Young Coggs boys defeat North.
Closing surge sinks Blue Devils
At Young Coggs Prep, it’s always about the playoffs.
As an independent, the Eagles don’t have a conference race to look forward to. Every practice, every game is about getting ready for the playoffs and once there making their mark.
Friday was another step in that process.
Facing a Milwaukee North squad that loves to push the tempo, the Eagles rallied from a 10point first-half deficit to score a 79-76 victory at home. Junior guard Tresean Jordan (26 points) carried the load in the first half; Jontae Peterson, a junior guard, did damage in the second half; and senior guard Trivoris Griffin helped seal the victory with five points in the final 3 minutes.
The Eagles improved to 6-0 and continued to justify the state ranking they’ve been bestowed — they’re ranked fifth this week in the wissports.net Division 4 state poll.
“The one beauty of being an independent is we can play anybody,” Young Coggs coach Tim Richert said. “Our whole schedule is predicated to help us for the tournament. I tell the guys these are all practice. Every game is practice until we get to the tournament.”
North, which entered play averaging nearly 100 points per game, dropped to 8-1. Senior guard Jordan Anderson, who is averaging a state-best 36.2 points per game, finished with 26 points and 4 three-pointers. Dartanyon Harris hit 6 threes and checked in with 23 points. Tray Thomas, the final piece of the team’s Big Three, added 18.
In the final 4 minutes, however, the Blue Devils were outscored, 9-4, including a run of seven straight points that gave Young Coggs control.
North coach Billy Harris thought his team’s inexperience showed in the final minutes.
“I think our guys grew up a little there,” he said. “It was more about them making some shots down the stretch and we didn’t make the shots that we had. … It was a couple of baskets that decided that game.”
Griffin scored all his points during that stretch. Struggling from three-point range, he finally connected from long distance with 2 minutes 37 seconds left to give the Eagles a 75-72 advantage.
On the next possession senior forward Raheem Coleman hit a bucket inside to make it 77-72, and after Thomas’ basket cut that lead to three, Griffin helped seal it by slicing through the defense for a layup out of the team’s four-corners offense.
It was big finish for a guy who struggled for most of the night.
“Basically (the key) was keeping my confidence,” he said. “My team believes in me. They trust every shot I take and we just play hard every night. We play every game like it’s our last.”
Richert, Griffin and Peterson all talked about the tournament and making another run at state. Two years ago all three were key figures in the school’s Division 5 state title, but last season the squad finished 17-8 and was bounced from the tournament in the regional final.
This year’s squad might be deeper and bigger than it was two years ago, and with Jordan (15.8 points per game), Coleman (15), Peterson (14.8) and Griffin (14.3) all averaging in double digits, the team has the potential to be more balanced.
What they won’t have is the benefit of being an unknown. The secret has long been out on the Eagles.
“We’re trying to back up state,” Peterson said, “Watch out for us.”