Tigers Undefeated Record Snapped by Knights but Recover vs. Mahopac
On Wednesday, Jan. 8, the White Plains Tigers came into one of the most anticipated high school basketball games of the season in Westchester County, with an undefeated, 6-0 record in 2013-14.
The Tigers were matched-up against archrival Mt. Vernon High School, who also had much at stake while trying to protect a 5-1 record in 2013-14.
When the game concluded both historically Westchester County powerhouse basketball teams departed the Harry Jefferson Gym at White Plains High School with 6-1 records, as the Knights beat the Tigers 47-39.
It was standing room only in the Harry Jefferson Gym, as the new and improved White Plains Tigers had finally assembled a team that could compete with Head Coach Bob Cimmino’s tough Knights teams.
White Plains had not had a team of this season’s quality since the Sean Kilpatrick and Ra’Shad James era when the Tigers competed in the Section One Championship game in 2007.
Nonetheless, the most anticipated game of the year took a sudden twist in Mt. Vernon’s favor. Tigers leading scorer Mike DeMello sustained two fouls in the first two minutes of the game and had to sit the remaining 14 minutes of the first half.
But the Tigers were resilient behind senior Chris Jordan’s eight points, freshman Jordan Tucker’s seven points and strong rebounding by center Justin Tapper in the first half, to stay within a five point deficit, 24-19, with their leading scorer on the bench.
DeMello entered the game and scored four points in the third quarter. Tapper added six points, while the Tigers defense only allowed seven points in the third quarter, which included only one field goal, a three-pointer and two foul shots for the Knights.
Hence the Tigers had survived missing DeMello in the first half to tie the game in the third quarter 31-31, with a chance to send Mt. Vernon home with a loss. But then the ugly fourth quarter occurred for the Tigers.
The Tigers could not buy a basket in the fourth quarter. They scored eight points to the Knights 16 points in the fourth quarter. Until DeMello hit a three-pointer with 14 seconds remaining in the game; the Tigers had only scored five points in the entire fourth quarter. “We missed a lot of shots and we took some bad shots that were out of our offensive scheme and it caught up to us,” stated Tigers Head Coach Spencer Mayfield.
Knights Brandon Martin had as many points in the fourth quarter as the entire Tigers team. Martin scored eights points and grabbed eight rebounds in the fourth quarter. He ended the game with a game-high 15 points and 14 rebounds.
Despite the loss to the Knights, the Tigers got tough inside play from Tapper who had eight points and 14 rebounds in the game. DeMello after missing most of the first half had a team-high nine points. Tucker ended the game with seven points but all his points scored in the first half.
“In the beginning everything was going pretty good. We came out strong, moving the ball and knocking down shots. We felt comfortable as a team,” said Tucker, whose father Lewis played basketball for Mt. Vernon. “This is the game I really cared about because it is Mt. Vernon but we play them one more time and hopefully we will beat them,” stated Tucker.
The Tigers shot a dismal, 5 of 21 from three-point range. Another troubling statistic in the game for the Tigers, they shot zero free-throws in the first half to the Knights 17 foul shots in the first half.
Furthermore, the free-throw tally at the end of the game was 26 free-throws for Mt. Vernon and six for White Plains. Granted the Tigers did not seem to understand that when their outside shots are not going in, you then drive to the hoop. But 26 foul shots to six, seems a little distorted especially considering White Plains was the home team.
DeMello thought he let his team down but there is not much that you can do from the bench. The spunky guard came out in the second half and tried to lift his team but the Tigers scoring drought combined with the Knights 10 for 12 shooting from the foul line in the fourth quarter doomed the Tigers.
“The two fouls changed the entire game. I was disappointed in everything, mostly in myself. Nothing was going right for me tonight. But the team did their jobs and I am proud of what they accomplished,” said DeMello.
Tigers Rebound Against Mahopac in JDRF Tournament
The Tigers bounced back from their loss to Mt. Vernon High School with a convincing win over Mahopac High School, 51-41, in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation for a Cure Tournament, at the Monroe College Athletic Complex, in New Rochelle, on Saturday.
The Tigers ruined Mahopac’s undefeated season, as the Indians were 8-0 coming into the JDRF Tournament. Unlike the Mt. Vernon game the Tigers played tough defense in the fourth quarter against the Indians and they beat Mahopac on the boards 32-26. In the Mt. Vernon game the Tigers were out rebounded 49-36.
Tigers’ freshmen Jordan Tucker used his 6’ and 6” frame to snatch 12 rebounds against Mahopac, while also scoring eight points. “Jordan made a conscious effort to do a better job on the boards then he did in the Mt. Vernon game. He went to the defensive glass very hard,” commented Tigers Head Coach Spencer Mayfield.
Tigers guard Mike DeMello received Most Valuable Player of the Game honors scoring 16 points and making four foul shots in the last 30 seconds of the game to secure the win.
Mayfield also got the game that he wanted from his senior forward Rexler Noel, who had 10 points in the game. Tigers Chris Jordan added seven points and Justin Tapper contributed six points in the win against Mahopac. “Our team got a good win against a quality team after a tough loss,” stated Mayfield.
The JDRF Tournament hits close to home for Mayfield, as he lives with Type 2 Diabetes. “The JDRF Tournament is a very meaningful event to me,” said Mayfield.
The Third Annual JDRF Tournament was hosted by Saunders High School and Monroe College, who donated the Monroe Athletic Complex for the tournament. The event raised $2,820 for Juvenile Diabetes research.
