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Chosen Ones, Hoyas Stay Unbeaten After Monday Wins

Anthony Theodore of the Hoyas (center) battles under the boards.The last two undefeated teams in the New Breed Basketball Association summer league, the defending champion Hoyas and the Chosen Ones, came out on top Monday night at the Educational Complex Gymnasium.

The Chosen Ones had their way with Umoja to the tune of a 122-57 blowout, but Ujima gave the champs all they could handle before succumbing, 87-79 in the most exciting game of the season so far.

The Ujima-Hoyas contest was game two of the night and from the opening whistle the Hoyas knew that they had a battle on their hands. Kori Vialet exploded for 12 first-quarter points to keep Ujima within three points of the lead at 24-21. Ujima finished the period with the momentum, and along with a hustling defense, it carried them to the lead early in the second quarter to the delight of their fans and most of the crowd, who were pulling for the upset.

After a long three by Rubio Heywood they enjoyed an 11-point lead over the Hoyas and were looking to deliver that knockout blow to the champs. With his team looking somewhat stunned by the play of Ujima and by what he felt was lack of calls going his way, Hoyas coach Sammy Lee got into the ear of the referee, with some adult words midway through the period, to let his feelings known.

Whatever Lee said, the ref was having none of it. Lee was assessed a technical foul, but continued to bother the referee. With his second technical, Lee was given the boot and escorted out of the gym.

His team was in big trouble, but no one really expected the four time defending champs to lose without a fight. The lead was 12 points at 40-28 with 3:50 left in the half when the Hoyas went on a 12-5 run to go into the locker room trailing by just five at 45-40.

A balanced attack by the Hoyas to start the third quarter allowed them to race past Ujima on 14-4 run to take the lead at 54-49. But Ujima surged and were back to within two points at 59-57 with 3:12 left in the third. The Hoyas would then close out the third leading 66-61.

A 4-0 start to the fourth quarter by Ujima, and they were within one at 66-65, but the champs responded with five straight points by Darnell “Burger” Hendrickson – a three-pointer and a layup and the lead was back up to six at 71-65.

The closest Ujima would get the rest of the way would be within four points and that came with the score at 81-74 and 2:10 left in the game. Jabari Applewaite hit a big trey, and just like that the lead was four points at 81-77. The champs came back with a 6-2 run to close out the game, 87-79.

Hendrickson led six Hoyas in double figures with a game-high 22 points while grabbing 10 rebounds, but the Brothers John once again did the dirty work down low for the Hoyas with twin double-doubles. Kurt John finished with 10 points and hauled down a game-high 19 rebounds and five blocks; Karl netted 13 points, grabbed 18 boards and blocked four shots. The Hoyas also got help from Warren Christian, Terrence Turbe, and Keith Paul who finished with 14, 13, and 11 points respectively.

The Ujima offensive output was a team effort in every sense of the word, as 10 players got into the scoring column. Applewaite led three of those players in double figures with a team-high 17 points. Vialet finished with 17 points and Curtis Archibald knocked down 11.

In the night’s early game, the Chosen Ones ran up and over Umoja, 122-57, in a one-sided contest from start to finish. The game, for all intents and purposes, was over in the first quarter after the Chosen Ones ran off a 33-19 opening stanza.

It was all cruise control from there on for one of the league’s two remaining unbeatens. Six players scored in double figures for the offensive juggernaut: James Sneed led the way with a game high 23 points, Andy Chelcher dropped in 18, Ryan Rawlings netted 16, and Wilson Ferrance, Quinton Guirty and Zomari Swanston finished with 14, 11, and 10 points respectively.

The Chosen Ones point guard, Glenroy Coggins only scored six points but he had game-highs in assists with nine and in steals with 10. Umojah was led by Andre Swanston who netted 14 points and John Caston, who finished with 11.

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