South Shore played as poorly as it prepared.
The school’s girls’ basketball team suffered a 50–37 loss to Forest Trail Academy (N.C.) during the Mecca Challenge at Gauchos Gym in the Bronx on Jan. 31. The Vikings could not gain a lead after early offensive woes – including a scoreless first quarter — and it all came down to poor practice.
“We weren’t sharp in practice,” said Vikings coach Anwar Gladden. “When you don’t practice hard and you come out the next day, things like that happen. We score points. We get up and down and score points, so today was definitely an off day.”
Senior forward Jordan Washington helped kick-start the Vikings’ offense in the second quarter, scoring 11 of South Shore’s 15 points. She capped the frame with a buzzer-beating jumper that cut her team’s deficit to seven.
“I was just going with the flow, pushing the ball,” said Washington.
She made her presence felt all over the court, crashing the glass and making all of the little plays that don’t show up on the box score. Washington finished with a game-high 16 points.
“She cleans up,” Gladden said. “Jordan Washington doesn’t have any plays in the playbook. She just cleans up. She played like a senior, and she played like a warrior.”
The Vikings (16–3), which beat Roosevelt (Md.) two days earlier, came within one point after a Washington layup at the 3:32 mark in the second quarter. But Forest Trail Academy made a late push before the half, and the team never looked back. Timely threes by junior guard Leah Church exploited the Vikings’ zone defense.
Senior forward Timber Tate had a huge game for Forest Trail (17–4), finishing with 14 points of her own. She looked like the best player on the floor, because of her vocal leadership and simply being in the right spot at the right time. She made her intensity felt on both sides of the ball.
“You have to cut,” sophomore guard Destiny Philoxy repeatedly instructed as South Shore’s wings failed to capitalize on open lanes she created.
Gladden took advantage of the moment by helping develop some of his younger players as South Shore looks to repeat as Public School Athletic League Class AA champions.
“I think we were able to get some kids some playing time today that I think we’re going to need down the stretch,” he said. “I think we got some kids some experience for the playoffs.”
