Allderdice ‘fighting for everything’
Jackson — a group that went 73-11 en route to three consecutive City League titles — more than manageable.
They entered the week having won 7 of 8, including five in a row. They were 8-4 overall, 3-0 in the City League.
At the Squirrel Hill-based school, dazzling dunks have given way to bruises and bumps. All of which is copacetic with senior guard Jahi Ogbonna, the only team member who received significant playing time last season.
“I’ve been banged up a bit, but that’s OK with me,” said the 5-foot-7 Ogbonna. “Against Brashear, I chased down the ballhandler and I had to beat him to the spot to take a charge. He was big, about 210 pounds. He ran right through me and I went to the ground. When I was laying there, it was kind of painful. But all I was thinking was, ‘We have to get this ‘W.’”
The Dragons did. They held Brashear to eight first-half points in the 79-47 win. The ‘Dice also held Obama Academy to eight points in the first half and Farrell to 11 in backto-back victories last week.
Even in defeat, the “D” never strays from the ‘Dice. That was evident in a 43-36 setback to Central Catholic, which managed just three points in the opening quarter.
Through 12 games, the Dragons were allowing 46.2 points. No opponent — other than Penn Hills in a 73-65 overtime loss — had scored more than 56 against them. Four were held in the 30s.
As for charges, Allderdice takes an average of nearly three per game. Sophomore Terrell Childs leads with seven, though Jeremiah Doswell, a running back on the football team, nearly caught up to him in one game.
He took five against Brashear.
“He’s our enforcer,” Ogbonna said. “I’m not surprised he had that many. He’s willing to do anything to help us win. We’ve all bought in, and that’s the great thing.”
To underscore how much these Dragons are Buddyball enthusiasts, consider what Blaufield did in the loss to Penn Hills. After hitting two 3pointers in the third quarter to get Allderdice back in the game, he raced downcourt and made what he called his “favorite play of the year.”
“I got to the baseline and took a charge,” he said. “It didn’t even hurt, but it did get us pumped out.”
From a fundamentals standpoint, the Dragons could produce a how-to video on taking charges. Top six players Ogbonna, Blaufield, Childs, Lamar Todd, Shaun Morris and Tyler Williams — along with five others who are part of the rotation — are precise in getting to the proper spot and taking one for the team.
“I’ve had referees say, ‘Your kids are in perfect position,’” Valinsky said. “And I’ve been surprised how fans don’t see our games as boring or not being played well. The fact is, defense wins championships. And don’t get me wrong, my kids want to score, too, and I don’t limit them on offense. But defense is winning right now.
“Last season, we averaged 77 points a game. We might not get that many in three games now. That’s OK, though. The objective is to win — and we’re doing it our way.”