NCA and B’More Stars Go Hard in Nightcap

Ron Bailey, Publisher

May 13, 2007 – Yesterday at Hoop Group’s Southern Invitational, the D.C. vs. Baltimore war continued, with National Christian taking on the Baltimore Stars in a memorable first round playoff game at the University of Virginia. National took the contest 67-62 contest in what will be one of the most physical and competitive games of this AAU/Travel Team season.

Both teams battled tooth and nail in the first half, with the Stars holding a steady lead, one that would rise as high as six points. At intermission, the team held a 38-36 lead, despite losing their point guard Troy Franklin, Jr. (8 points) for a lengthy stretch due to a leg injury. Franklin returned midway through the second half with his leg bandaged.

During the second stanza, an already intense game became even more so, with National showing no fear of a Stars front line boasting three future big time college hoops players, including junior Henry Sims (11 points) – a Georgetown Hoya to-be, along with sophomores Isaiah Armwood (10 points) and Terrell Vinson (11 points). According to National’s coach, Trevor Brown, battling and showing no quarter is what they do. “That’s how we play” said the longtime D.C. area hoops figure and producer of talented players. “In practice, we don’t call fouls, we just get after it”.

David Diakite (foreground), with Henry Sims (next to him), Terrell Vinson (#32), and Rodney Clark (right). Troy Franklin is seated, attending to his injury.

Adding to the competitive drama were several hard fouls, one on National junior David Diakate (4 points) with 10:52 to go on a break-away dunk attempt. A teammate who seemed to be motivated by that play was sophomore Rodney Clark (18 points); Clark soon thereafter scored after executing several nifty spin moves, giving his team a 46-43 lead.

By this time, both squads were pumped, as witnessed by Sims’ emotional outburst after being fouled on a stick back. His teammates picked him off the floor, after which Sims to hit the resultant charity stripe shot, narrowing his team’s deficit to one.

During the second half, National employed a 2-3 match up zone, and starting around the six minute mark, it became clear the Stars would attack it by flashing a post player to the foul line (Sims), or the wing (Vinson) and baseline (Armwood). The latter two got solid looks from the tactic – producing open jumpers and jump-step shots – but Sims seemed to be at times, overlooked, a point he agreed with later, though attributing it later to “part of the game”. Surely National’s defensive focus, which included making sure body contact was generated with and collapsing on Sims in that high post area, contributed to Henry’s lack of touches.

Isaiah Armwood is at the line, while Devon Branch (10 points) looks on.

Despite the Stars’ zone offensive scheme, they only recaptured the lead once, as National drove to the cup when their opponents played man-to-man defense, and scored on put backs while facing zone, like sophomore Joston Thomas (14 points) did around the five minute mark.

It then became McMikle time, as in Brian McMikle (14 points). The senior and yet unsigned point guard controlled National’s tempo offensively by driving strongly to the basket and either finishing, getting fouled or finding open teammates: McMikle would score seven of his team’s 12 final points.

National’s coach, Brown, was pleased with his point guard’s Mariano Rivera- like play (closing like Rivera used to for the Yankees), though it was expected. “Brian played well. He started to hit his free throws and drive. He controlled the game”, said Brown, later noting “He did what he was supposed to do”.

Indeed McMikle did. And in doing so, Brown was able to enjoy a win he thought was the best of this spring AAU/travel team period.

Despite a few emotional outbursts within the game, players on both sides enjoyed battling. “It was a fun game” noted the Stars’ Sims, surely speaking for all the young men, “because of the physicality”.

And there is little doubt the familiarity of the players – these young guys have played with and against each other for years – and the ever present D.C./Baltimore rivalry amplified their emotion and desire to win. Add the playoff atmosphere of one probably the most high profile boys AAU/travel team event in the Mid-Atlantic area, and there is no wonder the battle was fun for both contestants and observers alike.