Eagles imposing up front
Green Tech banking on big front line to help in bid for a state crown
ALBANY— When the Green Tech boys’ basketball team captured the 2021-22 Section II Class AA boys’ basketball championship, the Eagles did so riding the accomplishments of a team featuring six seniors. Nearly two-thirds of the way through this season’s schedule prior to the playoffs, the Eagles were trying to discover their identity.
Green Tech coach DJ Jones felt he had something no area team possessed: a trio of dominating post players in 6-foot-8 senior center Henry Perkins, 6-6 sophomore forward Olivan Owens and 6-6 sophomore forward U’mier Graham.
“In the first few games, I started all three of them,” Jones said. “But we realized that was going to be tough. Ollie and U’mier had to work for that starting spot. U’mier easily could be a starter, but I loved the energy he brought in off the bench replacing Henry or Ollie. He is dangerous on the perimeter and in the paint. He is a great asset for us. They all are.”
“In the beginning of the season, we knew what we could be but we didn’t know how to put it into a game. It was really in-game experience that got things down pat to how it looks now,” Owens said.
What it looks like now is a well-balanced team surrounding the play of the post trio in conjunction with the play provided by guards Haisi Mayben, Ramere Brown and Jasai King. By beating a trio of teams in sectionals with extended winning streaks in Bethlehem (5747), Ballston Spa (59-58) and Christian Brothers Academy (72-36), Green Tech (16-7) next heads to Syracuse on Saturday for a Class AA state quarterfinal contest against Section III champion Liverpool (20-3) at SRC Arena. The Eagles, winners of 10 straight contests, played at Liverpool Jan. 22 and posted a 59-53 win.
“These guys are so hungry. We have started clicking at the right time,” Jones said. “Even with the dominating game we had with CBA, watching the film we still noticed areas where we can improve. With
the potential and the confidence we have right now, we’re the only team that can stop us.”
Green Tech, a squad that dropped a 47-43 veridct at home against CBA in double overtime on Jan. 3, outrebounded the Brothers 48-24 Saturday and limited them to 10-for-43 shooting from the field and just one assist.
Perkins, who helped lead the Eagles to the state final in 2022 and is averaging 10 points and 12 rebounds per game this season, said regarding this season’s
reversal of fortune, “We turned it around by going hard and being disciplined in practice. We had talks together and we became a tighter unit and a team. We have taken it one step at a time. We have a lot of players that have stepped it up a notch. I am proud of seeing the younger players improve. Ollie has stepped it up big time and U’mier has stepped it up big time.”
“I didn’t really have any doubt that our team was good.
B3 Chatham boys, Greenwich girls advance.
Once we went through our trials and tribulations, we were able to show what we really could do,” said Owens, who is averaging nine points and eight rebounds per game.
“We just told each other that we had to lock in, pay attention and focus in practice and be a winning team,” Graham said.
Jones wanted to assure his big men would be more involved in the offense in the second half of the season, so each practice he devotes 25 minutes per day on his guards making post-entry feeds and his big men work on sealing a defender and making themselves available.
“It is almost like a video game. We have three guys 6-5 and up,” Owens said. “We have a 6-5 wing and 6-8 center and we are able to switch things up. I think it has gone much better. We have been able to space out the floor more instead of having teams pack it in (defensively inside).”
“We all work with each other after practice to work on post moves and how to guard each other,” said Graham, who is averaging nine points and nine rebounds per game as the team’s sixth man.
Jones has had football coaches approach him about Perkins, who has played the sport. As big as Perkins is, he is quite nimble on the court and that often catches opponents by surprise.
“Don’t judge a book by its cover. That is what I was always taught,” Perkins said. “People see me and say I should be on the football field. I played football too, but being nimble on the basketball court causes problems. People have to pick their poison.”
Owens and Graham spent the summer working together, knowing each had a chance to be a major contributor to this season’s team. Each has improved the other.
“Iron sharpens iron,” said Owens, whose older brother Daniel scored 1,000 points in college and sister Olivia played at Maryland and Kentucky. “We go after it every day.”
“Ollie is another example of you don’t have to score to make an impact on a game,” Jones said. “When Ollie is not scoring, he still is ... in the paint rebounding and defending. He is altering shots. Ollie is one of the youngest players and his favorite player is Tim Duncan.”
Perkins believes the team’s last loss, a 60-59 setback against Eagle Academy, helped set the stage for the team’s turnaround.
“When winning matters is when it comes time for the playoffs, which is something we have proved,” Perkins said.
“Just like when won the sectional championship, we have to give our all and come in Saturday with a winning mindset,” Graham said. “There can be no time for negativity. We have to play like it is for the state ‘chip.’ ”