Charm City Challenge Results
Ron Bailey, Publisher
(Sportsgroove TV, multi-media coverage of the 2008 Charm City Challenge's B'More vs. U.S. team can be accessed by clicking here)
April 7, 2008 - Sunday at Towson University’s Towson Center, the 8th Annual Charm City Challenge provided patrons a opportunity to not only see college stars of tomorrow compete, but the Baltimore hoops community to protect bragging rights. Both contests – the first, a local affair and the second pitting a talented Baltimore All-Stars crew against an equally dangerous squad of non-Charm City high school student athletes – didn’t disappoint, as the current high school seniors were eager to display their talents.
First off, the City All-Stars defeated their County All-Stars foes 96-83; both teams were populated by Baltimore-area players of tremendous ability, but lesser reputation. Not letting the preliminary status of their game impact play, each team got up and down the floor – to be expected – with the City team, coached by Rodney Coffield, displaying slightly more teamwork, producing the victory.
i95Ballerz.com's City v. County Player of the Game, Jermaine Edwards
“Team effort. Team effort” for emphasis repeated Coffield in post game interviews, of what he thought marked his team’s performance. “We’ve been talking about that for four days now. There was a lot of pride involved – City vs. County – and our kids developed a team mentality. I think that’s what produced the win”.
Marking that mentality was the fact five of Coffield’s players scored in double figures: Jamar Briscoe (14 points), Paul Kouvaris (14 points, 8 rebounds), Brandon Sims (13 points, 5 assists), Anthony Oquendo (10 points, 8 rebounds) and Jermaine Edwards (13 points, 6 rebounds, four blocks).
Jamar Briscoe on his probable future school, North Carolina Central: "It is just the place for me".
The City team repeatedly attacked the cup, particularly Edwards, who thrilled those in attendance with his powerful dunks.
“I was trying to dunk on those dudes”, revealed a slightly shaken up Edwards afterward, before adding “We practiced hard. The game was easy. Coach Coffield (who coaches at B’More’s Douglass High school) prepared us”.
Yes, that was some added motivation there” said Coffield of Edwards et al challenging a relatively tall County squad, including 7’2” Jakub Kusmierick (a Central Florida signee). “We have good guards, our guards are strong. We knew if we got to the basket, they would have to play us, and we could pass off”.
The County team enjoyed 15 points from Jordan Lee, who happens to have led the state of Maryland in scoring for two consecutive years, and 10 apiece from Josh Weigland and Darious Nesmith. Weigland also contributed six rebounds, as did Kusmierick and Kevin Hunt, while Obi Ukwuoma provided seven caroms (Hunt, Ukwuoma, and Kusmierick all scored six points apiece).
“It was fun” summed Briscoe, who could possibly end up at North Carolina Central, of the game. “Playing with some guys I never had before, and some new coaches”.