Short-handed Canes look to fix shortcomings
UM likely to be missing key players, including Chris Lykes and Kameron McGusty, against Jacksonville.
The injury-plagued University of Miami men’s basketball team, coming off a 15-point loss to Pittsburgh, will try to get back on the winning track at home against Jacksonville on Saturday (3:30 p.m.).
The Hurricanes (3-2) have struggled mightily from three-point range, going 9 of 60 (15 percent) during the past three games. They are also missing more free throws than usual and were outrebounded 43-29 against Pitt.
One big reason for Miami’s troubles is that five players are injured —
Chris Lykes (left ankle),
Kameron McGusty (right hamstring), Rodney Miller Jr. (left groin), Earl Timberlake (right ankle) and Sam Waardenburg (left foot, out for season). Lykes and Timberlake are not expected back until after Christmas. McGusty and Miller are day-to-day.
An NCAA ruling Wednesday that granted transfer immediate eligibility allowed Stony Brook transfer guard Elijah Olaniyi to join the active roster. He started, played 37 minutes and went 2 for 12 — missed all seven of his three-point attempts — for seven points.
“We’re struggling so bad in every category,”
County history.
The rivals are tied for fifth on the all-time list and trail only 11-time champion Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas in South Florida.
“Just making them know that we run this state,” star linebacker Rhoody JeanLouis said. “That’s all.”
After throwing an interception on its first possession, Central scored touchdowns on five consecutive drives before the end of the half. The Rockets ran for 250 yards, threw for another 108, held the Hawks (11-2) to 65 yards on the way to the 32-0 lead at halftime.
They got the ball back to start the second half and scored again to trigger a running clock.
A year after setting a state championship record with 498 rushing yards and beating Pensacola Escambia by 35 to win its sixth championship, Central put together an even more dominant performance this year. Amari Daniels, who signed a national letter of intent with Texas A&M on Wednesday, ran for 172 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, and fellow running back Ghana Oho added 98 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Sophomore quarterback Keyone Jenkins went 8 of 14 for 160 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The Rockets only gave up 87 yards and
six first downs and piled up four sacks and 10 tackles for loss.
Central, ranked No. 18 in the nation by MaxPreps, outgained Lake Minneola, 528-87.
In the first quarter, the Rockets held the Hawks to 13 total yards without a first down. Central recorded at least one sack or tackle for loss on each of the Hawks’ first four drives, and the Rockets answered nearly every punt with a touchdown.
“They came out ready to play. They did an excellent job today,” Smith said. “Like I told them: We’re not worrying about our opponent. We’re going to worry about us.”
After Jenkins threw an interception on Central’s first possession, Daniels started driving the Rockets down the field on the next. The senior opened the second drive with a 38yard run to set up Jenkins’ first touchdown pass to wide receiver Zaylan
Reese to go up 6-0.
On Central’s third drive, Daniels ripped off a 13yard run to push the Rockets to the Hawks’ 24-yard line and Jenkins heaved a touchdown to wide receiver Robert McMinn for a 12-0 lead.
Central’s fourth drive was entirely handled by its tailbacks, as Oho tore off a 38-yard run and Daniels’ punched in a 14-yard touchdown to put the Rockets ahead 18-0.
Daniels and Oho both had 15-yard runs on the next drive, and Jenkins capped it with an 8-yard touchdown to star athlete Yulkeith Brown, who also signed with Texas A&M on Wednesday. Before halftime, Central added one more when Daniels added a 40-yard run and Oho scored from 3 yards out.
Central started the second half with a 47-yard pass from Jenkins to McMinn, converted a fourth down with a swing pass to Daniels and then started the running clock with 9:43 remaining when Daniels ran in a 1-yard touchdown to go up 40-0.
As the final seconds ticked away in the fourth quarter, pastor Dwight Jackson Sr. showed off his jewelry collection to anyone who would look.
Around his neck were six gold medals from each of the Rockets’ six previous championships. On each finger of his right hand and the ring finger of his left were the gaudy rings they use to commemorate those victories.
Central is back at the top and happy to be in elite company.
“In the city, we ain’t really competing about who has more rings or not,” Daniels said. “We’re all one family in Dade County. We wish they were here tonight, playing tonight.”