Volume 21, Number 41 | The Newspaper of Lower Manhattan | February 20 – 26, 2009
Clippers’ hustle and shooting prevail
In an exciting match between Manhattan Youth basketball teams in the fourth and fifth grade division, the combination of height (5’4”) and talent from Luke Carson (high scorer with 20 points and countless rebounds), the gritty hustle of Ethan Wallis (right behind Carson with 16 points), and the heads-up maneuvers of Downtown Little League pitching phenom Kai Glick put the Clippers in the lead against the Mavericks for most of the game last week.
The Mavs’ Will Goldstein (19 points), in his trademark style, helped narrow the scoring gap with plays that started with sneaking underneath the taller defensive players and ending with a satisfying swoosh. Tyler Adams (13 points) not only continued his streak of high-scoring games but also led the team in steals this week (8). Alex Nimura had a couple of steals for the Mavericks as well, and made a great pass to teammate Tyler Rohan, who connected for his first of two baskets.
The Clippers’ Carson was everywhere, but Rohan stole the ball and sunk it with a swoosh. The Clippers were ahead 16-11 at the end of the first, but by the second quarter the Mavericks found their defense. Jim Huynh grabbed a rebound and held it low for a jump ball, and the Mavs moved ahead for the first time in the game. Under the leadership of the calm, cool and collected coach, Dave Bernath, the Clippers had regained the lead by the end of the first half, and the score was 28-21.
In the second half, Nimura was able to steal the ball for the Mavs but Wallis’ quick hands grabbed it right back. Austin Chau put another two points on the scoreboard for the Clippers, followed by a nice basket by Walter Bernath. Adams tried from three-point range at the whistle, but the ball careened off the rim, leaving the Mavs at 26 to the Clippers’ 36.
Wallis started off the fourth quarter with an explosive lay-up. Adams wove in and out, and despite being fouled in the act of shooting, the ball went in. Trevor Goldstein made a fine shot as well as the Mavs fought back. William Watt and Thomas Burns did their part to keep the Clippers in the lead, but Adams was not finished. His baby hook brought the score to 32 points for the Mavs. Glick’s next play was a thing of beauty, calling a pick and sinking a layup for his fifth basket for the Clippers. The final score was Clippers 50, Mavericks 38.
