By Tadi Abedje
On Monday December 10th, the Dunbar Crimson Tide were defeated by the Coolidge Colts on their home court, 74-70. The conference game between the two Northwest DC schools was a competitive and exciting game from the start.
At the start of the game, Kevin Holtz started off with a three pointer and Christopher Moses with a driving layup for the Colts. That caused Dunbar to call their first timeout. After that, Lonaile Cyrus knocked down a three from the right wing. He made one of his two free throws on their next possession. Travon Toye knocked down the Crimson Tide’s next three pointer. Kevin Holtz would answer right back with a three on his own. Lonaile Cyrus knocked it down from downtown to tie it up at 10 a piece. Aaron Scott would make the first free throw for Coolidge.
Dunbar did a good job drawing fouls on drives to counter the Colts three point attack. However, Taevon Henderson had an and-one on the fast break for the Colts but missed the free throw. With the Crimson Tide’s attack they made three of four foul shots in the final minute of the quarter. Then Antione Graham got fouled with no time left but missed the free throw. Dunbar led 21-18 after an exciting first quarter.
In the second quarter, Taevon Henderson made a three point jumper from the top of the key for the Colts. Patrick Stevens passed the ball down the court breaking the press to Lonaile Cyrus as he made the easy two. Travon Toye knocked down a three from the corner from a kickout pass. Taevon Henderson made a short jumper from an out of bounds pass to tie it at 30. Justin Ugwuezumba had a layup on the break while being fouled and completed the three point play for the Colts.
Dunbar would eventually call the timeout to stop Coolidge’s momentum. Out of the timeout, Travon Toye hit a floater in the lane. Patrick Stevens made a wide open three pointer from the left wing to put the Crimson Tide back on top. Antione Graham had a crossover and a jump shot make from the elbow. He would make a corner three before the first half buzzer sounded. The Crimson Tide outscored the Colts 24-19 to lead 45-37 at halftime.
When the third quarter began, Tyrek Simmons made a easy two while cutting to the basket for Dunbar. Bashir Yeldell got fouled shooting a three pointer but made only one of three from the charity stripe for Coolidge.
Stephaun Walker had a big shot block on the other end. Patrick Stevens got called for a 10 second backcourt violation for not bringing the ball up the court in time. Taevon Henderson knocked down an open jumper from downtown to cut the Colts deficit to seven points and made both free throws on the following possession.
Brian Glasker made a corner three pointer to put Dunbar back into their double digit lead. That would lead to a Coolidge timeout. Taevon Henderson drew a blocking foul on his drive and made one of two from the foul line. Lonaile Cyrus had an and-one plus an extra point on the other end for the Crimson Tide. Dunbar led 64-52 after three quarters of play.
In the final quarter, Taevon Henderson started off week a drive to the hoop. Henderson made two free throws after he got fouled to cut the Dunbar lead to eight. Xavier Hardy and Stephaun Walker would foul out for Dunbar and Coolidge respectively after they picked up their fifth fouls.
The Colts would cut it to one after making a three and then an and-one in a sequence. Tyrek Simmons would have a bucket and a foul but missed the free throw on the other end.
Coolidge would take their first lead since the first quarter on a putback by Christopher Moses to go up 70-69. The Colts took a timeout up 72-70 after Patrick Stevens made one of two free throws for the Crimson Tide.
Henderson missed a jumper that would’ve extended the Colts lead to four as Dunbar called a timeout. Antione Graham passed the ball in the post to Tyrek Simmons but he fell and lost the and the Colts went the other way as as Christopher Moses finished it with a layup on the break that put it away for Coolidge.
“It was powerful. We fought through a lot of adversity today. Whistles weren’t going our way again. They keep fighting and we got a chance to win,” said Coolidge Head coach Derrick Washington.
“We took some shots down the stretch that we shouldn’t have took, didn’t take care of the basketball as well as I thought we would and we didn’t make free throws,” said Dunbar Head coach Damon Singletary. “Those type of things that help you win ball games, especially tight ones.”
Next, the Crimson Tide will be at Roosevelt High School to take on the Roughriders on December 11th at 7:30 p.m. while the Colts take on the Cardozo Clerks at home on December 12th.
