TitansHoops Steamroll Braddock to Improve to 6-1

Photo by FLICKR/zd3/4260861891/in/pool-basketball Titans Boys Basketball started the season on a roll, defeating Lake Braddock 51-36 to improve to 6-1

ALEXANDRIA, VA. - Titans Boys Basketball started the season on a roll, defeating Lake Braddock 51-36 to improve to 6-1 overall (3-0 Patriot). The Titans led 25-16 at intermission enroute to the 15-point win.

The Red, White and Blue Titans were paced by: Billy Rowland (21 points), Ryan Yates (eight), Darris Porter and Tyrell Sitton and Cortez Taylor (four apiece), Daquan Kerman and Jay Whitmire (three apiece) and Tayron Chambers and T.J. Huggins (two apiece).

T.C. qualified for the Virginia AAA State Tournament last season, but were ousted in the State Quarter-final Round. T.C. has won two Basketball State Titles ('76/'77 and '07/'08) in school history.

In other recent action, the Hayfield Hawks improved to 13-0 overall (6-0 National) with a 64-55 victory versus Mount Vernon. The Orange and White Hawks were paced by: Chad Canady (25), Brandon Winbush (17), Rayshawn Rigans (seven), Sean Michael King (six), Reggie Tate (five) and Leon Cureton (four).

Mount Vernon senior standout guard Skylar Jones poured in 18 of his teams 55 points, which included 14 in the second half. The Majors dropped to 10-3 overall (5-1 National). (In the Majors prior contest, Mount Vernon defeated Edison 62-46, in which Jones scored 20 points).

Hayfield, coached by veteran Ron Palmer, are a serious force to be reckoned with in the upcoming District/Regional Playoffs (mid/late February).

The West Potomac Wolverines dropped to 7-5 overall (3-2 Patriot) via a 64-59 hard-fought contest with Patriot District rival Lake Braddock. Despite the loss, the Wolverines are likely to finish in the upper tier of the Patriot District this February should they continue their generally inspired play this winter. In fact, the Wolverines improved their record to 8-5 overall (4-2) the next evening with a 57-51 win versus Patriot District rival W.T. Woodson.

Annandale, also of the Patriot District, improved to 6-4 overall (3-3) with a recent 77-44 pasting of West Springfield. The Red and White Atoms were led by junior forward Melvin Robinson - who also is a wide receiver for the schools football team.
The Episcopal Maroon dropped to 7-2 overall (1-1 Interstate Athletic Conference) via a 66-50 setback to IAC power Georgetown Prep. The Black and Maroon were paced by: Sadiq Abubakar (20), Arnaud Adala Moto (12), David Kagula-Kalema (seven), Bennett Jones (seven), Bailey Patrick (three) and Sage Ofray (two).

Maroon veteran head coach Jimmy Fitzpatrick played his high school ball at Flint Hill (Oakton) and his college ball at Wake Forest University.

The St. Stephens/St. Agnes Saints dropped to 6-6 overall (1-2 IAC) with a 67-62 loss to IAC foe Landon (Bethesda, Md.). The Red, White and Green Saints received a brilliant game from guard Dexter Lindsay - who pumped in 29 of the 62 points (46% of the total). (Five other Saints chipped in the remaining 33 points).

Veteran Saint head coach Kevin McLinton is the son of former Redskin linebacker Harold McLinton.

The Ireton Cardinals dropped to 5-9 overall (0-6 WCAC) via a 53-44 Washington Catholic Athletic Conference setback to arch-rival O'Connell. Interestingly, the Cardinal and Gold led 20-19 at intermission, but were outscored 34-24 over the games final 16 minutes. The top two Ireton scorers were Patrick Hanifin (20) and Antonio Rouse (14). In virtually every game this season thus far, Hanifin or Rouse has led the squad in scoring.

Ireton is a virtual "shoe-in" to appear in the WCAC "play-in" round in February in which the tenth-seeded team travels to the seventh-seeded team and in which the ninth-seeded team travels to the eighth-seeded team. The WCAC is simply one of the top leagues in America and in order to finish in the top-six of the regular season standings in the 10 team league - a herculean effort is virtually always required.

O'Connell, from northwest Arlington, improved to 7-7 overall (3-3 WCAC).

Also, in other recent contests, Thomas Jefferson (west-Alexandria) improved to 4-9 overall (1-5 Liberty), with a 48-42 victory versus Liberty District foe G.C. Marshall. Interestingly, veteran Jefferson head coach Ed Grimm is a '70 Ireton graduate and is well-travelled in the high school coaching ranks.

Wakefield (south-Arlington) improved to 5-8 overall (3-3 National) courtesy of a 74-72 win versus Edison (south-Alexandria). The Warriors are coached by veteran Tony Bentley - a Washington-Lee grad. The Edison Eagles, conversely, dropped to 7-7 overall (2-4 National).

Washington-Lee (central-Arlington) improved to 4-9 overall (3-3 National) courtesy of a 57-55 win versus Falls Church. The Generals are coached by veteran Bobby Dobson - who has nearly 20 years under his proverbial belt and is the longest serving head coach at any of the Regions 32 schools.

Yorktown (north-Arlington) improved to 6-8 overall (2-4 National) courtesy of a 57-39 pasting of JEB Stuart. Patriot head coach Rich Avila, interestingly, is a T.C. Williams Titan alumnus - who played football for the Titans during "Remember the Titans" era.

 In brief, T.C. Williams improved to 4-9 overall (2-5 Patriot) with a 51-38 victory versus Patriot foe W.T. Woodson. The Lady Titans were paced by: Jasmine Norman (12), Rainie Summa (nine), Diamond Copeland and Charnelle Huggins (four apiece), Sofie Schedler (three) and Sade Barber (two). T.C. head coach Cavanaugh Hagen is an '01 T.C. grad who played both basketball and soccer at the school during her Red, White and Blue days.

In addition, Mount Vernon defeated Hayfield 54-37. With the win, the Lady Majors improved to 8-4 overall (5-1 National). With the loss, the Lady Hawks dropped to 6-8 overall (3-4 National).

Edison defeated Wakefield 49-36. With the win, the Lady Eagles improved to 12-1 overall (6-0 National). With the loss, the Lady Warriors dropped to 5-7 overall (2-3 National). In the Eagles prior contest, they defeated south-Alexandria rival Mount Vernon 64-50. The Eagles are coached by veteran Diane Lewis.

The West Potomac Lady Wolverines dropped to 1-8 overall (0-3 Patriot) courtesy of a 48-43 setback to Lake Braddock a number of days ago.

The Episcopal Lady Maroon dropped to 1-7 overall courtesy of a 72-41 thumping at the hands of the Maret Frogs (D.C.). The Maroon's ISL (Independent School League) record is not known with exact precision as of this writing.

Washington-Lee defeated Falls Church 49-14. With the win, the Lady Generals improved to 5-7 overall (2-4 National).

Yorktown defeated JEB Stuart 61-30. With the win, the Lady Patriots improved to 6-7 overall (4-1 National).