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By Joseph Staszewski
Brooklyn Daily
Lincoln’s Isaiah Whitehead refuses to give Vikings star Terrence Samuel any respect — especially after he held him to one point during a battle for first place.
Whitehead, considered one of the top juniors in the county, said he didn’t think the University of Connecticut-bound Samuel was any good after a senior point guard sputtered during the Railsplitters 73–62 home win over South Shore on Thursday night.
“I never thought he was even that good to even worry about,” said Whitehead, who scored 19 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the win. “All you have to do is stay in front of him.”
Samuel took the high road when asked about Whitehead’s comments — claiming the Railsplitters defense did a great job of keeping the ball out of his hands — but said there was no love lost between the two star players who have butted heads since playing together on a travel team last summer.
“We don’t’ like each other,” Samuel said. “We just don’t.”
But Lincoln coach Dwayne “Tiny” Morton dismissed Whitehead’s claims, saying he believes Samuel is a great player who had a bad night.
“Maybe he’s not playing up to his potential right now, but he’s very talented,” Morton said.
Morton’s team, on the other hand played, one of its most complete games of the season to put themselves alone atop the Brooklyn AA division. Lincoln (9–3, 8–0), which led by as many as 18 points in the third quarter, got scoring up and down the line up.
St. Patrick (N.J.) transfer Elijah Davis netted 20 points and Trevvon Morton added nine. Senior center Michael Vigilance was a force inside, and Lincoln’s outside shooters hit seven 3-pointers.
Not bad for a team that prides itself on its well-rounded game.
“Everyone can do a little bit of everything,” Davis said. “We don’t have to rely on one person for scoring.”
South Shore got to within 51–45 with 1:35 left in the third quarter, but Davis then scored six points during a 9–0 Lincoln run. South Shore never threatened again.
Shamiek Sheppard scored 15 points in the losing effort, and David Tait had 20 points for the Vikings who fell to 10–3 overall and 7–1 in league play.
The win against one of its bitter rivals has Whitehead looking to March and calling his team the best in the Public School Athletic League.
“We are playing together, passing the ball,” Whitehead said. “I think we can win the city championship.”
Reach reporter Joseph Staszewski at jstaszewski@cnglocal.com. Follow him on twitter @cng_staszewski.