At least Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology (SJPI) are in one final. Even if they barely managed to make it there.
Rasheed Maynard and Chemar Steele combined for 16 fourth-quarter points until an atrocious last-second call sealed Samuel Jackman’s dramatic 76-75 comeback win over St Leonard’s in Friday’s semi-finals of the Massy United Insurance Basketball Tournament.
It was about all that could stop Deroni Hurley in Clapham after the junior national point guard exploded for a game-high 33 points and at least 15 assists to put St Leonard’s up by as many as eight points in the fourth.
And he looked likely to score the game-winning points too, having gone the length of the floor in the dying seconds before seemingly drawing a certain foul with his side trailing 76-75.
But referee Peter Springer mystifyingly blew an offensive foul to the utter shock of everyone on the Clapham court despite Hurley being bumped all the way up the floor.
The call essentially put Samuel Jackman into next month’s league final against the winner of Wednesday’s semi-final between title favourites Combermere and Lodge.
The result also helped Polytechnic get over their upset loss to Lodge in the KO semis after Samuel Jackman had previously downed this same St Leonard’s team in those quarter-finals.
Yet the visitors looked to turn the tables this time via the diminutive Hurley, who was at the centre of everything St Leonard’s did offensively.
SJPI simply couldn’t keep the MVP frontrunner out of the lane as the crafty playmaker was downright surgical in probing the lane for nifty layups, deft floaters and no-look dimes to Saadiq Browne.
Adrique O’neale then got in on the act in the third quarter with back-to-back triples before Hurley put St Leonard’s up 71-63 by splitting two defenders with a spin move and then finishing between two more.
But Steele answered with a drive of his own and a free throw prior to finding Maynard underneath for a layup to cut the deficit to three (71-68) with 1:24 left.
However, Hurley appeared to have sealed the deal by splitting two subsequent free throws and stealing an inbounds for a layup to give St Leonard’s a late 75-71 cushion.
John Osbourne and Jadon Springer proved unlikely heroes though, getting free for uncontested layups to tie the game before Steele scored the go-ahead free throw seconds later.
Steele finished with 21 points and Maynard had 18 while Renico Brewster added 14. (JM)
