DeMatha Outdistances Ballou for Consecutive City Title
Ron Bailey, Publisher
Grant gets i95Ballerz.com recognition. DeMatha gets another chip.
March 15, 2010 - Hopes were high for Ballou High School (DC), as the Knights came into this year's City Title Game expecting to beat DeMatha Catholic (MD). As representatives of the DCIAA, Ballou had a throng of followers rooting for them, a then 30-4 team record, and new a new point guard to run its show. Unfortunately for the Knights, DeMatha used what it's known to have - depth and college-bound players - in addition to a vexing zone defense - using it all in an 80-70 victory at the Verizon Center, Sunday. Ballou got as close as four, but could never manage more.
First up is DeMatha's roster, a starting lineup that boasts two senior guards headed to Division I programs, a pair of juniors who will be there in 2011, and a sophomore who will also be bound for the big time. The school's sixth man is destined for the MEAC's North Carolina A&T in the fall, plus other talented players exist. The Stags are loaded.
Ballou's Donte Thomas is tied up by Jerian Grant.
Junior guard Quinn Cook led all scorers with 28 points (added to five rebounds), earning official MVP honors in the process - he served as DeMatha's offensive closer so to speak - but senior guard Jerian Grant was i95Ballerz.com's top player: Headed to Notre Dame next year, Grant seemed to answer every Ballou charge in the first half, seemingly extinguishing his opponents' efforts single-handedly. For the contest, Grant finished with 17 points and a pair of rebounds, assists and steals, all tallied by playing aggressively on both ends of the floor.
Regarding the zone, DeMatha employed at times a 1-3-1 alignment, which stunted Ballou's offense and sparked Stag fastbreaks, in which Grant thrived; the Knights couldn't seem to solve it, though the team's coach, Jenkins Dormu and point guard, senior Zalmico Harmon (nine points, five rebounds), both acknowledged prepared. Exclusive post game interviews by Dormu and Harmon can be heard by clicking the preceeding links.
Mike Jones, DeMatha's coach, also commented on the play of Grant, his team's fast break game and the 1-3-1's effectiveness. Click here for it.
Senior guard Donte Thomas led Ballou with 24 points, to go along with six boards, two dimes and four steals. Junior guard Christian Leach dropped 18 points and seven rebounds for the Knights, who also received eight points, six rebounds and six points, eight rebounds from senior frontcourt men Marquis Gentry and Antwan Pittman, respectively.
Helping Grant and Cook for DeMatha were senior guard Vic Oladipo (four points, eight rebounds, four blocks), and junior forward Mikael Hopkins (13 points, three caroms, two steals).
The loss, its second consecutive to DeMatha in City Title Game play, ends Ballou's season. DeMatha (30-3 champion of the the WCAC) is off to the Alhambra Invitational in Cumberland Maryland this weekend. Of that trip, Cook simply said "We're looking for a championship".
Both teams should be commended for the their effort and competitiveness.
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