By Ryan Mink
rmink@digitalsports.com
If the winner of Tuesday’s VoliSports All Star Challenge was determined by who had the flashiest plays, then by all means give the trophy to the Private schools.
But even though it’s all fun and games, the scoreboard declared the Public schools the champion of this restored rivalry, 107-98.
“All year they talk trash with the WCAC and all that,†Kennedy guard George Fountain III said. “Montgomery County has tough playoffs and tough schedules. I just wanted people to see we work just as hard and we play tough teams too.â€
Fountain III led the public schools with 16 points but he certainly wasn’t alone. Springbrook forward Brandon Davis notched 15 points, Bethesda-Chase guard Nate Koenig had 12 points and Walter Johnson forward Carl Yaffe scored 11 points. Every public school player except one scored.
“They move the ball, they got other guys involved and they were excited for each other,†said Whitman Coach Chris Lun, who was in charge of the Publics. “It was a lot of fun.â€
But it wouldn’t be an All Star game without some jaw-droppers.
St. Andrews guard Alexander Zurn had the best highlights by far, flushing an alley-oop to start the second half and converting a tough and-one with an falling layup off the glass.
“It’s a showcase for me so I’ve got to show something,†Zurn said.
The private schools were led by 23 points from Good Counsel guard Ricardo Gaddy, however, and 22 by teammate Julius Francis, including 14 in the second half from the 6-11 center.
“I knew it was going to be a good game from the start because everybody can play,†Gaddy said. “So I knew they would give us a run for our money. … We started off slow and we were just playing. At the end we started trying to win.â€
The Publics built a 17-point lead early in the second quarter and maintained a double-digit lead all way until the start of the fourth quarter.
Francis scored the first four points of the fourth quarter and it was back-and-forth from then on with the Publics maintaining a small lead. Zurn cut the Publics’ lead to three points with just under two minutes left with his acrobatic and-one.
The Publics responded by outscoring their foes, 10-4, over the final stretch in part due to a layup and free throw by Churchill’s Chase Hicks, a Yaffe layup on a Nash Oh assist and four free throws by Koenig to seal the game.
“We just had to get this W, man,†Springbrook guard Jeremy Williams said. “Cause private schools think they’re better.â€
FULL DISCLOSURE: Springbrook forward Jamal Olasewere did not play because of commitments to other All Star games. The private schools were without Landon’s Christian Webster, Georgetown Prep standout Markel Starks, and any of the Montrose Christian standouts — just to name a few.
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