See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.
By Joseph Staszewski
Brooklyn Daily
Anwar Gladden has pushed Earlette Scott hard all season, trying to bring out the most in the talented sophomore. It worked at just the right moment.
“I think this kid has an amazing future and I rode her and I rode her,” Gladden said. “She’s answered every demand and every expectation that I had of her.”
Scott tallied10 points, six rebounds, and three assists to earn most-valuable–player honors in top-seeded South Shore’s 55–39 victory over No. 2 Francis Lewis in the Public School Athletic League Class AA girls’ basketball final at Madison Square Garden on March 12. It is South Shore’s second-straight title in six trips to championship game.
Scott, fighting back tears, at the post-game press conference, was still taking in what she and her team had accomplished.
“It feels like a dream,” she said. “It feels like a dream.”
They did so by holding Francis Lewis scoreless in the second quarter and used a balanced offensive attack, and never trailed in the contest. South Shore grabbed control of the game early and never let go for the second straight game. It kept Lewis scoreless in the second quarter to take a 21–6 lead into the half.
South Shore also held the Patriots without out a field goal for 11:05 from late in the first quarter to a Sabrina Clement hoop with 5:16 remaining in the third. South Shore went up 26–9. It scored 25 points off an astounding 21 Patriots turnovers.
“Defense is out key,” Scott said. “Without our defense our offense is not strong.”
The Patriots offense came alive in the third quarter, but never got back in the game, as Lewis only won the frame 15–14. The Vikings led 35–21 after three and pushed the advantage much as 47–21 with 4:16 to play in the fourth.
Selena Philoxy added 10 points and eight boards for South Shore. Keyanna Glover chipped in eight points and Destiny Philoxy had seven assists. The Vikings had nine different players in the score column. That stage and the building had no harmful effects.
“After we kept going back and back I got comfortable,” senior forward Jordan Washington said.
Taliyah Brisco scored 11 points to lead Lewis and Sierra Green tallied nine of her 10 points in the fourth quarter and grabbed six rebounds.
A city title isn’t enough this time for South Shore. It wants to erase the memory of last season’s overtime loss to Christ the King in the state Federation semifinals. The Viking’s quest to claim their first Federation title starts against Ossining on March 18 at the Times Union Center in Albany.
Gladden said the focus was always on winning the city title at the Garden, but that shifted this season after leaving the Federation tournament last year with a bittersweet taste.
“We definitely want to try to win the state,” Gladden said. “And prove we are the best team in New York State.”