With each trip it takes and each conquest, the Jamesville-DeWitt boys basketball team’s regional and national reputation only grows.
Having already conquered foes from Kentucky and Florida this winter, the Red Rams turned in another huge win last Saturday, going to New York City and beating two-time PSAL champion Lincoln 75-63 at Baruch Collge in Manhattan.
Everything that J-D needs in games like this — the cool leadership of Brandon Triche, the explosive scoring of Alshwan Hymes, and the big presence of DaJuan Coleman in the middle — was in abundant supply against the Railsplitters.
It took some time for the Rams to get used to the setting, though, as it managed just one points in the first four minutes before Hymes started to connect with regularity, pushing J-D to a 15-9 lead by the end of the first quarter.
Lincoln didn’t mind the fast tempo of the second quarter and closed back within two, 35-33, by the time the teams reached the halftime break, and little changed in the third qurater as the Railsplitters’ balaanced attack kept it tight.
Then Triche took charge again, hitting on six consecutive points during an 11-2 run that built the Rams’ lead to double digits early in the fourth quarter. Lincoln never got closer than seven again.
Good as Triche was, with 20 points, Hymes dazzled the New York City fans with his array of shots, finishing with 28 points, one short of a career high, as 10 of those points came from successful free throws. Coleman worked in the paint for 12 points and 10 rebounds as J-D, as a team, out-rebounded Lincoln 52-47.
What made this win more amazing was the fact that, just 24 hours earlier, J-D nearly got beat on its home floor.
Fowler provided the scare, leading for much of last Friday’s game before the Rams, with a late push, fought past the Falcons 73-67.
Before J-D even realized it, the Falcons started out with a 9-0 run. J-D recovered and got even, only to have Fowler return to the lead and hang on to it for much of the next two periods.
The Rams were down 35-34 at halftime, then 51-49 through three periods as Fowler showed no signs of intimidation. Tysheim Barfield, with 20 points, and Ron Monroe, with 18 points, had put J-D in trouble.
Triche and Hymes would lead J-D out of that crisis, accounting for much of the offense in the final period. Hymes had most of his 19 points in the field, while Triche, hacked often, earned 12 of his 25 points at the free-throw line. Lamar Kearse had 10 points. Coleman, facing a Fowler team where he played a year ago, had eight points, 12 rebound and five blocks.
J-D has to play East Syracuse-Minoa on Tuesday before hosting Bishop Ludden on Thursday night at 7:30.