They’re flying high.
Brooklyn Law & Tech cruised to another dominant victory on Feb. 3, taking down Eagle Academy II 88–67 in a Brooklyn A matchup. The victory wrapped up the regular-season league title for the Jets as the squad stayed perfect against Brooklyn competition.
“The future is certainly bright for us,” said coach Kenny Pretlow. “We have Larry [Moreno], Victor [Ogbo], and Joseph [Pena] coming back for us, but with our graduating seniors, the future is now for us, and we are legitimate championship contenders right now.”
Law & Tech (16–0) controlled tempo for much of the game, hitting shots and settling into a defensive scheme that kept Eagle Academy on its collective heels. The Jets weren’t perfect — Eagle Academy grabbed a lead early in the second half — but the Jets were able to push down the stretch and seized control midway through the third quarter.
It was the fifth-straight league game that Law & Tech scored more than 80 points.
Larry Moreno, a scoring threat from just about anywhere on the court, led the charge late for the Jets. The junior racked up a game-high 38 points, including three shots from behind the arc. He also capitalized on his chances at the free-throw line and shot a strong 15-of-16 from the stripe.
Moreno wasn’t just a scorer, however, he also played a role in motivating his team, after they got off to a slower-than-usual start in the first quarter.
“We were getting frustrated, so I just told my teammates that we need to get our shots up,” Moreno said. “We know that team [the Eagles] likes to come out strong, so I said that as long as we get our shots up, we’ll be in good shape”.
Law & Tech hit its offensive stride late, bolstered by a dominant performance on the boards. The Jets hauled in 54 total rebounds and three players racked up double-digit performances on the glass.
Mikko Johnson grabbed 10 rebounds to go along with 15 assists, Walter Pitt finished with 11 rebounds, and Victor Ogbo pulled down 15 rebounds — including five offensive boards that led to the Jets getting second and third chances on multiple possessions. Each player found position on the block, hardly even hesitating before going up for second-chance opportunities.
“My mentality is to first go to the basket,” said Ogbo, who also chipped in 16 points. “Second, if I have enough space the plan is to shoot. And third, if I am heavily covered, pass it out to an open teammate.”
It was a team effort for the Jets squad, which also got serious production off its bench. Joseph Pena was a force to be reckoned with — despite not getting a start — scoring 13 points and hauling in five rebounds. He added an extra spark for the Jets late, and Pena was simply happy to be part of yet another dominant victory.
“I enjoy my role. I know that even though I start the game on the bench,” Pena said. “When I get in the game, I have a chance to help this team win.”
