Early Season Report: Cardozo

Ron Bailey, Publisher

The Clerks have undergone a sea of change.

December 16, 2009 - DC's Cardozo Senior High School was the flag bearer for inner high basketball several seasons recently, winning the District of Columbia Interhigh Athletic Association championship three years ago, the Northwest quadrant school's fourth year in a row doing so. Subsequent hardwood seasons have not been as kind to the Clerks, but the program, led by head coach Greg McCants is turning that around. Most importantly, the school is succeeding in its mission of preparing kids for the future.

"All of our seniors except for one went to college last year" stated the school's Dean of Students, Tony Brown, with pride this week. That lone individual not matriculating educationally post-high school was prodded to do so, but reportedly chose otherwise.

Bonhomme is one of the best sleepers in the Washington, D.C. area.

While these ex-players are not necessarily student-athletes in college, they are attending school past the 12th grade, ostensibly a prime goal for any high school engaged in college prep studies.

Understandably, that fact is a source of pride in Cardozo's program. It mirrors the institutional ethos institututed and perpetuated by the school's principal, Gwendolyn Grant.

"We create an environment where they are protected" shared Brown of Cardozo's new institution-wide culture, and how it specifically applies to athletes. "Attending class is mandatory". The staff also "builds relationships with the students, on and off the court".

Titus Jones gives the Clerks a little bit of everything.

Basketball-wise, the 2-2 Clerks have used participating in a summer league and two fall confabs to fine tune their style of play: Offensively, Cardozo likes to push the tempo, in the half court running a motion offense. Defensively, their "bread and butter is man to man" shared Brown the administrator, though they will show a 2-3 zone periodically. The staff actually stresses defense, as it preaches "three to one" focus on stopping people and generating easy points, per Brown.

Leading the Clerks is Illavaion Bonhomme, a 6'0", 165 pound, senior scoring point guard assistant coach Chris Flegler calls "Best Kept Secret". Possessing a 3.0 GPA, Bonhomme can shoot, drive and pass, as his 20 points, six assists, four steals per game average, supplied by his coaches, attests.

Titus Jones, the junior guard forward standing 6'1" and weighing around 175 pounds, can shoot, post, and possesses a soft shooting touch. "He has alot of tools" summed Flegler of this two sport guy.

A pair of seniors are also central to what Cardozo does, as 5'10", 150 pound scoring guard Davron Hart likes to get shots up, while Ricardo Dickens, at 6'0" and 150 pounds is a slasher, good free throw shooter, plays hard, and is the squad's designated lock up man.

Can the staff and players supercede last year's 15-9 record, show well in the DCIAA as well as this year's Wakefield Christmas Tournament (VA), and as Brown noted live up to the great tradition that is Cardozo Hoops - one that stretches decades? All of this, mind you, must take place despite not having a true home gym due to facilities issues (the Clerks' defacto home court is Teddy Roosevelt, a short trip up 13th Street, NW).

"By the end, when DCIAA comes to an end, we will be there" answered Flegler, the assistant. "We have the pieces, we have to put them together".

That's already occurring in the classroom.