Three days after the Wakefield girls basketball team escaped Millbrook with a 43-39 overtime victory, head coach Danielle Blackburn and the game's biggest star, Brittany Christian — who scored 26 points — had the same conclusion: Wildcat freshman guard Alex Tomlinson is phenomenal.
Asked about her, Christian couldn't remember the ninth-grader missing a shot during their match-up. (I didn't keep track of missed shots, but I know Tomlinson finished with 17 points to lead Millbrook.)
Blackburn echoed similar praise, highlighting her steady play.
And Kennedy, Wakefield's boys coach, might have paid the freshman the biggest compliment.
After seeing Tomlinson play earlier this season, Kennedy recalled texting Blackburn to say he liked her game. But he mistakenly thought she was a junior. When Blackburn shared that she was two years younger, Kennedy was really impressed.
After easily defeating Wakefield last week, Ty Graham and the Millbrook wrestling team look to be a force in the Cap-7 Conference this season.
2. Millbrook wrestling something to see
On three separate occasions in the past two weeks, I was told I needed to check out the Millbrook wrestling team. After seeing the Wildcats' 73-6 victory at Wakefield Dec. 16, I can easily say it was the most dominating performance I've seen this season, regardless if it was on a mat, court or field.
Right from the start, Millbrook seized control as 112-pounder Keegan Sykes' nearly dropped his opponents seconds after the opening whistle. He eventually needed a whole 33 seconds to score the pinfall. Needless to say, I'm impressed. The Wildcats' next home match is Wednesday, Jan. 6, against Sanderson, and it is worth marking your calendars for.
3. Hats off to the Pride
Losses can be deflating. And six of them in a row is down right demoralizing.
But despite their 1-6 record entering Friday's match-up with 9-1Wakefield, the Leesville Road boys basketball team showed true resolve pulling out a one-point victory against the Wolverines.
Give Gerroid Doughty, Shyheid Petteway, Dillion Smith and Company credit: despite being underdogs, they didn't stick to the script and lose. They won. And hopefully winning is contagious.
4. Scoring in bunches
Despite losing plenty of talent from last year's stellar squad, including Duke freshman Ryan Kelly, the Ravenscroft boys basketball team is dropping nearly 80 points a game en route to a 8-1 record. (The lone blemish is a 85-81 loss to undefeated Durham Riverside, which beat Leesville by 36 points earlier in the season.)
And it's not just one guy getting the job done offensively, but five. Michael Ehilegbu, Joell Hopkins, Luke Davis, Marcus Bryan and Anton Gill are all averaging more than nine points a game.
5. On hiatus for Christmas break
I will be out of town for five days — the most days off I've had for Christmas since graduating college in 2004. Please excuse the lack of updates on the web site, and I will see you Dec. 28 for some updates on the holiday basketball tournament action.
Stat of the week
26, 3
Wakefield's Brittany Christian scored 26 clutch points in an OT victory over Millbrook, and three in the Lady Wolverines' 37-point win over Leesville Road three days later. That sounds like a player who is more interested in winning than filling up the stat sheet to me, and it's great to see.
Quote of the Week
"I have been watching sports my whole life, you're the underdogs. I've seen it hundreds of times, the underdogs come out flat in the second half and then they lose it. You have to meet their intensity."
— Leesville Road boys basketball coach Roderic Brewington, what he told the Pride at halftime of Friday's win over Wakefield.
Best prediction that almost came true
Prior to hitting the game-winning basket against Millbrook, Wakefield junior Nigel King admitted envisioning himself hitting the game's biggest shot. Just one slight difference, he thought he'd hit a three-pointer. In real life, King hit an off-balance two-pointer one step inside the arc.
I'll give him a pass on prediction, he was pretty close.
Fantasy football tip
This is one thing I learned this week, that I probably should have known by now. Shouting obscenities at the television doesn't seem to inspire my fantasy football players in the least. Don't they know I have pride — as well as $50 — on the line.
DeAngelo Williams, if you can stand upright, you can run. At least that's what I always say. Well, at least that's what I've started to say after watching you lallygag on the sidelines for three quarters Sunday night.
Random thought
I hate DeAngleo Williams' left ankle and the "severe" sprain that's keeping him on the sidelines.
Real random thought
I can't tell you the number of times I've looked at Tila Tequila, and thought to myself, "Man, she should be around small children during their impressionable years!"
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20332132,00.html
Great way to waste time during the holiday break
If you love MTV's Jersey Shore like I love it — which isn't humanly possible — here is a treat for you thanks to www.unlikelywords.com.
It is a Jersey Shore Nickname Generator — http://www.unlikelywords.com/2009/12/08/jersey-shore-nickname-generator/
What were the first three nicknames I was bestowed? And I'm not making this up.
"T-Train", "The Triped" and "The Sausage Party."
(After using a few friends' names, however, I am disappointed to find out you have about a one in five chance of being nicknamed "The Sausage Party" regardless of your name.)
Happy Holidays to you and yours!
E-mail your thoughts to tommy@northraleighsports.com.
